Fighting off airborne allergens can be difficult for those unlucky enough to suffer from allergies. Luckily, with enough care and diligence, you can minimize the presence of allergy-causing triggers in your Kenilworth, IL home. Here are four particularly annoying allergens that you should really watch out for.
1. Pollen
Most think of pollen as an exclusively outdoor allergen. But while pollen does originate in the plants and other flowers outdoors, there are countless ways by which it can find its way into your home.
The first major culprit is yourself. While outdoors, especially during warm weather and for an extended period of time, it’s almost inevitable that at least some pollen will find its way onto your clothes and that you will carry it into your home. Those who live with you can also do the very same thing, compounding the problem.
Animals are the next primary source of unwanted pollen in your home. Pollen can often stick to your pets’ fur coats even more easily than it can to your clothes and person.
The last and most significant means of transporting pollen into your home are through your windows and doors. Once it’s in your environment, your HVAC system will pull it in and recirculate any particles not trapped by the air filter. This may very well trigger your allergies.
The way to avoid all of these threats is to be vigilant. Clean and brush your pets, carpets, furniture upholstery, shoes and other clothes regularly and thoroughly. Keep your windows closed during pollen season, and consider getting more powerful filters for your HVAC system.
Lastly, make sure that your HVAC system is in the best shape possible. We strongly recommend scheduling regular professional maintenance for your system so that technicians may remove debris from coils and condensers, fix fans to promote good airflow and change the filter to minimize the chances of recirculating pollutants.
2. Dust and Dust Mites
Dust is virtually everywhere in every home, and getting rid of it entirely is impossible. Still, to mitigate the allergic side effects it can cause — coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and an itchy throat, for example — you should vacuum regularly, wipe down hard surfaces like tabletops and shelves and take special care to clean upholstery furniture.
Dust mites are minuscule, tick-like insects that live in mattresses and pillows and can attach themselves to dust particles and float through the air on them. They cause allergies chiefly by leaving their waste and saliva around, which breezes — whether originating outside or from the normal operation of your HVAC system — pick up and spread everywhere. This creates many of the same allergy symptoms we mentioned above, and to keep them to a minimum, you should purchase one or more air purifiers and remember to clean and vacuum all parts of your home meticulously.
3. Pet Dander
When people think of pet-caused allergies, their thoughts typically turn to pet hair, and they may think that hairless pets cannot inflame allergy symptoms. Sadly, this is not really the case, as the primary reason for pet-generated allergies is pet dander. Pet dander is dead skin cells that fall off your pets, wafting through the air until you breathe them in and experience an allergic flare-up.
In order to take care of this problem, it is essential to brush and bathe your pets. Don’t forget to vacuum since this will also help to eliminate the dander.
4. Cockroaches
Many individuals experience allergic reactions to cockroaches. Unlike the previously mentioned triggers, you can’t solve this problem by vacuuming or upgrading your air filters. You need to block their entryway into the house, wash dishes immediately and call an exterminator if all else fails.
The allergens we’ve discussed above regularly bring trouble to millions of people. Fortunately, our team has the skills to suppress many causes of allergies for our customers around Kenilworth, IL. For help breathing easier and reducing allergens, call Ireland Heating & Air Conditioning Co. and ask about our indoor air quality services.
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