The Epperson Service Experts Guide to Fall Allergy Season

Can you get allergies around fall? You most definitely can! Allergens can hit at any moment. Although spring allergies can be more common, allergies in the fall are a substantial problem for millions of people. Here, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing strives to help you understand and better manage fall allergies. Regrettably, the solution isn’t as easy as staying clear of the pollen-filled world around your home. Fall allergy season finds several ways into your home. By pinpointing what leads to fall allergies, you can also identify the best ways to minimize them. 

How to Identify Fall Allergy Symptoms 

Determining your fall allergy symptoms can be more difficult than it might seem. The symptoms of seasonal fall allergies are often subtle and mistaken for a minor cold. Coughing, sneezing and sinusitis are typical symptoms that show up in both fall allergies and the common cold. A healthcare professional is always the best 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 researching what triggers fall allergies in your exact case, there are many likely culprits. Dust mites and allergens can build up in different places within your home. Many of these sources of seasonal fall allergies can be minimized with professional air quality services including those supplied by Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. That said, the most likely 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 soft furniture 
  • Debris buildup inside your ductwork 

Work-Arounds for Seasonal Fall Allergies 

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says that homeowners with fall allergies should improve their air quality in three ways. First, you can reduce your exposure to airborne allergens within your home. This requires using a whole-house dehumidifier, air duct cleaning and stopping your home from getting too hot. Second, you should ventilate your house, making sure that airborne debris does not accumulate in stagnant air. Third, you could think about installing an air cleaner to remove allergens from the air. Learn more about these solutions below. 

Reduce Your Home’s Humidity with a Whole-House Dehumidifier 

When the air in your home deviates from the EPA’s ideal humidity levels (30%-40% humidity), it creates a perfect environment for mold, dust mites and many other sources of allergy symptoms. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you have accurate control over the humidity levels throughout your entire home. These modern dehumidifiers permit you to control the humidity inside your home within 1% of the preferred levels, eliminating the conditions for excessive mold, dust mites, fungi, bacteria and other contaminants. 

Keep Your Air Healthy With Ultraviolet Germicidal Lights 

Ultraviolet germicidal lights clean the air in your home before it spreads through your ductwork. As the air leaves your HVAC unit and enters the air ducts, it moves through an intense ultraviolet light that eliminates contaminants before they can spread. This system answers the question, “What is the best air purifier for allergies?” This system will quickly make your air noticeably cleaner. UV lights have been found to eliminate half of the concentrated bioaerosols within their first 45 minutes of use. 

Eliminate Contaminants with HEPA Air Filters 

When you need a high-end air filter, you need a HEPA air filter that can capture 99.97% of the contaminants in the air. Because of their unique design, these filters snatch the most prevalent causes of fall allergies from their air, like ragweed, pollen and dust mites. HEPA air filters also eliminate contaminants like: 

  • Tobacco smoke 
  • Dirt particles 
  • Pollen 
  • Ragweed 
  • Dust mites 
  • Assorted odors and airborne chemicals 

Routinely Clean Your HVAC System’s Air Ducts 

Historically, HVAC systems have not always done a great job of removing contaminants from the air. This means that debris frequently flows through ductwork for decades. Over time, some of that debris may pile up in your ductwork. This is why multiple people suggest Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing and our duct cleaning services before turning on the heat for the first time in the fall. Taking care of this early in the season can eliminate one of the most common sources of airborne debris within your home. 

The 10 Cities in the United States With the Most Difficult Fall Allergy Seasons 

Often, your location has a major impact on the extent of your fall allergy symptoms. Fall allergies are identified to be worse in certain areas of the country versus 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 regardless of where you live. Here are the 10 toughest cities for those dealing with seasonal allergies. 

Most challenging places to live with seasonal allergies

Getting Support From Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing 

As you have now seen, the ideal solution for dust mites and fall allergies involves an all-out assault on the pollutants and contaminants in the air inside your home. Each home will enjoy better results with a specialized approach suited for that home’s individual makeup and layout. With air quality professionals all over the United States, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help in almost any part of the country. If you’d like one of our indoor air quality experts to help make your air as allergen-free as possible, call or fill out a contact form right away.