Utah’s allergy season begins in early spring, with tree pollen (maple and juniper) being the primary offender. By the end of May, grass pollen will become more prevalent in the Northern Plains and Great Lakes region. Weed pollen (sagebrush, thistle, and ragweed) spikes in the late summer through fall. Depending on the type of pollen you’re sensitive to, your symptoms may vary throughout the warm-weather season. Sneezing, itchy eyes, and coughing are common for allergy sufferers. Luckily, there are steps that you can take to minimize your symptoms, including maintaining good indoor air quality.
How Pollen Impacts Indoor Air Quality
While pollen can impact you when you’re outside, and levels are high, the inside of your home can also be a problem. Pollen can make its way indoors through your windows and doors and come in on your clothing and shoes. It will circulate through your HVAC system, settle into carpets, and accumulate on surfaces. You may have trouble falling or staying asleep, which has been shown to affect your health, mood, and productivity.
The climate in Utah tends to be very dry and windy. This allows pollen to travel far distances and stay airborne for long periods of time. The allergy season in Utah tends to be much longer than in other areas of the country. Your home should provide a refuge from the unpleasant symptoms that you experience outside.
When more pollen enters your home, this can lead to strain on your HVAC system. Filters can clog quickly, causing a restriction in airflow. Components can malfunction and fail. Eventually, the expense of frequent repairs and system replacement can become burdensome.
There are other air quality concerns to be aware of in Utah. This includes spring dust events and summer wildfires.
Who’s At Risk?
The people who are most susceptible to allergy symptoms are small children and older adults. Asthma and allergy sufferers and those with compromised immune systems are also at a greater risk. If your home is older, it may be more likely to have mold and mildew spores. If your home is made with many lower-end materials, you may be at risk of VOCs and sawdust from deteriorating glues and wood.
Pollen levels tend to be highest in the morning and early afternoon hours. If you need to open windows and doors for ventilation purposes, do so very early in the morning or late in the evening.
The types of pollen that are present can vary throughout the state. The Wasatch Front area, including Salt Lake, Weber, and Davis, experiences high levels of tree pollen in early spring. The Northern Utah area, including Box Elder and Cache, is known for high levels of grass and tree pollen. These are also windy areas, which can push the pollen far. Southern Utah has a very long growing season, causing high levels of weed pollen in late summer.
Up-to-date pollen forecasts are available through several online sources. You can use this information to plan your outings and manage your symptoms. We’re expecting an earlier and longer allergy season than usual. It’s a good idea to be prepared so that you can keep symptoms under control.
Relative Humidity Levels
The relative humidity level in your home should remain between 35% and 50%. When humidity increases, pollen can stay airborne longer. Moisture can increase after baths and showers, when cooking, as your washer runs, and when you’re cleaning. It’s a good idea to run exhaust fans to remove some of the moisture that’s lingering in your air. If you’re frequently dealing with high levels of humidity, consider installing a whole-home dehumidifier. This equipment is placed on your HVAC system. Moisture will be removed through a condensate drain line before passing through your ductwork and out through vents and registers.
The Impact of Particulate Matter
Pollen is one cause of unpleasant allergy symptoms. However, there may be other contaminants in your home that negatively impact your indoor air quality and health. For example, particulate matter 2.5 to 10 microns in size can irritate the sinuses and respiratory system. The most common particulates in a home usually include dust, pet dander, and mold spores. High levels of particulate matter, along with projected multiple pollen waves, can make you feel miserable.
The Importance of IAQ Measures
Due to the long allergy season we experience in Utah, it’s important to be proactive about indoor air quality. You can protect your IAQ in several ways.
Air Filtration Benefits
Your HVAC system can remove some particulates from your indoor air. However, most homes can’t handle a restrictive filter that removes up to 99.97% of contaminants from the air. Make sure you’re using a filter that has a MERV rating between 8 and 12. This provides ample filtration without placing strain on the equipment.
Consider having a whole-home air filtration device installed on your HVAC system. These units can usually handle a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filtration works well and is recommended for allergy sufferers. Make sure you’re changing your filters every 30 to 90 days, or more frequently during allergy season.
Activated carbon filtration does a great job of removing volatile organic compounds from your indoor air. VOC exposure can lead to allergy symptoms as well as headaches, fatigue, inflammation, and more.
Increase Home Ventilation
You must be careful about how you ventilate your home during allergy season. Simply opening windows and doors can let more pollen inside. Mechanical ventilation is a better option. This includes exhaust fans in your bathrooms, kitchen range hoods, and whole-home ventilators.
Keep Your Home Clean
Frequently clean your home to keep pollen at bay. Clean carpets with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum. Bedding should be washed weekly, and hard surfaces should be dusted every few days.
You can prevent pollen from transferring throughout your home by taking your shoes off when you come inside. Keep your jackets in a dedicated closet. Bathe your pets frequently, especially if they spend a lot of time outdoors.
Sealing Up Gaps and Cracks
The small gaps and cracks throughout your home can allow pollen and particulate matter to enter. Each spring, seal areas around windows and doors. Use door sweeps and repair any screen damage. If weatherstripping is cracking or looking worn, replace it. Change filters and schedule routine inspections and maintenance of your HVAC system and indoor air quality equipment.
Allergy season doesn’t have to leave you feeling miserable and unwell. Take proactive steps to ensure indoor air quality so that you can rest and relax when you’re home. Our team at Blue Best Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Generators can help with your indoor air quality needs. We can also perform a seasonal inspection and maintenance to ensure your HVAC system is ready for allergy season and beyond. Contact us at Blue Best Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Generators today for indoor air quality support in Bountiful, UT.
