During the holiday season so many people suffer from allergies and other illnesses. Cold and flu season hits thousands of people each winter. Many people know that they can prevent the cold or flu by eating right, getting enough sleep, washing their hands frequently, and staying away from those that are sick. Unfortunately there aren’t as many guaranteed tips for how to prevent allergies. This is partly due to the fact that preventing them is hard! Today Sterling Environmental Air Duct Cleaning has some topics that you might find interesting if you suffer from allergies during the holiday season.
Christmas Trees Can Cause Allergy Symptoms
One area where there seems to be a debate is about whether you should get a real or fake tree. Many people assume that if someone in your home suffers from allergies that a live tree will only exacerbate the problem. The truth is that real trees and fake trees both present their own set of problems. The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology has some helpful information on this topic. According to The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, real trees can harbor mold, dust, pollen, and sap that those with allergies could struggle with. Pine tree allergies are not that common though so you may still be able to get a real tree and not have tons of additional allergy problems. They also state that fake trees harbor dust and mold. Many fake trees have PVC material in them. The PVC can emit toxins into the air in your home and that can irritate your lungs. No matter what kind of tree you choose you will want to take a few precautions before setting it up in your home.
Best Christmas Trees for Allergies
If you purchase a real tree, Sterling Environmental Air Duct Cleaning recommends selecting a type of three that you are least likely to be allergic to. If you are allergic to pine buy a fit, spruce, or cypress Christmas tree. Before you bring your real tree into your home shake it thoroughly to remove dead needles, dust, and mold. You can also spray your tree off with water and let it dry overnight before bringing it into your home. If you have an artificial tree you will want to make sure you wipe it down before bringing it in your home. During the year artificial trees are bound to collect dust while they sit in their boxes waiting to be pulled out again.
Other Causes of Winter Allergies
Winter allergies can also get into your home through some of your other Christmas decorations. Ornaments, nativity scenes, Christmas villages, wreaths, and more can all be breeding ground for allergies. Dust is one of the most common culprits. You should take the time to wipe down all of your holiday décor before decorating your home.
In the fall many people light candles that help their home smell warm and inviting. Scented candles can cause stuffy noses and irritated lungs. If you want the look of candles in your holiday décor you should try and use unscented beeswax candles instead of highly scented candles.
Air Duct Cleaning in Oak Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Sterling Heights, Detroit & Southeast Michigan
Hopefully these tips will help the allergy sufferers in your home make it through the holidays feeling better. Sterling Environmental Air Duct Cleaning can come out after the holidays and clean your air ducts. Cleaning your air ducts and putting away your holiday decorations should help your indoor air quality improve so that you can all live comfortably in your home. Contact us to schedule your next air duct cleaning appointment today!
