So far, we have talked about arming yourself with pollen counts (and that nifty Pollen.Com mobile app), knowing when to be outside, when to wear a mask, how to keep from spreading pollen in your house, and how to rinse pollen easily and safely from the nasal and sinus passages. You can get the entire story at Allergy Control Products for Seasonal Allergies, Parts 1 and 2. Today we are going to focus on allergy control products for seasonal allergies that clean the air around you.
If you remember, the pollens that cause the most problems are airborne. That is why it is important to stay inside on windy days when pollen counts are high. It is also very important to keep all windows and doors tightly closed. This is to prevent pollen from coming into the house. Your house should be your “safe zone” where you take refuge from pollens.
But what if the lure of the outside is irresistible? Or what if the temperatures are rising and it’s just too warm or stuffy to keep the windows closed? It is possible to stop large particles like pollen (yes, in the world of microns…pollen is considered large) with specialized filtering material made into screens.
The MicroAirScreen actually repels pollen particles when they come in contact with the material. That is why this screen material won’t clog up like most mat-type filtering media.
These highly specialized screens are designed to allow double-hung windows to be opened to a height of 8 inches. This will permit airflow and ventilation but not allow in pollen, insects, and other undesirables.
When the weather warms and it is time to turn on the air conditioning, you just remove the air screen from the window and store it for another year. In milder climates, we have customers that use the screens year-round, especially in the bedroom.
Speaking of bedrooms, conventional wisdom has always been that most pollen is spread in the daytime. However, at the recent AAACI meeting, I saw a study done in Central Texas that showed that the juniper trees in that area were actually releasing more pollen at night than during the day. This means that people who thought they could sleep with the windows open because pollen counts were low need to re-think that activity.
If you already own an air cleaner, you will probably want to run it on the medium and high settings when pollen counts are the highest. No matter how careful you are in not spreading pollen in the house, it is like death and taxes…inevitable. You are going to bring some in.
So, make sure your air cleaner is working at its utmost to grab that particle and suck it in and hold it tight so you can’t breathe it. Also, if the doors are going to be constantly opened and closed on windy or high pollen count days (think the kids in and out and the pets in and out like most weekend days at the typical family home) then you want your air cleaner trapping those particles as fast as the family brings them inside.
If you have one of the machines that require frequent filter changes, make sure you start the pollen season with a fresh filter. If you don’t have a filter but are thinking of investing in one, I recommend the Austin Air HealthMate. It is the machine I use in my own home and I find them to be reliable and cost-effective over the long term.
Don’t let seasonal allergies stop you when there are allergy control strategies and allergy control products that can help.
Til Next Time!
Cheryl
The Allergy Store