5 Tips for Maintaining Good Indoor Air Quality This Allergy Season

Spring in St. Louis is a time when nature sprouts and becomes fully bloomed and alive again after the harshness of the winter cold. It is a time when beautiful flowers are on full display, the sun begins to shine, and people want to enjoy the outdoors more. However, one major side effect of spring is the pollen that it brings, ruining indoor air quality and causing those people with allergies massive discomfort. This leads to sneezing, sniffling, runny noses, itchy eyes, and a host of other symptoms. Pollen, however, is not the only culprit of poor indoor air quality - dust mites, mold, and animal dander are also significant irritants for your allergies.

Maintaining proper indoor air quality can greatly reduce these effects and help keep you comfortable in your home throughout the tough allergy season. Below are some basic tips for maintaining good indoor air quality in St. Louis. To learn more about indoor air quality and how you can improve the environment in your home, Contact Galmiche & Sons for all of your heating & air conditioning needs.

1. Keep Floors & Dust Clean

In order to keep allergens from accumulating in your home and ruining your indoor air quality, it is important to continually mop, dust, and vacuum on a weekly basis. By doing this simple action you will not only notice that your house is more clean than ever before, but the irritants that were previously causing your allergies to go haywire will be removed, leaving you with the best indoor air quality possible. It is also recommended you use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, which prevents any dust, dirt, or dandruff, from being blown back by the exhaust of the vacuum.

You can also invest in an air purifier that will filter dirt, dust, and other allergens from the air in your home on a regular basis.

2. Keep Humidity Levels Low

Did you know that dust mites and mold flourish when your house is humid? Humidity provides these particles the perfect environment for massive growth, causing your indoor air quality to suffer. It is recommended to get a dehumidifier, which can maintain your home environment at the optimal 30 percent to 50 percent zone, keeping the majority of allergens under control. In addition to improving indoor air quality, a whole home dehumidifier will also make your home more comfortable during the hot St. Louis summer even with the thermostat set a few degrees higher.

3. Get More Indoor Plants

This tip might sound surprising, but having indoor plants can greatly reduce indoor allergens. They work as a natural air purifier, with the roots and leaves working together to circulate the air more efficiently, improving overall indoor air quality. They also provide a more colorful atmosphere for your home!

4. Stop Smoking Indoors

If you smoke or have a family member, who smokes inside your home, it is highly recommended you tell that person to start smoking outside. Many studies have shown that cigarette smoke contains multiple carcinogens along with thousands of other chemicals that cause allergies to flare unlike any other substance. By reducing the amount of cigarette smoke in your home, you will notice an immediate difference in your indoor air quality.

5. Monitor & Reduce the Radon Levels

This naturally occurring gas is radioactive, and as the ability to seep into your home undetected causing allergies to flare due to the poor indoor air quality. Studies have shown that exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. By getting a radon testing kit and installing a radon protective shield, you can greatly improve your indoor air quality.

Learn More About Improving Indoor Air Quality from Galmiche & Sons

Improve your indoor air quality with these simple tips and reduce allergens in your home allowing you to live the allergy-free life you have always wanted during the St. Louis spring and summer when irritants are at all-time highs. To learn more tips and for all your heating & air conditioning needs contact Galmiche & Sons today at 314-993-1110.