Summer allergies are all but impossible to avoid, but you can limit them with some smart decisions. Understanding allergy triggers — allergens — will help you reduce the amount of them in your home to keep your allergy symptoms under control.
Here are the most common allergens:
- Dust mites: Extremely small insects that commonly trigger problems for those with asthma. They feed on human skin flakes, often found on clothes and furniture in high concentrations.
- Pet dander: Your loving companion likely gives off pet dander as they shed. Some breeds are worse than others.
- Mold: A micro-organism that is often formed in humid and warm environments. Likes to grow in basements and bathrooms, and can cause short and long term breathing problems.
- Pollen: An outdoor allergen that easily gets tracked inside on clothes, shoes and pets. Pollen triggers many common allergy symptoms.
How to protect your home against allergens
There are many things you can do to control allergens. If your allergies get bad during the summer, it is worth investing in the most comprehensive methods.
- Vacuuming: Regularly vacuuming is a simple thing you can do to remove dust mites and pet dander from your home. It is best to use a vacuum that is compatible with HEPA filters.
- Allergen-proof bedding: From your sheets to your pillow cases, there are many allergen-proof options. These are designed to resist common allergens so that you don’t have to wash them as frequently.
- Humidity control: Many allergens thrive in moist conditions. It is important to keep the humidity levels down over the summer when they are typically the highest. Invest in a dehumidifier if needed.
- Advanced filtration system: Modern air cleaners are both affordable and highly effective at removing many types of harmful particles from your air. Not only will they remove allergens like mold and dust, but bacteria as well.
For professional assistance with eliminating allergy triggers in your Grand Traverse County home, contact Team Bob’s Heating Cooling Plumbing today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Traverse City, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about allergy triggers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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