With spring around the corner, you can almost hear the collective groan from allergy sufferers anticipating the usual problems. The winter respite is over. Outdoor triggers, like pollen, will soon come to the surface and begin to irritate sinuses. If you suffer from allergies, or know someone who does, you already know what this is like.
Improving indoor air quality can greatly enhance the quality of life for a person with allergies, providing a refuge from the outdoors. Just how can you improve the indoor air quality of your home? Here are three specific points of action:
Mechanical ventilation is necessary in tightly sealed homes where there is not a lot of natural drafts or in homes where leaving the windows open to circulate fresh air aggravates allergies. Mechanical ventilation systems improve indoor air quality by using existing ductwork and fans to allow fresh air to circulate. This process gets the bad air, filled with allergens, moisture and pollutants, out and the good air in.
Duct sealing and weatherstripping helps homeowners living in older homes that contain a lot of natural drafts and leaks in areas like plumbing, lighting or ductwork. These leaks often equal the same amount of air that can come in through an open window. This is not good news for someone with allergies. By sealing these cracks, the number of allergens from the outside are reduced. Indoor air quality improves.
Indoor air pollutants are just as guilty of triggering allergies as outdoor pollutants. Some of the indoor triggers include secondhand smoke, combustion (carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide) pollutants, VOCs, and mold. The best, most inexpensive, ways to rid a home of these triggers is to go the source. Controlling pollutants at their source virtually eliminates their existence. Running exhaust fans and air conditions can decrease mold. Changing air filters on a regular basis helps to catch irritants.
There is no reason to dread spring because of allergies. You can control indoor air quality through ventilation, sealing and source control and retreat to your safe haven – allergy free.
Arpi’s is a leader in indoor air quality solutions. We can help find the solution that works for you and your home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Arpi’s services Calgary, Alberta. To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.
