Can Your Home Appliances Make Your Allergies Act Up?

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If you are an innate allergy sufferer, you will know how debilitating your allergies can be when you are unable to find a solution. There are so many different kinds of allergies that people have, but whilst it is often easy to know the source of the allergy and therefore take appropriate steps to avoid the irritants, indoor allergies are often hard to identify. Many people are surprised to find out that the home appliances can be an enormous source of allergies.

In this article, we will explain how your home appliances make your allergies act up and what steps you can take to solve the problem.

Dust Mites and Pollen from Air-Conditioning Units

Air-conditioning units are one the single most common triggers of allergies. The most widely occurring allergy is hay-fever. A dirty and dusty AC unit can be a hay-fever sufferer’s worst nightmare. The air that circulates in your home when you switch on your AC is often not as clean as it may seem. Air-conditioning units pull “fresh” air into your home from outside and this air will often contain pollen as well as dust, pet dander, and bacteria, all of which can lead to serious allergic reactions and symptoms. Your AC is supposed to remove these irritants from the air, but a bad-performing AC with an ineffective HVAC system cannot remove as many contaminants as it should. 

Usually, a thorough cleaning will do the trick. However, there are many issues with air conditioning units that can cause them to stop working properly, and just by cleaning it won’t work. If this happens, it may be time to change the filters in your AC or to call out a qualified technician to see if they can identify the problem and make the necessary repairs to stop you and your family from getting sick. Regular maintenance is extremely important for all air conditioning units and will ensure that they work properly and that issues are identified early. 

Mold from Cooking Appliances and Washing Machine

Mold born in humid conditions is one of the most dangerous allergic triggers which can cause asthma and other allergy-related symptoms. As well as causing allergic reactions, mold that grows in your fridge, oven and other appliances like your blender and microwave is linked to many health issues that come as the result of our food being contaminated with bacteria from the mold. 

As cooking appliances directly interact with the food that you consume, it is really important that you thoroughly clean every appliance immediately after using it. Your washing machine is also a perfect home for mold to quickly grow in a short amount of time. Do not let your wet clothes stay in your washing machine for too long; take them out straight away after the washer finishes its job and leave it to dry out.

Nitrogen Dioxide from Stove, Microwave and Heaters

Combustion from your microwave and other heating appliances creates more nitrogen dioxide than you can imagine. Unless it is properly vented to the outside, nitrogen dioxide can be discharged into your living space. Whilst nitrous dioxide is only lethal at very high doses, it can cause harm to your airways, trigger the inflammation of your mucus, and result in asthma and other allergic reactions.

Do not rely too much on portable kerosene or unvented gas heaters, and if you do, make sure that your ventilation hood is working effectively. 

Formaldehyde from Furniture and Construction Materials

Do not be surprised if your allergies act up when you redecorate your home. A lot of construction materials and even furniture contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde, both of which can irritate your airways. You can easily smell formaldehyde after putting new wallpaper and whilst the smell may fade, some of its allergy triggers may continue. Make sure that you choose formaldehyde-free or low-VOC materials for your home. Maintaining proper ventilation during the decorating or home renovation period is also very important to ensure that the potentially harmful chemicals don’t get trapped inside.

Ozone from Electrical Appliances

Electrical appliances are also a problem because of their ozone emissions. Air conditioners, air purifiers, refrigerators, sanitizers, and various other appliances emit ozone and this can be very harmful to health when inhaled. People who suffer from asthma are particularly susceptible to a severe allergic reaction from ozone. Make sure to regularly check your appliances for ozone emissions and if the levels get too high, repair, or replace the appliances immediately. 

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To mitigate the chances of an allergic reaction inside your home, it is vital to identify the source of the problem. Explore every corner of your house, and resolve each of the issues laid out in this article one by one.

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