Now that the sunny days and warm temperatures are here in St. Louis, did you know that your home can become a breeding ground for indoor allergens? These airborne allergens can wreak havoc on household members who have allergies or other respiratory problems.
This summer, make it your goal to clean up your home and keep indoor allergens under control. Here are a few things that you can add to your summer checklist that will reduce—if not eliminate—the indoor allergens in your home.
- Remove clutter: Take a look at the things piling up inside your home that have not been opened nor used in the last six months. More often than not, these knickknacks are probably just gathering dust in a dark corner of your home. Remove these dust catchers and retain only the things that spark joy. The less stuff you have, the fewer places dust and other indoor allergens can gather in your home.
- Clean up the house: Some things in your house are very attractive to dust mites. Give your rugs, cushions, and upholstery fabric a good beating regularly, and vacuum your carpet thoroughly to reduce indoor allergens.
- Clean air filters: If your air conditioner’s filters are not cleaned or replaced regularly, dirt, debris, and other indoor allergens will be circulated indoors. Dirty filters also make your air conditioner work that much harder to pump air throughout your house. A simple cleaning or replacement of air filters should do the trick, and it is easy enough to do on your own.
- Install a dehumidifier: The heat from the outdoors can bring damp air and moisture inside. Too much moisture in the air increases the humidity levels of a home. Indoor allergens such as mold, mildew, and dust mites thrive in humid environments. These could trigger an allergy attack, asthma, and other respiratory complications. Keep the humidity levels in your home at 50% by investing in a dehumidifier. It keeps the air quality balanced— so that it is neither too damp, nor too dry.
- Install an air purifier: An air purifier removes the indoor allergens and airborne contaminants in the home that could trigger an allergy attack. It can also remove bad odors that one can get from secondhand smoke, heavy cooking, and strong perfume.
- Keep your house well-insulated and sealed: Check your doors and windows for gaps where the hot air and indoor allergens can seep in, and seal those cracks with caulking. Also, check your ductwork for air leaks that could be reducing system efficiency.
- Hire a professional: Hire a heating and cooling expert to do a professional cleaning of your air conditioner and ductwork. During this process, dust, mold, and mildew buildup will be removed, resulting in cleaner and fresher air. For best results, subscribe to an HVAC maintenance contract for an all-around tune-up of your HVAC systems.
Learn More About Reducing Indoor Allergens in Your Home
In St. Louis, Galmiche & Sons Heating & Cooling can assist you in removing the indoor allergens in your home. To find out more or to schedule an HVAC maintenance or service appointment, please call us at 314-993-1110 and a heating and air conditioning expert will assist you right away!
