3 Smart Strategies For Reducing Indoor Allergen Levels
Posted on: 26 May 2018
If you suffer from allergies, you probably already know that there are certain times of the year when being outdoors is difficult and take specific precautions to keep symptoms minimal. However, outdoor environments aren't the only places where allergens can wreak havoc on your health and well-being -- and many people feel helpless when it comes to indoor allergens. Fortunately, there are steps you can take that will keep their presence to a minimum. Following are three strategies designed to keep populations of indoor allergens as low as possible.
1. Check for Leaks and Fix Them Immediately
Household mold and mildew spores are among the biggest causes of allergic reactions in indoor environments. These organisms thrive in damp, dark areas, and colonies often develop under sinks and behind hot water heaters and washing machines as a result of undetected leaks developing in these areas -- and most people don't notice them because these areas aren't highly visible. The best way to guard against this happening in your household is to to regularly check for leaks in these places and repair the leaks as soon as possible.
2. Keep Furnace and Air Conditioning Filters Clean and Well-Maintained
Dirty or clogged air conditioning or furnace filters to have the potential to blow mold spores, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and other allergens to all four corners of your home! Changing or cleaning these filters on a regular basis goes a long way in keeping levels of indoor allergens down. You should also clean your ductwork often to keep allergens and pollutants from outdoors from accessing your indoor home environment.
3. Rethink Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
One of the biggest culprits when it comes to indoor allergens is wall-to-wall carpeting. Carpet fibers harbor all manner of allergens, particularly if you don't require household residents and guests to remove their footwear before entering the interior of your home -- for instance, windblown pollen that ends up on sideways or other outdoor surfaces can stick to the bottoms of shoes and end up in your carpet fibers. Mold colonies often develop on the subflooring underneath the carpet in areas with high atmospheric humidity.
This is one of the major reasons why more and more homeowners are discovering the advantages of having hardwood flooring installed. Keeping it free of allergens is easy compared to the type of constant maintenance required to keep allergen levels low in carpeting -- sweeping and occasional damp mopping is all that's necessary. Many homeowners also find hardwood flooring far more aesthetically appealing than wall-to-wall carpeting.
For more information, contact your local hardwood floor refinishing service.
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