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How to Help Stop Allergies & Asthma Attacks at Home
Symptoms and Contributing Causes at Home | Steps for Getting Rid of AllergiesOverview
Respiratory allergies and asthma are different medical conditions, although some people have both. Both conditions are very common and both are made worse by breathing irritants in the air. This is unfortunate since people with sensitive respiratory systems can’t control the air outside or in public places such as school and at work. However, it is possible to make sure the air breathed at home is clean and free of the things which aggravate allergies and trigger asthma attacks. The best way to stop allergies or to have less asthma attacks at home is to get rid of the things in the air which cause the problems.
Symptoms and Contributing Causes at Home
| Respiratory Problem | Allergies | Asthma |
| Symptoms | coughing, sneezing, nasal or throat congestion (mucous) | wheezing, asthma “attack” or sudden difficulty breathing |
| Contributing Causes (allergens or triggers) | pet dander, dust mites, cat saliva, pollen, mold, mildew | pollen, ozone, and diesel which enter through cracks in the home; cockroaches and dust mites; dust |
Symptoms such as coughing and wheezing due to allergens or asthma triggers at home are a sign that the home is not performing well, especially if measures have already been taken to reduce allergens and asthma triggers such as getting rid of carpet.
What commonly happens is that dirty air gets pulled into the home through an unsealed duct system or through other penetrations into the home. Since the duct system is usually in the crawlspace or attic it can pull in outside pollutants (like ozone or pollen from outside or mold spores and dust from the attic) and trap them in the home. Sealing leaky ducts can often make a significant difference at home for people with allergies and asthma, but it is often overlooked as a solution. For the same reason, air sealing in the attic and crawlspace are also highly recommended.
The three main steps for making household air clean for asthmatics and people with allergies are:
- Source Removal
Remove sources of allergens and asthma triggers by following the steps below, including sealing air duct leaks, air sealing the attic and crawlspaces, and replacing air filters or electronic air cleaners
- Ventilation
Bring in outside air to dilute indoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) while exhausting stale and moist indoor air to discourage mold growth and evacuate other substances outside. Balanced ventilation as described is preferred over imbalanced ventilation which is just doing half of the job (either exhaust or intake only).
- Air Cleaning
A high efficiency air filter can be added to a centralized whole house ventilation system to remove most remaining allergens or asthma triggers. Filters with MERV 6-12 are typically recommended (higher ratings remove smaller particles), but must be selected carefully so that the airflow resistance (static pressure) in the HVAC system isn’t increased above design limits.
Steps for Getting Rid of Allergies
- Get tested to determine what you are allergic to
- Remove or replace things in the home which collect allergens such as
- Old bedding or mattresses (which can harbor dust mites)
- Replace carpet with hard flooring (like hardwood, tile, linoleum)
- When possible remove known sources of allergens
- House plants or flowers which are known allergens
- Consider breeds of animals with less dander or which do not cause allergies
- Many electronic air filters produce ozone; research these systems and remove or do not use them if ozone exposure is above safe levels
- Identify unknown sources of allergens
- Check for duct leaks in the heating / cooling system which suck allergens into the home from the attic or crawlspace
- Check for other air leaks in the walls floors, ceiling and around doors and windows which may let outside allergens in such as pollen and smoke
- Check for mold growth in common areas such as behind walls, in bathrooms, and in attic or crawlspaces
- Fix house problems which are a source of allergens
- Seal the air leaks in the ducts and around the home
- Remove any mold or mildew and put in place proper ventilation to stop mold and mildew from coming back
- Use a central ventilation system to filter and bring in fresh air instead of windows which let in outside allergens and asthma triggers
- Add an air cleaning air filter to the central ventilation system to remove any remaining small particles
- Use a HEPA vacuum