7 Household Allergens to Watch Out For in Leonardtown, MD
Though allergy symptoms usually present in the spring and summer, they can wreak havoc on your immune system year-round. Whether you suffer from allergies or live with someone who does, you need to know what can trigger an attack. Here are seven common household allergens to watch out for in Leonardtown, MD.
Chemicals
Exposure to chemical allergens often causes immediate symptoms that last for hours or more. Any chemicals that you use can trigger an attack, including cleaning solvents, perfumes, colognes and air fresheners.
Installing a filtration system is one of the top ways to keep chemicals in check. The filter used in your HVAC system may not collect all those particles, but there are standalone systems that work well. They remove up to 99.9% of household particles and allergens that include chemicals.
Dust Mites
Dust mites live inside mattresses and box springs as well as bed linens. You may find them living in couches or other upholstered furniture. These microscopic mites are impossible to see with the naked eye.
One reason why dust mites affect your allergies is that they produce a lot of waste. Allergen covers used on your bed will keep them contained. Washing your bedding and running a dehumidifier reduces the presence of dust mites, too.
Building and Construction Materials
If anyone on your street is doing renovation or restoration work, the building and construction materials they use can trigger an allergy attack. Building materials include drywall, asphalt roofing shingles and concrete dust. Many of those items produce dust that you can bring inside on your clothing.
You risk exposure to these allergens when you do any work on your home, too. From painting the walls and replacing missing shingles to repairing a floor and organizing your cabinets, all jobs release construction materials into the air.
Pet Allergens
Even if you have shorthaired or non-shedding pets, they still produce dander. This is dead skin flakes, and other debris found on their skin. While you may experience some symptoms within minutes of being around a pet, symptoms can persist for up to eight hours or longer.
As pet dander spreads through the air, it can reach rooms your pets never even visited. Adding indoor air quality products may help. These include air cleaners, air purifiers and filtration systems.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches exist in both urban and rural areas around Leonardtown, MD. They often come up through the pipes in kitchens and bathrooms but can also crawl under doors and other entrances. Roaches leave behind urine and feces, and dead ones leave behind body parts that can affect your allergies.
Prevention goes a long way toward keeping roaches out. Have professionals seal your home and block any entrances they can use. Avoid keeping food and water or other liquids sitting out, as they can attract the bugs.
Other Insects
Dust mites and roaches are not the only insects that affect allergy sufferers. Other bugs to keep an eye on include spiders and flies. Bedbugs that live in upholstered items and mattresses also survive in baseboard and outlet covers.
Allergic reactions often occur when a bug bites or stings. The symptoms of a reaction range from pain and swelling to itchy skin and trouble breathing. Even when bugs don’t bite or sting, having them inside can affect your allergies.
Smoke
Though less common, smoke is another allergen found in many homes. It includes tobacco and marijuana smoke as well as bonfire and cooking smoke. If you spend time around smoke and live with someone who has allergies, you can trigger them as the smoke clings to your clothing, hair and skin.
Reducing the presence of household allergens is as easy as choosing a maintenance plan. A technician can inspect and replace your filters and install air purifiers or similar products. Contact Hancock Refrigeration Heating & Air Conditioning today to see how our maintenance plan can help you avoid allergens.
Image provided by iStock