The Number One Way to Improve Indoor Allergies
Allergies can be a real bummer. Serious allergies to dust, pollen, food, or other types of irritants can make you feel absolutely miserable.
There’s nothing worse than having to keep itching or sneezing while you’re trying to do something. Even if you’re just lounging around, allergies can ruin your relaxation time and put an overall damper on your mental well-being.
Food allergies are prevented by not eating what you’re allergic to, but other types of allergies are preventable in a number of different ways.
In order to get you up to speed, here’s an indoor allergy overview that covers the basics of allergies, how you can prevent them, and how you can tackle the problem.
What are Indoor Allergies?
Allergies, also known as hay fever (allergic rhinitis), occur when antibodies in the immune system identify a harmless foreign substance (an allergen) as a threat.
Antibodies release chemicals called histamine, which attack the allergen while also causing inflammation. This inflammation presents itself in the form of an allergic reaction.
Types of allergies include:
- Food allergies
- Seasonal allergies
- Outdoor allergies
- Indoor allergies
These categories may overlap. For example, pollen allergies can occur both indoors and out.
Common Indoor Allergens
Allergens are substances that cause allergic reactions. Indoor allergies are caused by indoor allergens — allergens found inside the home.
Common sources of indoor allergens include:
- Cockroaches
- Dust mites
- Mold and mildew
- Pet dander and saliva
- Pollen
Indoor Allergy Symptoms
Having allergies in your home can affect you in a variety of ways, all of which can be difficult to deal with.
Most allergy symptoms are similar to a common cold, although they depend on your body’s reaction to allergens. As a whole, the areas most affected are the eyes, the skin, the lungs, and the respiratory system.
Common allergy symptoms include:
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Watery eyes
- Chest congestion
- Coughing and sneezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Itchy skin
- Rashes
Allergies can even affect your mood and your brain! Less common symptoms of allergies found inside the home can include:
- Brain fog
- General fatigue
- An overall cognitive decline
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Depression
Does that sound like something you want to deal with while trying to enjoy the comfort of your home? Of course not!
What’s the Best Way to Control Indoor Allergens?
While some people may point to allergy shots or over-the-counter allergy medications as solutions, these aren’t an option for everyone.
Allergy immunotherapy is expensive and requires people to drive out to a clinic to receive allergy shots every week for several years. That takes up a lot of time and money some people don’t have.
Over-the-counter allergy medications may work for some people and not others. Some medications have side effects that some people can’t tolerate.
Animal allergies can be a difficult beast to tackle for a wide variety of reasons. Finding a new home for one’s beloved dogs or cats is not an option for everyone.
The good news is there are other steps people can take to reduce their exposure to indoor allergens.
Cleaning More Frequently
In order for dust to set off allergy symptoms, it has to get into your home first. Dust can be tracked in on the clothes and shoes of people entering your home, for starters. Pets can also track dust, pollen, and other allergens in your home, as well as shed their fur and dandruff.
Dusting and vacuuming more frequently may reduce allergens found in the home.
Reducing Moisture
Mold and mildew thrive in moist environments and humidity, so using a dehumidifier can help deter mold growth.
Renovating Your Home and Updating Furniture
Although carpet is plush and soft, it’s also a hotbed for collecting all sorts of indoor allergens. Replacing your carpet with wood or vinyl flooring reduces allergens.
The same goes for plush sofas; upholstered furniture doesn’t capture as many allergens, so if you suffer from year-round symptoms, they may be the way to go.
Also, if you haven’t changed your mattress within the last seven to ten years, it may be time for a new one. Over the years, mattresses and box springs collect skin flakes and house dust mites, and the longer you’ve been sleeping on yours, the more allergens it has.
Preventing Pet Dander
There are all kinds of allergens when it comes to pet allergies: animal dander, saliva, and urine.
Allergy and asthma specialists recommend owning pets without feathers or fur, as there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic pet, but this only works if dander causes allergies.
You can reduce the spread of animal allergens through the house by limiting your pet to certain areas of the house. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends not allowing pets into your bedroom, which should help you breathe easier.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
Aside from cleaning regularly and updating your furniture and house, the best way to reduce allergies and defeat indoor allergy triggers is to improve your air quality by sealing your air ducts.
One of the main ways that dust and allergens get inside your home is through your ductwork.
Leaks, cracks, gaps, and holes in the ductwork of your house allow dust, dirt, and other types of allergens to settle inside the piping of your ductwork system.
Then, when you use air conditioning or heating, the dust flows throughout your entire house, filling each room evenly with dust and allergens, just as it does warm or cool air.
The good news is there are a variety of ways to seal your ductwork to reduce the allergens in your home:
- HVAC tape
- Mastic sealant
- Contacting a professional ductwork sealant company
Using HVAC tape or mastic sealant on your own can be effective, but only if you have leaks within arm’s reach.
If you have leaks that are in the far reaches of your ductwork system, as is the case for many homeowners, then using a professional company is your best bet.
Aeroseal Can Alleviate Your Indoor Allergy Symptoms in a Hurry
With sealing your air ducts being the number one way to reduce indoor allergies, it only makes sense you should do the best job possible.
Don’t bother trying to seal up leaky ductwork yourself when a professional company like Aeroseal can do it much better.
Aeroseal uses a technology that pressurizes your ductwork once all the air ducts and registers have been sealed off. This allows it to detect where all of the leaks are, while also providing a nice little before and after analysis of your air duct leakage.
Once the leaks have been identified, Aeroseal technicians will begin distributing their patented sealant formula throughout the ductwork system. Our technicians use only as much formula as needed, ensuring every single leak, crack, and hole will be sealed up with maximum efficiency, leaving virtually no waste behind.
Let the Aeroseal Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Allergies
We’ve already covered how much of a bummer indoor allergies can be. That said, it’s crucial for you to take drastic measures when attempting to fix the problem by efficiently sealing up your ductwork.
By going through a professional, critically acclaimed company with tons of experience like Aeroseal, you can rest assured that your ductwork will no longer be contributing to indoor allergies at all.
Don’t leave it up to chance, leave it up to the professionals! Contact Aeroseal today to learn more about how we can help put a stop to the source of allergens in your home.