As the season transitions into warmer weather, this tends to increase the likelihood of seasonal allergies. There are plenty of environmental allergies that can affect your health this summer. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you are more sensitive to these allergens and the symptoms may be worse for you. But, even people who are not prone to seasonal allergies can experience more difficulty breathing and fighting off infection when they have been regularly exposed to summer allergens. Royal Heating & Air is here to help you enjoy a comfortable home with fresh, clean air. In this week’s blog, we're diving into some of the most common allergies and how to keep them out of your house for cleaner indoor air and easier breathing this summer.
Dust & Dust Mites
Every home has some
amount of dust that will accumulate on the surface of everything in the house.
Dust is primarily made up of dead skin cells, hair, clothing fibers, dirt, dead
bugs, and other particles. The other things you have to worry about with dust
are the dust mites that will be there too. Dust mites are microscopic pests
(smaller than a period mark!) that eat dead skin cells, which is why they are
found wherever there is dust. The droppings of dust mites are what actually
cause allergic reactions in people. As the air in your home circulates, you
breathe in the dust, dust mites, and dust mite droppings all together. The
allergic reaction from breathing this in can include inflamed airways,
wheezing, difficulty breathing, and more.
One of the best ways to prevent this allergy from aggravating your airways is to keep your house as dust-free as possible. Be sure to regularly change out your air filter so it doesn't get overloaded. If the air filter is too full, it won't be able to properly filter out the dust from the air in your home. Some filters need to be changed once a month and others can last for 6 months at a time. Be sure to check and see how often your is supposed to be replaced.
Pet Dander
Another common household allergen if you have pets
is pet dander. When people are allergic to cats or dogs, what they are actually
allergic to is the dander of cats or dogs. Dander can
be defined as skin flakes from an animal's fur or hair. If someone living in
your home has a pet allergy, then the best solution is to not have pets in the
house or to adopt pets that don't trigger their allergies. If you don't have
anyone living in your home with allergies, then there are still things you can
do to help prevent or reduce an allergic response for your guests that might
have allergies.
To reduce dander, start at the source! Healthy
skin and hair for your pets can help reduce the amount of dander sloughing off
around the house. Regularly vacuuming and cleaning your floors (and furniture
if pets are allowed on the couches) can help a lot with reducing the amount of
dander circulating in the air in your home. You can also check the type of air
filter you're using and upgrade to a kind that is rated to filter out pet
dander for improved indoor air quality. It's also important to have
regular HVAC
maintenance checks to make sure your airflow
is optimal. Air that isn't moving isn't getting filtered, so the better the
airflow, the cleaner the air!
Mold & Mildew
Mold and mildew are very similar but still have a
few distinct differences. Mold is a microscopic fungus that grows on organic
matter. It usually looks raised and can appear as green, red, blue, or black.
Mold also looks slimy or fuzzy. Mildew is a specific kind of mold that grows
where there is a lot of moisture. It typically looks flat, white or gray, and
powdery. This can be more prominent during the humid and hot days this
summer!
To prevent mold and mildew growth, it's important
to control the amount of moisture and humidity in your home. Instead of having
a humidifier that runs all the time, consider getting a whole home humidifier
that can sense the amount of humidity in the air and turn on or off depending
on what the house needs. If you have a lot of humidity in the summer, you may
even want to invest in a dehumidifier to help reduce the humidity in high
moisture areas like the bathroom. One of the best ways to prevent mold and
other pathogens from growing in your home is to have Royal
Heating & Air install a UV light system
in your HVAC. UV light can kill mold, bacteria, and viruses, giving you clean
and fresh indoor air!
Best HVAC Company at the Lake
Royal
Heating & Air is the best
heating and cooling company at the Lake of the Ozarks and we are here for you! We can come check your HVAC
system to make sure everything is working properly, install a whole home
humidifier, and add a UV light system to your HVAC to help give you a fresh and
clean home. Give us a call! 573-480-4313
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