Protect Your Home From Dust and Other Allergens With These Tips

Summer is a time of vibrant colors in Mother Nature: blooming flowers, tall grasses, and trees of glossy leaves. But all of this plant activity can lead to increased airborne allergens, such as pollen, ragweed and dust. The EPA estimates that Americans spend $21 billion for the treatment of allergies each year. Fortunately, with a few easy precautions, you can protect your home from dust and other allergens this summer. 

• Change or clean filters monthly. Make sure to check and date the filter in your air conditioner or heater monthly. Also make sure that you are changing out or emptying your vacuum filter or bags regularly. Clogged filters let allergens escape back into your home. Many vacuums have special hypo-allergenic bags available to remove even more allergens from the environment.
• Make sure your dyer is properly venting outside. Most houses these days come with a pre-built vent for the dryer, but you should still check the vent occasionally to make sure that is has not become clogged with lint or other debris. If your house does not have a pre-installed vent to outside, you can buy a collapsible dryer hose to vent through a window.
• Consider cleaning any duct work. Over time, dust can build up in the duct work that supports the central or forced air systems in the home. If you can’t remember the last time the ducts were cleaned, and more dust than usual seems to be accumulating, it may be time have them looked at.
• Check for leaky windows or doors. There may be tiny crevices that allow outside air to leak into the home. Not only does this let dust and other allergens in, but it also lets cooler air escape, making your air conditioner work harder to keep your home cool. A properly sealed house lowers power bills in summer or winter.

For more expert tips on keeping dust and other allergens out of your home this summer, or other questions regarding home comfort, please contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions. We’ve been serving Central Florida with whole-house energy solutions for nearly 20 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about allergens and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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