We are already back in the swing of the spring season. It feels like just yesterday we were in spring 2020 and dealing with so many of the changes that have been happening in the world around us. As the vaccinations continue to roll out and we begin to settle into a new new normal, I’m sure many of us are looking forward to spending a bit more time outdoors as the weather gets warmer.
On the other hand, many of us dread this time of year because of the spring allergy season. While we can’t do much about allergens being present outdoors, we can do a lot to limit them from showing up indoors. In this blog, we want to give you some tips to limit allergies in your home this spring.
Air Filters
Your air filters are the most important line of defense against allergens and other air pollutants. Even fairly standard air filtration systems that come with your HVAC systems can be quite effective. Basic filters can still remove an overwhelming majority of allergens from the air. However, they still require maintenance! The main way we do that is through changing or cleaning the air filter regularly.
Luckily, you don’t need any special skills or anything like that to switch out your filters. It’s something that anyone could do! Just remember to do so every two to three months!
Spring Cleaning
Spring isn’t just known for being the start of allergy season. It’s also the beginning of spring cleaning. Cleaning the surfaces and furniture in your home is vital to limiting allergies. The tradition of spring cleaning is a great excuse to do a deep clean and reorganization of your home.
Dusting and vacuuming should take the highest priority. Dust mites commonly cause allergies so clearing that away is a great choice. Surfaces like carpets and rugs can act as a sink for allergens. If they haven’t been vacuumed in a while, then when you step on them it can kick up allergens into the air.
Routine cleaning afterward is important too. Remember that you can easily bring in allergens and other pollutants into your home on your shoes and clothing. You’ll need to keep cleaning your carpeting and rugs to prevent them from getting caked with dust and pollen. A pro tip is to not neglect your floor vents while you do routine cleaning. They can fill up with dust surprisingly quickly!
Humidity
We like to call humidity the x-factor of indoor air quality. So many people forget about it, but humidity is so important to limiting allergies. We’ve all had some experience with a dry nose and throat and the sickness that can come alongside it. This isn’t a coincidence! In fact, dry air has been shown to make you more susceptible to allergy symptoms.
We recommend keeping your home’s humidity levels somewhere between 30% and 40%. It’s fairly easy to influence the humidity in your home with a few simple activities. For example, cooking and air drying your clothes are two simple ways to make a space more humid.
If you need to dry out your home, try to limit those activities or consider getting a stand-alone dehumidifier.
Our team at Griffin Mechanical wants to do everything we can to keep you comfortable in your home. Avoid allergies is a big part of that, especially during this time of year. We wish you the best of luck this spring season and we’re more than happy to help you with any of your HVAC or plumbing needs!
Contact Griffin Mechanical, LLC at (615) 502-3030 or fill out an online contact form and we’ll help you out! Don’t wait to take back control of your space and turn your home into the comfortable oasis you deserve.