Reduce Seasonal Allergies and Improve Your Home's Air Quality

Affecting almost 50 million people in the United States, seasonal allergies like hay fever primarily start to escalate as fall progresses, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Now is the perfect time to start to take measures to reduce and potentially eliminate additional airborne triggers, such as ragweed, which often worsen symptoms. Instead of moving to a new climate to avoid allergies, take a few quick and easy steps to significantly reduce indoor air pollutants, which can heighten the effects of allergic reactions. Manage your home's cleanliness: Even though it's hard to defend against the pollen and other allergy spikes that occur during the changing of seasons, there are many different steps you can take in your home to limit the impact of airborne pollutants. 1. Regulate dust. Control dust mites by using anti-dust mite covers and washing sheets in hot water about once a week. 2. Avoid smoke. Avoid non-ventilated and smoky rooms that could increase nose, throat and eye irritation. 3. Manage pet dander. If possible, keep pets off of furniture and out of the bedroom and bathroom to reduce the spread of their dander. Improve the air inside your home: As the weather continues to get colder around the country, people will be spending more time indoors with the windows closed. Lack of ventilation can often cause buildup of particles in the air. 1. Filter first. Help reduce these irritants by installing an AccuClean Whole-Home Filtration System from American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning. The revolutionary system is 100 times more effective than a standard 1-inch throwaway filter, removing up to 99.98 percent of allergens from the air. 2. Control moisture. Keeping your home's humidity between 30-60 percent will help prevent the gathering of dust mites. Simple actions like turning on a fan when bathing or cooking, using a dehumidifier, and not over-watering plants are all quick ways to keep the humidity levels down. Avoid pollutants during home renovation projects: Being cooped up during colder weather is often a time to work on the home renovation projects that have been put off while you were enjoying the warm summer sun. Before these projects kick off, keep a few things in mind to help reduce in-home air pollutants. 1. Cover up. When tearing down or putting up drywall, ensure the room is sealed off from the rest of house by putting up plastic sheets over doors and closing vents. Sealing the room will minimize the spread of dust and other particles from entering the rest of the home. 2. Paint responsibly. If you're adding a splash of color to a room or simply restoring an old piece of future with a new paint job, select a low VOC paint. Breathing in high levels of VOCs can lead to worsened asthma symptoms, headaches, throat irritation and more, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.