When you live somewhere like Rincon, Georgia, you get wonderful weather most months of the year. Unfortunately, we also deal with a longer allergy season than the folks who live up north. You may think your allergies are under control, but many people still suffer symptoms without realizing. Some household behaviors, like forgetting to change filters, can bring your allergies back to life again. Pay attention to little-known symptoms and small behaviors that might be contributing to your allergy difficulties.
You Wear Contacts
Contact lenses are an amazing convenience, but they have a downside for seasonal allergy sufferers. The material of your contacts sometimes hangs onto pollen and other allergens. You can’t see it, but it’s just enough to irritate your eyes and your sinuses when you put your contacts in.
Try flushing your eyes with eye drops or lens solution. Clean your contacts very well every night when you take them out. You might also want to switch to your glasses for a while, or talk to your eye doctor about getting daily disposable contacts, so you get a fresh pair of allergen-free contacts every morning.
You Get Headaches
You have a sinus cavity in your forehead, which is why you sometimes experience headaches along with your other allergy symptoms. But a headache even without a runny nose or itchy eyes can mean you’re still suffering from allergies. Do you find yourself popping the ibuprofen often, hoping to get rid of annoying headaches? Try changing your allergy medication. A duct cleaning to get all the allergens out of your HVAC system might help, too.
Your Air Filters Are Dirty
It doesn’t matter how thoroughly you clean your house if you don’t change your air filters. All the dust and debris that gets caught in the filter will eventually end up back in your home. A filter’s fibers can only hold so much debris, and once it’s full, you need to put in a new one.
Two things happen when your air filter is dirty: the HVAC system actually has a harder time pulling air through the filter because it’s so obstructed, and the debris the filter is supposed to be catching actually ends up in your ducts anyway.
You Have a Drink After Dinner
Some of the ingredients in alcohol, especially wine and beer, can trigger allergic reactions. So that glass of red wine that’s helping your health in many ways might also be exacerbating your allergy symptoms. Try skipping the alcohol for a week and see if your allergies get any better.
Your Ears Itch
Itchy ears are a relatively common symptom of allergies, but most people who have itchy ears don’t realize that allergies could be the culprit. If your ears have been bothering you, but visits to the doctor show no signs of infection, there’s a good chance allergies are the cause. Try using an air purifier in your bedroom to alleviate your nighttime allergy symptoms, and see if that helps with your itchy ears, too.
You Have a Lot of Houseplants
Plants in your house can do wonders for your IAQ because they’re natural air cleaners. But plants also release pollen, even when they’re indoors. A house flower won’t cause your allergies to blow up the way a field outside will, but it may still be a contributing factor. Try this: move your house plants to one floor, or one side of the house. Then clean the other side diligently. See if you suffer from allergies worse when you transition to the side of the house with the plants. If you do, you may need to move those plants to the porch.
At Dyess Air & Plumbing, we know lots of great IAQ solutions that can help you battle your allergy symptoms. Whether you want simple HVAC maintenance or something more thorough like a duct cleaning, we’ll be there to help you improve the air you’re breathing. Always remember to get your seasonal HVAC maintenance to help keep your IAQ in good shape. To set up an appointment, give us a call at (843) 242-0855.