If you suffer from allergies, seasonal changes can be a bad time. Suddenly, fall allergies you forgot you had will reappear, making you and other vulnerable family members miserable. The problem is exacerbated by the airtightness of many modern homes. They're built to intentionally keep warm air from escaping in the winter and from infiltrating inside in the summer. However, this has the unfortunate side effect of trapping dirty, allergen-filled air in the house.However, don't despair. There are effective strategies for protecting indoor air quality as well as your health. Try some of the following:
Keep allergens outside. Close windows and doors during days when allergen levels are high in the outside air. Brush pets before they come inside, and take off your shoes and outerwear upon entering the house and leave these items by the door.
Clean the house frequently, and make sure you wash bedding at least weekly. Store unused clothing in plastic boxes or bags. Try to limit the display of knick-knacks, trophies, picture frames, etc., since these are notorious dust collectors, and household dust is full of allergens.
Change the air filter in your furnace or heat pump regularly to preserve indoor air quality. Inspect it once a month and change it when it looks clogged or dirty.
Your home should have effective mechanical ventilation to ensure a regular exchange of fresh outside air with stale indoor air. Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, and leave them on for 10 or 15 minutes after you're finished in that room. If ventilation is pulling more allergens inside, consider a whole-house air purifying system that works in tandem with your forced-air HVAC system.
Control moisture levels in your home, since unusual humidity levels inside, either too high or too low, can create a welcoming atmosphere for allergens. A whole-house humidifier can help counter the adverse effects of dry indoor air in the winter.
For more advice on improving indoor air quality during the fall allergy season, please contact us at Air Assurance, providing quality HVAC and air quality services in the Broken Arrow area since 1985.
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: “Olena Zaskochenko/Shutterstock”
Does dry indoor air have your senses flaring? Dry nose and skin, and a sore scratchy throat are symptoms of indoor air that is too dry, all of which provide the perfect breeding ground for the flu virus. A whole-house humidifier can relieve your symptoms, and help keep the flu at bay.Flu virus and dry airIt’s important to maintain a healthy immune defense to fight against infections, particularly during the cold and flu season. However, research has shown that a diminished immune system is only one component to the reasons why viruses, like the flu, are more prevalent and infectious during the winter season.Flu viruses produce a defensive coating in cold outdoor temperatures that make them more stable, allowing more time to find an unsuspecting host to infect. This compounds the problem for household occupants of warding off health ailments when dry winter air contributes to a weakened immune system brought on by fatigue, dehydration and dry nose and throat.The third component to the reason why flu viruses spread so easily during dry winter months is the dry air itself. Coughs and sneezes release the flu virus into household air. The dry air quickly evaporates the moisture within the coughs and sneezes, essentially removing the barrier between household occupants and flu viruses. If you have dry nasal passages and sore throat, the likelihood of infection is tremendously increased if you inhale an airborne flu virus.Maintain a moisture barrierWhole-house humidification provides a protective moisture barrier to prevent health ailments, discomforts and household damage caused by dry air. A whole-house humidifier connects to the ductwork of your forced-air system. As airflow passes through the humidifier, water vapor is collected which humidifies the dry air, providing optimal indoor humidity for your entire home.Optimally humidified air carries many benefits in addition to fending off the flu. Optimal humidity protects hardwood floors, wooden cabinetry, molding and all wooden and porous objects, possessions and home structure.For more details about a whole-house humidifier, contact Air Assurance today. We provide outstanding service and installation throughout the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan Area.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). Image courtesy of Shutterstock
