Can you get allergies during the fall? You absolutely can! Allergens can strike at any moment. Even though spring allergies can be more common, allergies in the fall are a serious problem for millions of people. Here, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help you recognize and fight fall allergies. Sadly, the solution isn’t as straightforward as avoiding the pollen-filled world around your home. Fall allergy season finds different ways into your home. By identifying what leads to fall allergies, you can recognize the best ways to reduce them.
How to Learn More About Your Fall Allergy Symptoms
Determining your fall allergy symptoms can be more difficult than it can seem. The symptoms of seasonal fall allergies are often subtle and mistaken for a mild cold. Coughing, sneezing and sinusitis are all symptoms that develop 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 Causes Fall Allergies?
When researching what triggers fall allergies in your exact case, there are several possible culprits. Dust mites and allergens can build up in different places within your home. Most of these sources of seasonal fall allergies can be controlled with professional air quality services including those supplied by Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. That said, 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 padded furniture
- Debris accumulation inside your air ducts
Solutions for Seasonal Fall Allergies
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says that homeowners with fall allergies should improve their air quality in three ways. First, you can reduce your contact with airborne allergens in your home. This involves using a whole-house dehumidifier, cleaning ducts and keeping your home from getting too warm. Second, you must ventilate your house, making sure that airborne particles don't amass in stagnant air. Third, you might consider installing an air cleaner to remove allergens from the air. Learn more about each solution below.
Control Your Home’s Humidity with a Whole-House Dehumidifier
When the air in your home strays from the EPA’s suggested humidity levels (30%-40% humidity), it encourages a perfect environment for mold, dust mites and various other sources of allergic reactions. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you have fine-tuned control over the humidity levels throughout your entire home. These modern dehumidifiers enable you to dictate the humidity of your home within 1% of the preferred levels, erasing the conditions for excessive mold, dust mites, fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms.
Keep Your Air Clear With Ultraviolet Germicidal Lights
Ultraviolet germicidal lights deactivate microorganisms in the air in your home before it moves through your ductwork. As the air leaves your HVAC unit and enters the air ducts, it passes through a powerful ultraviolet light that kills contaminants before they can spread. This system answers the question, “What is the best air purifier for allergies?” This system should quickly make your air noticeably cleaner. UV lights have been known to eliminate half of the concentrated bioaerosols within their initial 45 minutes of use.
Trap Contaminants with HEPA Air Filters
When you favor a high-efficiency air filter, you want a HEPA air filter that can remove 99.97% of the contaminants in the air. Thanks to their unique design, these filters pull the most prevalent triggers of fall allergies from their air, like 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
Consistently Clean Your HVAC System’s Ductwork
In the past, HVAC systems have not always done a thorough job getting rid of impurities from the air. This means that debris often spreads through ductwork for decades. Over time, some of that debris may pile up inside your air ducts. This is why multiple people advocate for Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and our duct cleaning services before turning on the heat for the first time in the fall. This can eliminate one of the most substantial sources of airborne contaminants in your home.
The 10 Cities in the United States With the Most Severe Fall Allergy Seasons
In many cases, your location has a significant impact on the intensity of your fall allergy symptoms. Fall allergies are known to be even worse in specific areas of the country than others. As an example, ragweed (one of the most prevalent sources of allergy-inducing pollen) is concentrated in the country’s eastern region as well as in the Midwest. However, allergies can remain a significant problem no matter where you live. Here are the 10 most challenging cities for those with seasonal allergies.
Getting Help From Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
As you have now seen, the most comprehensive strategy for dust mites and fall allergies involves an all-out assault on the pollutants and contaminants in the air throughout your home. Your home will need a precise approach structured for that home’s individual makeup and layout. With air quality specialists throughout the United States, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help out in almost every part of the country. If you're looking for one of our indoor air quality specialists to help address as many sources of allergens as possible, call or fill out a contact form right away.