Tips for reducing indoor allergens

1. Measure the indoor humidity and keep it below 55 percent. Do not use vaporizers or humidifiers. You may need a dehumidifier, a household appliance that reduces the level of humidity in air.Reducing sources of moisture can reduce your need for dehumidification.
Improving the drainage around the foundation of your home may result in decreased humidity in your basement. Some ways to improve drainage are:
- Extend downspouts from your gutters away from the foundation of your home.
- Keep gutters and downspouts clear and open.
- Ensure that the soil slopes away from your foundation, to avoid pooling of water around your home.
- Avoid over-watering of foundation plantings.
- Ensure that clothes dryers are properly vented to the outdoors. If you do not use a clothes dryer, dry your clothes outdoors as opposed to hanging them inside for drying.
- Use vent fans in bathrooms and kitchens to remove humidity at the source.
-Repair leaking outdoor faucets. Not only will this help reduce humidity, but it will also save you money on your water bills!

If your home uses central air conditioning, consider installing an A/C vent in the humid space in your home and take advantage of the dehumidifying capabilities of your A/C system. This will also help with air circulation, improving airflow between humid parts of your home and drier parts.

2. Remove wall-to-wall carpets from the bedroom if possible. Take in consideration other flooring styles like hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, ceramic tile, vinyl sheet, vinyl tile and linoleum.
There are also many other benefits of hardwood floors as well, such as the value they add to your home, easy care and cleaning, great style coupled with durability and as always, they're natural and safe for the environment.

3. Use a central vacuum or a vacuum with a HEPA filter regularly. If you are allergic, wear a N95 filter mask while dusting, sweeping or vacuuming. Remember, it takes over two hours for the dust to settle back down, so if possible clean when the allergic patient is away and don’t clean the bedroom at night. Frequently change HVAC and HEPA filters.

4. If you have an animall allergy it is best to remove the animal from the home but this is not always an option for animal owners because people become very attached to their pets. However, there are preventative measures that can be taken to minimize allergic reactions.

- Keep pets out of the bedroom at ALL times.
- Run portable air purifiers throughout the home and use a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter.
- Do not permit the pet on furniture or consider placing plastic covers on upholstered furniture.
- Avoid hugging and kissing pets and wash hands after handling the pet.
- Have a nonallergic person brush the pet daily (outside), as well as bathe it twice a week.
- Provide a well-balanced diet for the pet; minimizing fur loss may reduce indoor dander.
- Place litter boxes and animal cages away from areas of air filtration vents in homes.

5. Encase mattresses and pillows with “mite-proof” covers. Wash all bed linens regularly using hot water. Buy durable blankets that can withstand repeated hot water washings,

6. Do not leave out uncovered food at night. Dispose of food wastes (including fast food wraps) in a tightly sealed garbage can. Use roach traps. Schedule regular professional pest control utilizing integrated pest management (IPM) methods.

7. Install a high efficiency media filter with a MERV rating of 11 or 12 in the furnace and air-conditioning unit. Leave the fan on to create a “whole house” air filter that removes particulates. Change the filter at least every three months (with the change of the seasons) to keep the air cleaner year round. Have your heating and air-conditioning units inspected and serviced every six months.

8. Your board-certified allergist is the best resource for effective help with these issues. Many expensive, unproven products are of no benefit.

If you are building a new home

Building a new home provides the opportunity for preventing indoor air problems. However, it can result in exposure to higher levels of indoor air contaminants if careful attention is not given to potential pollution sources and the air exchange rate.
Express your concerns about indoor air quality to your architect or builder and enlist his or her cooperation in taking measures to provide good indoor air quality. Talk both about purchasing building materials and furnishings that are low-emitting and about providing an adequate amount of ventilation.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends a ventilation rate of 0.35 ach (air changes per hour) for new homes, and some new homes are built to even tighter specifications. Particular care should be given in such homes to preventing the build-up of indoor air pollutants to high levels.