The fall pollen season can be a miserable time of year for anyone with allergies. Ragweed pollen is a common allergy trigger in the autumn, and it’s estimated that up to 20 percent of the population reacts to it with unpleasant symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, an itchy throat, sneezing, coughing, and nasal drainage or congestion. Implementing the right anti-allergy strategies can reduce your exposure and make this fall more enjoyable.
Effective Ways to Prevent Allergies
- Don’t open the windows during allergy season – Instead, run your home’s air conditioner and set your car’s A/C to re-circulate so it’s not drawing in pollen.
- Bathe family pets regularly – Pollen that lands on your pet’s coat while they’re outdoors will end up inside your home, so you need to wash it off frequently. As a precaution, always keep pets out of the home’s sleeping areas.
- Optimize air filtration – Use the highest minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating recommended by your HVAC equipment manufacturer to trap pollen and other allergens more effectively. Check the filter monthly, and replace it when there’s a visible dirt accumulation.
- Monitor pollen counts – Plan outdoor activities for days when pollen counts are lower. In general, pollen counts peak between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so if possible, stay indoors and keep your pets inside during these hours.
- Invest in a respiratory mask – If you have to head outside during the peak allergen period to do yard work or garden, put on an N95-rated mask to avoid breathing in pollen.
- Wear your sunglasses – Sunglasses not only protect your vision against damage from harmful rays, they can also shield your eyes from irritating allergens.
- Keep allergens out of the bedding – Invest in allergy-proof zippered covers for box springs, mattresses and pillows.
- Take a shower before heading to bed – This keeps any pollen on your skin and hair from landing on the sheets and pillows where it can worsen your nighttime allergy symptoms.
To learn about other effective ways to prevent allergies this fall, contact us today at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve helped make life more comfortable in the Twin Cities since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about allergies and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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