Indoor Allergies – A List of the Usual & Unusual Suspects
By Joe Castner - Marketing VP
If you want to better understand the causes of indoor allergies, some of the best places to go on the internet are the websites of companies that sell air filters, carpet and furniture cleaning products, and drugs that treat allergy symptoms.
I came across an interesting post the other day called ZYRTEC, love the air. ZYRTEC, of course, sells allergy pills. While I no longer need their excellent pills, thanks to my AspenAir indoor air cleaner, I thought they did a very good job of quickly and clearly explaining the various types of indoor allergens. And, as it turns out, I learned a thing or two.
Of course, number on their list of indoor allegens are molds and mildew. This stuff is bad news and you don’t even have to be allergic to them to be harmed by them. They’re usually found in basements, bathrooms, shower stalls, refrigerator drip trays, house plants, humidifiers and garbage pails. Holding down humidity and keeping the air flowing is very important.
Second on their list of is pet dander. I received a surprise here. I always thought that pet fur and dander were the problem. Of course, they are a problem, but, according to this article, the major culprit is the saliva that sticks to the fur when pets clean themselves. Pet saliva (dogs, cats, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters) contains a protein that causes allergic reactions. Apparently cats can be worse than dogs because they are constantly cleaning themselves and tend to spend more time in the house. I did not know that it was pet saliva was the predominant pet allergen.
Dust mite droppings and stuff that cockroaches leave behind (feces, saliva and parts of their bodies) were also cited as major sources of indoor allergies. While most of this material is fairly large and tends to settle out of the air, it’s when people stir them up by moving around or when children are playing that they become airborne, and therefore pose the health risk.
As it turns out, your HVAC comfort system can either be a help or a hindrance in the battle against airborne indoor allergies. According to this posting, the best thing you can do is keep your filters clean. A dirty filter attached to a forced air system will billow dust into your home. This article recommends that you clean your filters at least twice a month. That’s a real change since the manufacturers of the most commonly used media filters recommend that they be changed annually, and we know from experience and studies that people don’t change their filters on time, and 10% have never changed their filter.
Running your air conditioner is also also mentioned as a very good thing to do because it dehumidifies which controls mold; it filters out particles and allergens. But here was another big surprise. According to this article, keeping your filter clean will increase airflow, which will discourage cockroaches. Cockroaches don’t like airflow. That’s new to me. I knew that by improving airflow you could lower heating and cooling bills, but I had no idea that it had anything to do with controlling cockroach allergies.
I learned a lot from reading this article. To read the entire article, click here.
I had no idea that pet saliva was such a powerful allergen, nor did I know that improved airflow will help hold cockroaches in check. I thought this was worth sharing.
AspenAir – Clean healthy Air, lower ENERGY bills, and real tough on cockroaches! There’s something to it, don’t you think?
Comments
| Sarah Hill
June 27, 2011 |
Great article. I learned a lot from it, especially the part about air conditioning. I’m trying to learn as much about my allergies as possible right now. Another great resource I used to learn about my allergies is this…. http://www.bettermedicine.com/category/ear-nose-and-throat/ |
