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6 Ways To Allergy-Proof Your Home This Spring

Apr 27, 2015 10:46:24 AM

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Itchy throat? Runny nose? Watering eyes? You're suffering yet again from seasonal allergies, but you don't have to spend the next few weeks miserably wiping your nose and running to the pharmacy. A few minor upgrades around the house could save your health and your wallet. Here are six easy tips for allergy-proofing your house.

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1. Seal Windows

The single most effective anti-allergy move you can make is installing new windows in your home. Window replacement is well worth the expense for allergy victims because windows are the primary route for mold spores, pollen, and dust particles into the home. The classic windows in older homes simply weren't designed with allergies in mind, and they typically leak air like sieves.

Modern windows are designed to keep climate-controlled air inside and prevent excessively warm or cold air from sneaking into your home. This is great news for the allergic, because it means you can upgrade to allergy-proof windows without ordering anything special. 

2. Add Weather Strips To Doors

Next to windows, doors are the second-largest entry point for allergen-laden air into the home. Fortunately, it's easy to upgrade your doors to reduce the risk of contamination. You can drastically improve the situation by simply adding weather strips to you doors. These strips help seal off outside air and the allergens it carries.

Adding a storm door is another great way to stop air exchange. Storm doors produce an imperfect but effective airlock, so pollen and mold spores have to pass through an extra layer of security to enter your home.

If you're worried about the costs of door and window replacement and installation, there's great news: you'll probably end up saving money in the long run. Energy-efficient windows can dramatically reduce your heating and cooling costs, so they'll actually pay for themselves in a few years. They'll also improve the resale value of your home, so they're a good investment.

3. Change Air Filters

Once you've got effective seals on your windows and doors, the next step is to purify the air in your home with filtration technology. Stand-alone air filters have improved massively in the last decade. Reasonably-priced models can eliminate up to 99 percent of contaminants in your air while using very little electricity. All you need to do is replace the filters periodically, usually every six to nine months.

You should also check the filters on your air conditioning units or central heat and air units regularly. Keeping your windows and doors sealed accomplishes nothing if your air conditioning unit is spewing mold and pollen into the house.

4. Change Decors

How you decorate your home can have a big influence on allergies because many fabrics excel at trapping dust, dander and other allergens. Thick, fuzzy curtains on the windows, for example collect pollen and mold spores and distribute them through your home in little puffs of eye-watering pollution throughout the day. Light, breezy curtains or easy-to-clean blinds will solve the problem. Similarly, heavy carpeting and plush rugs trap all manner of allergens. It's impossible to vacuum frequently enough to eliminate the problem. Hardwood and tile floors are the best options for allergy-sufferers.

If you're not keen to cover your living room in plastic, at least use allergy-proof mattress covers in the bedroom. The bedroom is where you do most of your breathing inside the home anyway, so it's the most important room for fighting allergens. Plus, mattress covers are essentially undetectable after you've put on sheets and a blanket.

5. Use Allergy-Proof Covers

Like plush carpets and curtains, fabric-covered furniture and mattresses are like magnets for allergens. Dust and danger accumulate inside sofa cushions and mattress coils and catch a free ride into the room's air every time you sit down. Since you can't replace all your furniture with plastic lawn chairs, the best solution is buying allergy-proof furniture covers. These covers both prevent new allergens from accumulating in your furniture and keep the allergens already inside from escaping into your air.

6. Control Humidity

Last but not least, controlling humidity levels in your house is crucial for controlling allergen counts, especially if you suffer from mold allergies. According to WebMD, you should try to keep humidity in your home around 30 to 40 percent to prevent the growth of mold. In most climates, simply running the air conditioner and installing those energy efficient new windows is enough to hit that target. In humid climates, however, you may need to rely on dehumidifiers.

Don't suffer needlessly through another allergy season. Armed with this six tips, you'll be able to inoculate your house against harmful and irritating allergens. If you follow through on sealing your doors and windows, you'll even cut your electrical bill in the process. Say goodbye to runny noses and tissue boxes and hello to easy breathing!

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