Each year more and more people are falling ill through pollutants in their homes or offices and it is becoming a very real problem. Indoor allergies are accountable for hundreds if not thousands of sick days each year as people are struggling to cope with the symptoms brought on by irritants. Indoor allergies tend to be focused on the eyes, noses, throats and skin of suffers with many people complaining of itchy, water eyes, running noses, sore throats and flaking skin. Obviously for sufferers of indoor allergies life can be difficult as it may feel as though there is no end to their illness. Help is at hand however.



In order to prevent indoor allergies, or at the very least reduce their symptoms it is important to understand what causes them. If you are one of the unlucky people who suffers from indoor allergies here are a few causes and preventative measures against this misery causing illness:

-Dust mites: Dust mites are very tiny creatures that live and feed on the dead skin cells from humans and animals. Their droppings are one of the main causes of indoor allergies and can bring about asthma attacks. In order to keep dust mites to a minimum you should make sure that you keep your house under 50% humidity and vacuum regularly. Many people find that using a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner works well as the filter traps the mites ready for disposal.

-Pollen: This will enter the house through doors and windows and is the cause of hay fever and other associated complaints. In order to keep your house as pollen free as possible you should keep doors and windows closed when the pollen count is high and use HAPE filters in your air conditioning system. This will help you rid the air of the pollen particles and enable you to breath easier, your indoor allergy symptoms will also lessen.

-Pet dander: This is basically animal dandruff, and it is the animal saliva on this dander that causes indoor allergies. If you have a pet you should vacuum every day (ideally with a HEPA filter vacuum) and make sure that pet bedding is changed frequently. Also you should keep pets out of your bedroom and off furniture as it will improve your condition.

-Cockroaches: these annoying creatures are capable of living almost anywhere and can be hard to get rid of. There faeces contains a protein that can trigger indoor allergies and induce asthma attacks. To make sure that your house is cockroach free keep it clean as this will minimise the cockroaches food sources. If you are still concerned it may be best to get in a professional to exterminate them.

-Indoor mold: This thrives in damp, humid conditions and creates spores which are breathed in and can cause breathing problems. To effectively get rid of molds you should wash down the effected area with a mixture of 5% bleach topped up with water. Using dehumidifiers may also help the problem.

As shown there are ways in which you can rid your home of the causes of indoor allergies, but they must be kept up with. One way of insuring clean, fresh air in your home is to fit your air conditioning system with HEPA filters as they rid the air of 99.995% of airborne particles which are the main cause of indoor allergies. If you are in the Chicago are and need help with purchasing and fitting HEPA filters you should contact a local HVAC technician, who is an expert in home ventilation systems. So if indoor allergies are ruling your life speak to an HVAC technician and soon you will be enjoying fresh air again.