Can you have allergies around fall? You most definitely can! Allergens can strike at any moment. Even though spring allergies can be more common, allergies in the fall are a serious problem for millions of people. Here, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help you recognize and better manage fall allergies. Regrettably, the solution isn’t as easy as staying clear of the pollen-filled world surrounding your home. Fall allergy season finds several ways into your home. By identifying what leads to fall allergies, you can recognize the best ways to minimize them.
How to Identify Fall Allergy Symptoms
Recognizing your fall allergy symptoms can be trickier than it can seem. The symptoms of seasonal fall allergies are often subtle and mistaken for a mild cold. Coughing, sneezing and sinusitis tend to be symptoms that appear in both fall allergies and the common cold. A doctor is always the most dependable source for confirming allergies. However, some common symptoms of fall allergies and sinusitis include:
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Headache
- Fatigue or tiredness
What Produces Fall Allergies?
When investigating what causes fall allergies in your particular case, there are various likely culprits. Dust mites and allergens can build up in different places inside your home. The majority of these sources of seasonal fall allergies can be minimized with professional air quality services like those supplied by Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. Having said that, the most likely sources of indoor fall allergies include:
- Airborne pollen
- Mold
- Dust mites
- Pets
- Wall-to-wall carpet
- Damp areas
- Indoor plants
- Stuffed toys
- Mattresses and other padded furniture
- Debris accumulation within your ducts
Solutions for Seasonal Fall Allergies
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says that homeowners dealing with fall allergies can improve their air quality in three ways. First, you should limit your contact with airborne allergens in your home. This entails installing a whole-house dehumidifier, air duct cleaning and stopping your home from getting too warm. Second, you must ventilate your home, making sure that airborne particles don't build up in stagnant air. Third, you might look at installing an air cleaner to clear allergens from the air. Learn more about these solutions below.
Reduce Your Home’s Humidity with a Whole-House Dehumidifier
When the air in your home strays from the EPA’s recommended humidity levels (30%-40% humidity), it encourages a petri dish for mold, dust mites and many other sources of allergic reactions. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you have fine-tuned control over the humidity levels throughout your entire home. These modern dehumidifiers allow you to control the humidity of your home within 1% of the set levels, eliminating the conditions for unwanted mold, dust mites, fungi, bacteria and other contaminants.
Keep Your Air Healthy With Ultraviolet Germicidal Lights
Ultraviolet germicidal lights purify the air in your home before it circulates through your ductwork. As the air leaves your HVAC unit and enters your ductwork, it goes through a powerful ultraviolet light that kills contaminants before they can spread. This system addresses the question, “What is the best air purifier for allergies?” This system should quickly make your air significantly cleaner. UV lights have been shown to eliminate half of the concentrated bioaerosols within their first 45 minutes of use.
Eliminate Contaminants with HEPA Air Filters
When you want a high-efficiency air filter, you should find a HEPA air filter that can remove 99.97% of the contaminants in the air. Due to their unique design, these filters snatch the most prevalent sources of fall allergies from their air, such as ragweed, pollen and dust mites. HEPA air filters also remove contaminants such as:
- Tobacco smoke
- Dirt particles
- Pollen
- Ragweed
- Dust mites
- Assorted odors and airborne chemicals
Consistently Clean Your HVAC System’s Ductwork
Historically, HVAC systems have not always done a thorough job eliminating pollutants from the air. This means that debris routinely circulates through ductwork for a very long time. Over time, a portion of that debris will build up within your ventilation. This is why some people suggest Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and our duct cleaning services before switching on the heat for the first time in the fall. Doing so can eliminate one of the most substantial sources of airborne debris inside your home.
The 10 Cities in the United States With the Worst Fall Allergy Seasons
In many cases, your location has a big impact on the severity of your fall allergy symptoms. Fall allergies are known to be more serious in some areas of the country compared to others. For example, ragweed (one of the most extensive sources of allergy-inducing pollen) is concentrated in the country’s eastern region as well as in the Midwest. Nonetheless, allergies can become a considerable problem despite where you live. Here are the 10 most difficult cities for those managing seasonal allergies.
Getting Support From Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
As you have now seen, the best strategy for dust mites and fall allergies involves an all-out assault on the pollutants and allergens in the air within your home. Each home will need a focused approach appropriate for that home’s unique makeup and layout. With air quality specialists all over the United States, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help in almost every part of the country. If you'd like one of our indoor air quality pros to help eliminate as many allergens as possible, call or fill out a contact form right away.