When the warm weather arrives, people in Dundalk rejoice. But it’s hard to celebrate the spring and summer months when you have allergies. You can’t stop and smell the roses when you’re sneezing. If you or anyone else in your household has allergies, you might dread the spring. Fortunately, working with a professional can make the season much more enjoyable. Find out how working with a professional who handles HVAC installation and repairs can help you and your allergies.
Why is Spring Such a Bad Time for Allergies?
Before you can understand how an HVAC technician may be able to help your allergies, you need to know why this season is so bad for people with allergies. There are a few things that happen in the spring to trigger sneezing and other unwanted symptoms.
First, the plants begin to bloom when the warm weather arrives. They send pollen into the air, and this triggers hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Although hay fever isn’t viral, it mimics viral infections. Another common trigger is mold, which is often present in the spring because of the excess moisture. As the rainy days arrive, leaks in your home may result in mold growth.
People tend to spend more time outside in the spring. For this reason, your allergies are likely to heighten. You have more exposure to pollen, and your body releases more histamines. In addition to this fact, you probably use your air conditioner much more in the spring than you did in the winter. If you have any dust, dander, or pollen in your HVAC, it’s likely to affect your allergies.
Do You Have Allergies?
Some people have allergies and don’t even realize it. All too often, people assume their allergies are from a cold or another issue. If you find yourself sneezing more in the spring, you should entertain the idea of seasonal allergies as the cause.
Although sneezing is a common symptom of allergies, other symptoms include the following:
- Runny nose
- Itchy eyes
- Congestion
- Sinus pain
Typically, the symptoms begin as soon as you’re exposed to the allergens. But it’s not always obvious what the allergens are. If you don’t pay attention to the pollen content in the air, you may not realize pollen levels are high. It’s not unusual for people to attribute their sneezing to other issues, like a weak immune system.
If you suspect you have allergies, don’t wait another season to find out what’s wrong. You should visit your doctor to find out whether or not you have allergies. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you can improve your symptoms.
How to Combat Spring Allergies
Once you find out you have allergies, there are a few steps you can take to alleviate or eliminate your symptoms. For instance, your doctor might prescribe medication. You can also head to your favorite drugstore and find over-the-counter allergy medication.
Although medication is one way to get relief, it’s not the only way. The side effects of the medication could make you uncomfortable, and you may not want to rely on medication every day of the spring and summer. In some cases, the medication doesn’t provide complete relief. If you’re looking for another way to improve your health, you should consider paying attention to your HVAC system.
Your HVAC isn’t only a pathway for cool air to move through your home. As it pulls in air, your HVAC also sucks up dust, dander, and pollen. Equipped with filters, HVAC systems filter out some of the allergens. However, they can’t remove all of the allergens, and the filters do become dirty. By taking a few measures, you can limit the allergens in your HVAC system.
Change Your Filters
If you don’t already change your home’s filters, you could be the primary cause of your allergies. Change out your filters at the beginning of every season and at least once every three months. In between filter changes, check your filter and ensure it looks clean. You may need to change it more frequently in the spring.
As much as you might try to remember to change your filters, it’s easy to forget. You can set reminders in your phone or mark the dates on your calendar.
Use an Air Filtration System
An air filtration system is one way in which you can fight off allergens in the air. If you have a professional install this system, they integrate it into your home’s ductwork. It traps particles of lint, dust, and more before it spreads through your ducts.
It’s worth mentioning that an air filtration system is a delicate piece of equipment. If you don’t have a professional handle the installation and filters, you could cause harm to your HVAC system. The wrong filter could cut air flow and cause your AC to work overtime.
Use an Air Purifier
If you don’t want an air filtration system, you can use an air purifier. These free-standing machines pull contaminants from the air and don’t keep your HVAC system from doing its job. Although the systems vary in their functionality, many of them use ionization to charge particles.
Other purifiers use ultraviolet rays to purify the air. If you have mold in your home, the purifier could kill off the mold and make it easier for you to breathe. Before you pick an air purifier, you should speak with your HVAC technician. They can guide you and help you find the best purifier for your needs.
Consult with an Expert in HVAC Installation
Here at Reliability Home Services, we don’t want anyone to be left sneezing the spring and summer away. You can call us to learn more about the ways in which you can minimize your allergies through your indoor air quality. Whether you need a mini split AC installation or you want to buy an air purifier, you can count on us to help.
One of the ways to make the spring more tolerable is to have a new HVAC installation in Dundalk. An older system could be causing you discomfort. To learn more about your options, give us a call today.
