Home Upgrades to Reduce Seasonal Allergies

It’s that time of year again: environmental seasonal allergies have many people sniffling, coughing or just feeling less than stellar. Whether that’s a sign for you to swing by a pharmacy and grab your preferred antihistamine or simply up your daily showers to clear your sinuses, you probably have some methods in place to deal with allergies. But did you know there are also some steps you can take around your home to help ease allergies? We’ll cover some home upgrades you can set up to reduce allergens in and around your home, allowing you to enjoy spring a little more easily!

Why are Allergies Worse in the Spring?

When spring comes around, the world blooms back to life. It’s lovely, but this is exactly what causes most spring allergies. Trees reproduce via pollen, which they shed in droves in early spring. You may be familiar with that yellow dust coating the outside of your home or car. Pollen travels easily, meaning it ends up in your home and on your clothes, making your allergies worse even indoors.

How to Reduce Allergens in Your Home

It’s simple, but the best way to deal with spring allergies is to lessen the amount of exposure you have. Since pollen can very easily end up around your home, there’s several ways to keep your home’s air clear. 

Invest in Air Purifiers

Air purifiers pack a big punch in a small package. They rely on an internal fan and filter to pull unwanted particles out of the air, pushing out purified air. Over a period of hours, this boosts air quality significantly. Generally, they cover a specified amount of floor space, meaning you’ll need one per room. If you’re only looking to invest in one, add it to your bedroom. Chances are that’s where you spend the biggest chunk of time at home, even if asleep, so it’ll make the biggest difference for your airways. If you can get more than one, put them in rooms where you spend the majority of your time: for instance, your home office and living room. 

Replace Your Air Filters

With a “set it and forget it” feature like air filters, it’s easy to forget about replacing them. They can make a huge difference in the quality of indoor air though, so replacing them is crucial during allergy season. How often do you need to replace them? It depends on how many people and pets live in your home. Every 6-12 months is fine for one person in a small home with no pets, but if you have multiple people and one pet, that changes to every 2-3 months, and for multiple people with multiple pets (especially with allergies), you may need to change out air filters every month. If you’re unsure if it’s time to change your air filter, take a quick look at it at least once a month. Hold the air filter up to a light source, like sunshine through a window or your phone’s flashlight. If the light doesn’t pass through the filter easily, it’s time for a replacement. 

Replace Area Rugs

Area rugs are an unexpected source of allergens, but they can trap and holda lot of pollen, dirt and pet dander even if your air quality is great. Vacuuming regularly during spring should be high on your priority list, but even that can only do so much over time and exposure. If you’ve had an area rug for years and notice you’re more likely to start coughing or sniffling around it, it may be time to replace it. Alternately, a professional deep clean from a rug cleaner every few years will extend your rug’s lifetime. 

Consider Replacing Your Windows and Doors

If your doors and windows haven’t been replaced in about 20 years, the seals have likely failed on them, meaning outdoor air and allergens are slipping through the cracks. Even if you take every other precaution mentioned here, there’s nothing you can do to prevent unwelcome allergens short of replacing affected doors and windows. 

Fortunately, many modern doors and windows are made with high-quality materials and technology to keep unwanted outdoor allergens out. They’ll also lessen your utility bills with their increased energy efficiency, keeping your home comfortable no matter the season! 

Healthy Habits for Allergy Reduction

There are also plenty of low-cost, easy habits you can add to your daily or weekly chore rotation that to help ease allergies. 

Regular Vacuuming and Dusting

With dust as another significant allergen, it makes sense to keep your home as clear as possible. Vacuuming floors and carpets at least once a week (preferably more) and dusting surfaces like tables, window sills and wall hangings can help immeasurably to keep your airways clear. 

Washing Bedding and Pillowcases Weekly

Like we mentioned above, you spend a good deal of time in your bedroom. Making sure your bedding is clean is an important part of having a day unimpeded by allergies. You’re starting at a disadvantage every day if your bedding is collecting dust and pollen from your daily life. 

Limiting Outdoor Exposure

The simplest rule of all: if your allergens are outdoors, keep yourself indoors as much as possible on days when pollen is abundant. This isn’t reasonable every day, of course, with everyday errands, but you can keep your errands quick and jump in the shower straight after you get home. If you love to run outdoors for exercise, it may be wise to take up cardio inside on high-pollen days. Making small choices adds up to reduce your exposure over time.  

Savor Your Spring

Seasonal allergies are no fun, but there are plenty of small measures you can take to make daily living easier during this time of year. If you’re unsure about whether pollen is getting in through your doors or windows, we’re happy to help assess whether replacement doors and windows would be a good option for you! Get in touch with us anytime—we’re here to help!