Can you get allergies during the fall? You most certainly can! Allergens can hit at any moment. Although spring allergies can be more prevalent, allergies in the fall are a serious problem for countless people. Here, McElroy Service Experts will help you learn more about and fight fall allergies. Regrettably, the solution isn’t as simple as staying away from the pollen-filled world surrounding your home. Fall allergy season finds different ways into your home. By identifying what triggers fall allergies, you can recognize the best ways to reduce them.
How to Recognize Fall Allergy Symptoms
Identifying your fall allergy symptoms can be harder than it might seem. The symptoms of seasonal fall allergies are frequently discreet 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 medical professional is always the most reliable source for confirming allergies. However, a few common symptoms of fall allergies and sinusitis include:
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Headache
- Fatigue or tiredness
What Produces Fall Allergies?
When figuring out what causes fall allergies in your particular case, there are many possible culprits. Dust mites and allergens can collect in countless places throughout your home. Most of these sources of seasonal fall allergies can be managed with professional air quality services like those supplied by McElroy Service Experts. However, 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 soft furniture
- Debris buildup within your air ducts
Work-Arounds for Seasonal Fall Allergies
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America states that homeowners with fall allergies can enhance their air quality in three ways. First, you can restrict your exposure to airborne allergens within your home. This requires using a whole-house dehumidifier, cleaning ducts and preventing your home from getting too hot. Second, you should ventilate your space, making sure that airborne debris does not amass in stagnant air. Third, you could consider 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 is different from the EPA’s suggested humidity levels (30%-40% humidity), it encourages a petri dish for mold, dust mites and various other sources of allergic attacks. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you have accurate control over the humidity levels across your entire home. These modern dehumidifiers allow you to dictate the humidity in your home within 1% of the set levels, removing the conditions for unwanted mold, dust mites, fungi, bacteria and other microbes.
Keep Your Air Healthy With Ultraviolet Germicidal Lights
Ultraviolet germicidal lights deactivate microorganisms in the air in your home before it moves through your ductwork. As the air exits your HVAC unit and enters your ducts, it moves through a strong ultraviolet light that kills contaminants before they can spread. This system resolves the question, “What is the best air purifier for allergies?” This system will quickly make your air noticeably cleaner. UV lights have been shown to eliminate half of the concentrated bioaerosols within their initial 45 minutes of use.
Eliminate Contaminants with HEPA Air Filters
When you favor a high-end air filter, you want a HEPA air filter that can remove 99.97% of the contaminants in the air. Thanks to their distinct design, these filters pull the most common causes of fall allergies from their air, such as ragweed, pollen and dust mites. HEPA air filters also eliminate contaminants such as:
- Tobacco smoke
- Dirt particles
- Pollen
- Ragweed
- Dust mites
- Numerous odors and airborne chemicals
Routinely Clean Your HVAC System’s Air Ducts
Historically, HVAC systems have not always done a thorough job eliminating pollutants from the air. This means that debris often spreads through ductwork for many years. Over time, some of that debris can accumulate inside your air ducts. This is why some people advocate for McElroy Service Experts and our duct cleaning services before turning on the heat for the first time in the fall. Doing so can eliminate one of the most common sources of airborne contaminants in your home.
The 10 Cities in the United States With the Worst Fall Allergy Seasons
Often, your location has a significant impact on the severity of your fall allergy symptoms. Fall allergies are known to be even worse in specific areas of the country versus others. For example, ragweed (one of the most extensive sources of allergy-inducing pollen) is mostly found in the country’s eastern region as well as in the Midwest. Nonetheless, allergies can become a significant problem no matter where you live. Here are the 10 most difficult cities for those with seasonal allergies.
Getting Support From McElroy Service Experts
As you have now seen, the ideal solution for dust mites and fall allergies entails an all-out assault on the pollutants and other debris in the air inside your home. Your home will need a specialized approach suited for that home’s particular makeup and layout. With air quality professionals all over the United States, McElroy Service Experts can offer support in almost every corner of the country. If you want one of our indoor air quality pros to help make your air as allergen-free as possible, call or fill out a contact form right away.