Oklahoma Allergy Season Tips

From ragweed to cotton, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma has its share of allergies. When allergy season hits, the itching eyes, stuffy nose, and tickly throat can be almost unbearable. Here are some allergy tips to help you reduce your suffering.

1. Upgrade Your Air Filter

The air filter in your HVAC system traps allergens to keep them from circulating in your home. Filter effectiveness is measured in Minimum Efficiency Recording Value, or MERVs, which range from 1 to 20. If you upgrade your existing filter to a high efficiency one with a MERV rating between 14 and 16, you will have fewer allergens in your home.

2. Remove Debris Around the Outdoor Unit

Plants and other debris around your outdoor unit can impact your indoor allergen levels, because the outdoor unit pulls air through that debris and into your home. Keep the area around your outdoor unit clean and clear.

3. Dust the Registers and Vents

Registers and vents that are dusty blow dust and pollen through your home. Dust these first, then dust the remainder of your home, to remove the dust and other indoor allergens that could be making your allergies worse.

4. Check for Mold

If you have never had your HVAC system checked for mold, schedule an inspection. Mold exasperates allergies and can cause other respiratory concerns. If you do have mold, have it professionally removed to ensure your family can breathe safely.

5. Consider Duct Cleaning

If you are using an efficient filter, have cleaned outside your system and have checked for mold, but you are still struggling with allergies, consider duct cleaning. Removing allergens from the ducts will prevent them from being spread around your home.

One of the best allergy tips, however, is to have your HVAC system professionally inspected and serviced at the start of the allergy season. In Broken Arrow, Air Assurance provides comprehensive HVAC service, including inspections. Contact them today to schedule your HVAC system inspection this allergy season.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Serhiy Kobyakov/Shutterstock”

Improving Indoor Air Quality Can Combat Spring Allergies

Indoor air quality in Oklahoma residences is on average, 10 times worse than outdoor air, reflecting a national trend. Your home may be sealed up to make the most of energy savings, but this compounds poor air quality, especially in the spring, when allergy season starts up. Allergens can get into your home, but have a hard time getting back out again. One of the most important steps to take in combating spring allergies and improving health year-round, is raising your indoor air quality.Allergens are found on many household surfaces, but the kinds that cause severe reactions are typically airborne particles. Some of the most common symptoms experienced in Oklahoma are hay fever, asthma and respiratory problems caused by grass, tree pollen, mold spores and flowers. Other common irritants that reduce indoor air quality include:

• Dust (Dust is the No. 1 way germs and microorganisms enter your body, and for every 1,500 square feet of space the average home has 40 lbs of dust!)

• Pet dander

• Off-gassing from building materials and carpets

• Fumes from cleaners and air fresheners

• Radon (the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US after cigarettes)

It’s important to keep air circulating in your home, as well as keeping it filtered. During the spring, an open window will only compound your allergy troubles! Devices such as energy recovery ventilators keep fresh air coming and in push stale air out and can filter the air as they do so. There are also high efficiency filters, such as HEPA filters, that can dramatically improve indoor air quality by removing up to 99.9 percent of airborne particles, including many allergens. Keeping humidity levels balanced by adding or removing moisture from the air can also improve your air. Particles remain airborne longer in dry air and humid environments foster mold.If you would like more information on how to improve your indoor air quality, reducing the effects of spring allergies and improving overall health year round, call Air Assurance. We'll be happy to discuss your options and find a solution that's right for your home and health!Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.