Home Air Quality: Five Ways To Cope With Spring Allergies

As if COVID-19 wasn’t enough, spring allergies haven’t exactly given people with respiratory issues a break so far this spring in the Hudson Valley.

The good news, if you’re one of thousands of people here who suffer from seasonal allergies here in the Hudson Valley, is that you can greatly alleviate your suffering with some careful planning and a little attention to the conditions inside your home.

Simple strategies to keep allergies at bay this spring:

• Change your HVAC filters regularly – Keeping your air conditioning and furnace filters clean can make a big difference in managing your allergy symptoms. Follow manufacturer’s filter cleaning and maintenance instructions to minimize exposure to allergens from your HVAC system. Be sure to use the right filter for your equipment – consult your owner’s manual to find the range of filters that is right for your heating or cooling system. If you need help figuring out which filter works best for your needs, contact us.
• Reduce exposure to allergy triggers – Minimize your time spent outdoors, especially on dry, windy days (we’re doing a lot of that anyway these days). If you must spend time outdoors, change your clothes when you arrive home, and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair. Always remove your shoes, which can carry both allergens and many kinds of bacteria, when you come indoors. Don’t hang laundry to dry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
• Take precautions when pollen counts are high – Minimize time outdoors in the early morning when pollen counts are highest. If high pollen counts are forecast, take allergy medications before your symptoms start and close windows whenever possible. Keep doors and windows closed at night.
• Maintain your HVAC equipment – The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in your home can produce and spread mold and other allergens, so maintaining your HVAC systems properly is a key to keeping your home air healthy. If you haven’t done it yet this year, schedule your air conditioning maintenance for cooling season 2020 – better yet, schedule both your heating and cooling maintenance to get both out of the way.
• Consider cleaning your air ducts – Your ducts are a breeding ground for allergens and microorganism growth. Consider having the air ducts professionally cleaned, especially if you see these signs identified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association.

Don’t suffer this spring – strategize. Follow these tips, and be sure to take care of your home heating and cooling systems to give your respiratory and immune systems a break. Contact us to schedule maintenance for your HVAC equipment today.

Please note: Once COVID-19 restrictions are eased, we expect a surge in requests for A/C and heating maintenance that could back up our technicians for weeks. If you need HVAC service in the Hudson Valley, we strongly suggest that you sign up for a Bottini Service Plan and lock in an appointment time so you’ll be early on the list.

And remember: At Bottini Fuel, your safety and comfort are always our priority. Please see our COVID-19 Service Update Page to learn more about how we are working to keep our crews and your home cooling and heating systems working through this challenging time.