Can you get allergies in the fall? You absolutely can! Allergens can strike at any moment. Although spring allergies may be more widespread, allergies in the fall are a serious problem for millions of people. Here, Norrell Service Experts strives to help you recognize and overcome fall allergies. Unfortunately, the solution isn’t as straightforward as staying clear of the pollen-filled world outside your home. Fall allergy season finds various ways into your home. By pinpointing what causes fall allergies, you can fully understand the best ways to reduce them.
How to Identify Fall Allergy Symptoms
Figuring out your fall allergy symptoms can be more difficult than it can seem. The symptoms of seasonal fall allergies are commonly subtle and mistaken for a mild cold. Coughing, sneezing and sinusitis are all symptoms that appear in both fall allergies and the common cold. A healthcare provider is always the most dependable source for confirming allergies. However, a few common symptoms of fall allergies and sinusitis include:
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Headache
- Fatigue or tiredness
What Produces Fall Allergies?
When investigating what triggers fall allergies in your specific case, there are plenty of possible culprits. Dust mites and allergens can build up in countless places within your home. The majority of these sources of seasonal fall allergies can be minimized with professional air quality services such as those provided by Norrell Service Experts. That said, the most prevalent sources of indoor fall allergies include:
- Airborne pollen
- Mold
- Dust mites
- Pets
- Wall-to-wall carpet
- Damp areas
- Indoor plants
- Stuffed toys
- Mattresses and other cushioned furniture
- Debris accumulation inside your ductwork
Remedies for Seasonal Fall Allergies
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America states that homeowners managing fall allergies can boost their air quality in three ways. First, you should reduce your exposure to airborne allergens in your home. This requires using a whole-house dehumidifier, air duct cleaning and stopping your home from getting too warm. Second, you should ventilate your home, ensuring that airborne debris does not amass in stagnant air. Third, you could consider installing an air cleaner to clear allergens from the air. Learn more about each solution below.
Manage Your Home’s Humidity with a Whole-House Dehumidifier
When the air in your home deviates from the EPA’s suggested humidity levels (30%-40% humidity), it provides a perfect environment for mold, dust mites and numerous other sources of allergic attacks. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you have fine-tuned control over the humidity levels throughout your entire home. These state-of-the-art dehumidifiers enable you to dictate the humidity of your home within 1% of the desired levels, eliminating the conditions for unwanted mold, dust mites, fungi, bacteria and other contaminants.
Keep Your Air Clear With Ultraviolet Germicidal Lights
Ultraviolet germicidal lights clean the air in your home before it moves through your ductwork. As the air flows out of your HVAC unit and enters your ductwork, it moves through an intense ultraviolet light that kills contaminants before they can multiply. This system addresses the question, “What is the best air purifier for allergies?” This system should quickly make your air significantly cleaner. UV lights have been found to eradicate half of the concentrated bioaerosols within their initial 45 minutes of use.
Trap Contaminants with HEPA Air Filters
When you need a top-of-the-line air filter, you want a HEPA air filter that can trap 99.97% of the contaminants in the air. Due to their unique design, these filters collect the most frequent triggers of fall allergies from their air, such as ragweed, pollen and dust mites. HEPA air filters also capture contaminants such as:
- Tobacco smoke
- Dirt particles
- Pollen
- Ragweed
- Dust mites
- Assorted odors and airborne chemicals
Routinely Clean Your HVAC System’s Air Ducts
Traditionally, HVAC systems have not always done well with removing contaminants from the air. This means that debris frequently circulates through ductwork for a very long time. Over time, large quantities of that debris will pile up within your ductwork. This is why many people recommend Norrell Service Experts and our duct cleaning services before switching on the heat for the first time in the fall. Taking care of this early in the season can minimize one of the most substantial sources of airborne contaminants in your home.
The 10 Cities in the United States With the Worst Fall Allergy Seasons
In many cases, your location has a significant impact on the severity of your fall allergy symptoms. Fall allergies are known to be worse in some areas of the country than others. For instance, ragweed (one of the most widespread sources of allergy-inducing pollen) is more common in the country’s eastern region along with the Midwest. However, allergies can remain a significant problem despite where you live. Here are the 10 toughest cities for those with seasonal allergies.
Getting Help From Norrell Service Experts
As you have now seen, the best remedy for dust mites and fall allergies entails an all-out assault on the pollutants and contaminants in the air within your home. Your home will need a focused approach structured for that home’s particular makeup and layout. With air quality experts all across the United States, Norrell Service Experts can help in almost any part of the country. If you'd like one of our indoor air quality specialists to help make your air as allergen-free as possible, call or fill out a contact form today.