Identifying the fall allergens that cause allergy symptoms and knowing how the allergens enter the home during the fall season is half the battle. Knowing how to prevent exposure to fall allergens by allergy proofing the home is the other half of the battle that can help you be a winner in the battle against allergy-induced sneezing, itchy, watery eyes and the host of host miserable allergy symptoms.
In-home Fall Allergens
Allergens are around year around, but each season ushers in its own variety. During the fall, one of the biggest causes of allergies is ragweed. One ragweed plant can release close to one million grains of pollen during the fall season.
Mold is another allergen that has accelerated growth during the fall. Fall weather is typically damp, making it many home locations prime growing areas for allergy causing mold.
Dust mites like to stir up the dust inside the home, and as the weather cools down in fall and more time is spent indoors, there is more exposure to the dust mites' allergy-producing habits.
Prevent Outdoor Allergy Causing Pollens from Entering the Home
Outdoor airborne allergens such as the ragweed pollen can be prevented from entering the home by keeping the windows and doors closed. Install HEPA filters in the air conditioning unit to filter out the ragweed pollen before it enters the home. Use a HEPA filter in the vacuum cleaner too.
After being outdoors in the fall, change clothes as soon as possible when coming indoors to limit the amount of time to ragweed pollen. Allergy-causing pollens will also stick to hair, so wash hair nightly before going to bed to prevent night time inhaling of the pollen. Keep a rug at the home’s entrance to catch the ragweed pollen off of the bottom of shoes and pets' feet. Pets that spend a lot of time outdoors during the fall will also have ragweed pollen attached to their fur coats, so brushing the pet’s coat before allowing them back indoors will help prevent allergens from entering the home.
Perform a Home Mold Test
Fall moisture causes mold to grow indoors and outdoors. The mold spores can cause a variety of allergy symptoms and even more serious respiratory illnesses. Perform a simple mold test on the home by filling a bucket with water and taking it outside. Pour the water on the ground a few feet away from the house. If the water runs or seeps towards the house, the house is a prime target for mold growth. Rain water and rain water run-off will head towards the house, keeping the house damp and prone to mold and mildew growth.
A professional may need to be called in to stop the home’s moisture problem, but some mold preventing steps are simple DIY jobs, such as chalking around the bathtubs and showers and removing visible shower mold with bleach.
Allergy-proof Bedding by Preventing Dust Mites
Two thousand dust mites can live comfortably in one ounce of mattress dust. The mattress you sleep on each night may be home to millions of allergy causing dust mites. Purchase allergy-proof bedding that is machine washable and wash bedding in hot water frequently throughout the fall season. Remove all dust mite havens from the bedroom such as carpeting, upholstered furniture and stuffed animals.
Ragweed, mold and dust mites are fall’s biggest allergy inducers. Limit exposure to and allergy symptoms caused from these fall allergens by allergy-proofing the home.
Medicine.net Allergy Treatment Begin At Home accessed Sept.27, 2010
Helen Stewart - Ms. Stewart resides in Georgia where she is enjoying her career as a freelance writer. She writes for many online publications including ...
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