Common Indoor Allergens Are Headaches
For those who live with allergies, you hope the indoors is a safe place, but there are no guarantees since the occasional gust of wind can bring pollen through an open door, and other allergens already in the home may already be making you sick without realizing the cause. There are plenty of environmental concerns within your private home that could trigger your allergies just as badly as a field of wild flowers and the traditional “hay fever.”
A few common sources of indoor allergies are listed below, as well as solutions to reduce their invasion into your home:
- Dust mites. It’s easy to ignore the impact dust mites can have on your indoor environment, considering they are microscopic. Breathing in these mites can cause serious respiratory issues and wreak on your allergies. Since mites primarily feed on our shed skin flakes, and because they are miniscule, you will never be fully rid of them, but you can prevent large scale infestation by controlling humidity in your home, using allergen proofed bedding, and washing that bedding every few days.
- Indoor Pets. Some breeds of dogs and cats are worse than others when it comes to your allergies. The primary culprit is the dander shed by pets. If you suffer from allergies, and haven’t considered that your pet may be the cause while you’re in the home, it might be time to see an allergy specialist. You can get a skin test to confirm whether you’re susceptible to irritation from the special protein present in pet saliva. Aside from their own biological allergens, pets that go outdoors also have a tendency to get pollen and other allergens trapped in their fur, which they then shake and shed all over your home.
- Mold/Mildew. Mold growth and allergens are a serious threat, even to those who aren’t usually allergy sufferers, which is why appropriate habits concerning mold are good for everybody. The most customary areas for mold’s growth are those that are dark, where moisture is present, and where there isn’t a lot of air movement, (such as your basement or any crawlspaces). You can visually check for areas that seem to have an abundance of humidity or moisture, or you can hire a contractor to do a more thorough inspection, complete with air sample analysis.
- A very common trigger, even inside the home, since pollen travels on pets, as mentioned, but it can also be carried on your hair and clothing while you’re outside. Even if you travel almost entirely between your home, your car, and your office without taking brisk walks through the flowers, you can be covered in a fine sheet of pollen without realizing it. Aside from HEPA air filters and keeping your windows closed, you should also wash your hair and clothing more often, as well as change clothes when you come home.
This list focuses on several of the more common points about allergens, but you should investigate very thoroughly if you are predisposed to the consequences of allergies from any source!
