There's More to Fall than Sniffles & Cough Drops: Fighting Allergies with IAQ

It’s almost that time of year again – when the office becomes a chorus of sniffles, when you send your kids off to school with more tissue packages than completed homework assignments, and when your home air fresheners might as well be Vick’s scented. If you’re one of the millions of seasonal allergy sufferers in America, you can at least take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone.

Allergy suffers are plagued by a number of allergens, including mold, pet dander, dust mites, and pollen. These allergen particles are carried through the air and eventually settle onto your home’s furniture, floors, and other surfaces. The larger particles, such as pollen and dust mites, are the quickest to fall.

While seasonal allergies may seem as inevitable as death and taxes, there are several actions you can take to improve the indoor air quality in your home.

To reduce dust mites, keep surfaces clean and uncluttered. It’s wise to regularly wash sheets and pillow cases in hot water.  Furthermore, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends vacuuming at least once a week, preferably with a vacuum equipped with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter or at least double filter bags to reduce dust production.  

If you have an allergy sufferer in your family, its best to keep doors and windows closed and properly sealed during pollen season. If the weather is warm, consider relying on A/C.

To reduce dust mite and mold growth, it is crucial to reduce humidity in your home. A humidity level of around 50% is ideal. For areas like a basement or crawl space, you may wish to install a dehumidifier.

As part of your routine heating and cooling maintenance, be sure to have your air filters changed regularly. The frequency at which the air filter needs to be changed varies based on your unit, but this action may be necessary as often as once a month during allergy season. For the highest performance, check your air filters MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating. A MERV rating of 14-16 represents high efficiency.

HEPA filters may be used if recommended by a medical professional. However, these filters are not necessarily suitable for all homeowners and all units, as they may restrict airflow and can require more power usage from your HVAC equipment.

If you happen to notice a moldy, musty, or generally unpleasant smell from your vents, you may wish to have your ducts cleaned and inspected by a HVAC professional, as they may be harboring mold. 

If you find yourself considering replacing your aging or under-performing HVAC system, a solid option may be a unit that replaces indoor air with filtered outdoor air.

 For detailed information about unit replacement, dehumidifiers, air filters, duct cleaning, or routine maintenance, give Brandywine Valley a call at 610-692-3900. 

The 411 on IAQ (Indoor Air Quality)

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that we spend 90% of our time indoors. While relaxing in the cool, air conditioned air in the summer months might be a nice break from the heat and humidity outdoors, the EPA further estimates that the air inside your home may be two to five times more polluted than the air outside.

When it comes to indoor air quality (IAQ), the key lies in keeping harmful pollutants away from your family and ensuring that your home has adequate ventilation. 

First, know the three main contamination culprits: 

1) Radon: Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that usually permeates your home through leaks in the basement. A silent danger, this gas is tasteless, odorless, and colorless. It is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer, after cigarette smoke.

2) Secondhand smoke: The harmful effects of cigarette smoke are not restricted to those who make the decision to light up. Not only is cigarette smoke an asthma trigger, but it can also lead to respiratory infections including pneumonia and bronchitis. The EPA estimates that secondhand smoke is responsible for 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Consider quitting today!

3) Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is another tasteless, odorless, colorless danger that results from the incomplete burning of fuels such as propane, gas, oil, or wood. Poisoning from carbon monoxide takes about 400 lives each year.

Take action: 

• Test your home for radon. This can either be done by a professional, or you can purchase a testing kit at your local hardware store. 
• Do not idle your car in the garage. This can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and other indoor air pollutants. 
• Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector: 
• When purchasing a CO detector, first check your town or county regulations to insure that you are purchasing a detector that is compliant with these guidelines.
• An essential quality in a CO detector is an electrochemical sensor that prevents reaction to humidity or temperature changes. This sensor can also prevent a response to common household chemicals.
• Another important feature is the end-of-life warning. A CO detector should be replaced every 7 years, so it is crucial to know when your detector is reaching the end of its lifespan. 
• CO detectors should be installed on each floor and in bedrooms. They should be placed a minimum of 15 feet away from cooking and heating appliances and should not be placed in breezy areas to avoid false readings. It is also best to keep detectors out of direct sunlight.
• Regularly maintenance and clean your air conditioner and dehumidifier 
• Change your air filters on a regular basis - Energy Star recommends that this be done at least once every 3 months. 
• Adjust the humidity in your home. In the wintertime, keep indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent to decrease the likelihood of mold formation. In the summer months, the level should be around 60 percent humidity. 

A picture is worth a thousand words. Check out this infographic from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers for more ways to ensure good Indoor Air Quality.