Aprilaire Makes the Top 100 Allergy Capitals More Livable

 Aprilaire Makes the Top 100 Allergy Capitals More Livable

Proactive Preparation a Must for the Brutal 2015 Allergy Season

 St. Louis, MO– Aprilaire, the nation’s indoor air quality leader, offers tips to quell allergy symptoms in advance of a brutal spring season. The 2015 allergy season might be one of the worst ever, according to experts at the Weather Channel. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America releases its 2015 Spring Allergy Capitals list, revealing which areas will be hit the hardest.

 “If you’re an allergy sufferer and live near any of America’s top allergy cities, you cannot escape allergic reactions to pollen,” said Joseph Hillenmeyer, marketing content specialist for Aprilaire. “But you can take measures to lessen the impact.”

 This season, the warm fall coupled with a wet and cold winter is causing trees and flowers to produce more pollen. A pollen count of 150 grains per cubic meter triggers allergic reactions. The cities in the top 100 average 300 grains per cubic meter daily – twice the trigger level. As a result, millions of Americans could see worsened allergy symptoms, but most do not realize that pretreatment should begin thirty days prior to the onset of symptoms.

 “The key to surviving this spring is preparing early,” said Hillenmeyer. “It’s easier to prevent a fire than put one out, and that should be the thinking when bracing for this allergy season.”

 Proactive preparation is the key to comfort this spring, so build up defenses with the right treatment and a secure home that offers refuge from allergy symptoms.

 Top 4 Ways to Stop Allergies Before They Start

 Get an early start: Allergy pretreatment should begin thirty days prior to the usual onset of allergy symptoms. Seasonal allergy symptoms are the body’s overactive immune response to pollen in the air. Once activated, the response is hard to stop, according to WebMD. Depending on where you live, the time to start pretreatment with medicine will vary. For individuals in the Northeast and Midwest, early April is a good time to begin.

 Clean, clean, clean. Wash the pollen away. When outside pollen collects on hair, skin, clothes and pets, it gets brought into the home. If not removed, pollen will become airborne and a person could breathe it in, causing an allergic reaction. Wash pollen from hair and skin each night, and put clothing that has been outdoors in a hamper or washer as soon as you come inside.

 Improve your indoor air: Even with doors and windows closed, pollen and other irritants often find their way inside. Standard one-inch furnace filters are not rated to remove pollen. By using a whole-home air purifier, the home can become a refuge from allergies. High-quality home air purifiers remove up to 98 percent of airborne pollen and pet dander that cause allergic reactions. A home with improved indoor air quality provides symptom relief for allergy sufferers.

Change your whole-home air filters at least once a year. Even high-quality, whole-home air purifiers do not work with dirty filters, and knock-off brand filters could actually damage the HVAC system. A good rule of thumb – have your air purifier filter changed once a year, when you have your HVAC system serviced.

This spring, control your allergies before they control you. For more information on proactive preparation and how to create a home refuge from allergy symptoms, visit Aprilaire.com.

 

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 About Aprilaire: We have been a brand leader in IAQ for more than 60 years, delivering a wide range of whole-home systems that improve comfort, health and energy efficiency. Our brand products are sold through and installed by HVAC contractors across the United States and Canada. Visit Aprilaire.com to learn more about whole-house air cleaners and total comfort solutions to purity, humidity, freshness and temperature. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/Aprilaire.

Aprilaire Makes the Top 100 Allergy Capitals More Livable

Making the indoors safer for allergy sufferers

By Katherine Roth

After all, our bodies are inhabited by multitudes of bacteria, to which we seldom give a thought.

For the many people who suffer from allergies, though, the allergens in dust-mite feces and body parts can lead to chronic sinus problems and coughing, among other symptoms. If gone untreated, the problem can escalate to eczema and asthma, particularly in children, according to James Sublett, president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

“The sooner you intervene, the less likely the problems are to escalate,” he said.

Luckily, homes can be made more livable for allergy-sufferers — and less amenable to dust mites — in just a few steps.

About a quarter of Americans suffer from some sort of allergy and of those one-half to two-thirds are sensitive to dust-mite allergens, according to Sublett, making it one of the most common causes of allergies.

“Around the world, dust mites are the most common indoor allergen,” said Robert Wood, director of the pediatric allergy and immunology division of Johns Hopkins University.

If dust-mite allergies are suspected, the first step is to get tested by an allergist.

While periodically replacing all your bedding might seem to make sense, experts say it’s unnecessary for those without allergies and insufficient for allergy sufferers.

Instead, these tips from allergists can help make any home friendlier to those with indoor allergies, dust mites included:

1. Keep It Dry. “One of the biggest and most common mistakes people make is to install vaporizers and humidifiers,” Sublett said. “Moisture can and does cause all kinds of problems.” Dust mites can’t survive in less than 50 percent humidity, so buy a humidity meter and, if needed, a dehumidifier to keep humidity to between 35 percent and 50 percent. “Just three hours above that level of humidity, though, is enough to keep the dust mites alive,” he said.

2. Rip out the rugs and ditch the drapes. Carpet and heavy drapes are a reservoir for allergens like dust mites and should be removed, particularly in bedrooms. If removing them isn’t an option, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends frequent vacuuming using a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. Those with allergies should stay away or wear an N95 particulate mask during and immediately after vacuuming, since particles can remain airborne for up to two hours.

3. Just Encase. All mattresses, box springs, pillows and comforters should be encased in well-sealed, tightly woven, microfiber “mite-proof” covers from a reputable company, such as Mission: Allergy or National Allergy Supply, and linens and stuffed animals should be washed weekly, allergists say. “The temperatures and detergents used are much less important than the regularity of washing,” Sublett said. “Washing in any temperature dramatically reduces the level of allergens.”

4. Opt for smooth. Smooth surfaces that can be wiped clean are generally better for allergy-sufferers than more porous upholstered surfaces on couches, chairs and even car seats, Sublett said.

5. Clear and clean the air. To help keep indoor allergens of any kind at bay, homes should be smoke-free and pets should be kept out of the bedroom. For the very allergy-prone, use a HEPA air filter in the bedroom with a CADR (clean air delivery rate) adequate for the size of the room. Install MERV 11 or 12 disposable, high-efficiency filters in the furnace and air conditioning system that can be changed every few months, according to Sublett. But these steps are less important for those suffering solely from dust-mite allergies, since dust mites burrow deep in bedding and dust-mite particles are generally not airborne, according to Wood.

6. Check the units. Allergists suggest that to minimize indoor allergens, heating and air conditioning units be cleaned and serviced every six months, and that gas appliances and fireplaces be vented to the outside and regularly maintained. — AP

Online: www.missionallergy.com, www.natlallergy.com, www.acaai.org

Making the indoors safer for allergy sufferers