The maintenance you perform on the heating and cooling system in your Longwood, Florida, home can have a major impact on your allergies. The better the maintenance, the greater your odds of decreasing aggravating allergy symptoms like sneezing and watery eyes. In addition to regular HVAC maintenance, there are other things you can do to keep dust mites and other allergens at bay.
Use Anti-Allergy Bedding
The bedroom is where you spend a considerable amount of time, and your bed coverings are prone to collecting dust and other allergens, causing prolonged exposure as you sleep. Use allergen-proof mattress and pillow covers to reduce allergy symptoms. Keep in mind that you still need to wash these covers in hot water at least once a month for best results.
Replace Carpets and Redecorate the Windows
Having carpet in the home can easily turn into a haven for allergens such as dust and pet dander. In homes where allergy sufferers live, many experts recommend replacing carpeted floors with hardwood or laminate flooring. It’s also ideal to remove curtains and drapes and decorate windows with allergy-resistant coverings. These coverings need to be washed at least once a month in hot water. Doing so will kill dust mites and reduce allergy symptoms.
Avoid Cigarette Smoke in Your Home
Tobacco smoke can trigger an attack in someone who suffers asthma. If you or your family members have asthma, then you should forbid people from smoking in your home. In addition, cigarette smoke lingers in your carpet and other areas in your home. If you want to keep you or your family’s asthma symptoms under control, implement a no smoking rule.
HVAC Maintenance
Anytime pet dander, pest droppings, or pollen are present in your home, they can become airborne. When you breathe them in, you may experience an allergic reaction, like sneezing or watery eyes. Getting proper maintenance for your HVAC system, however, can help eliminate those pesky airborne particles.
The number one tip you can follow is to replace the filter in your HVAC system at least once every 30 to 60 days. More importantly, you need to make sure you are using at least a medium-efficiency filter, which is designed to remove small to large particles in the air. To learn more about how proper HVAC maintenance can help alleviate allergy symptoms in the home, contact E.C. Waters Air Conditioning & Heat.
Originally published in September 2018, updated in May 2020
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