Reduce Allergies and Asthma with Home Improvements

Controlling Mold Growth Standing water and water damage, which can produce mold, also need immediate attention if someone in the house suffers from allergies or asthma. A leaking roof, for example, can quickly lead to sopping wet insulation and wallboard, which provides mold with cellulose, its primary food source, and moisture, one of the major factors it needs for growth. Other factors are heat and time, which is why mold can be such a problem in steamy bathrooms. “With mold, it’s not a bad idea to be a little paranoid,” Rynecki says. “Walk around after a heavy rain and check for leaks. If you see a stain, it could be a lot worse inside the walls.” You also want to rid your house of wet conditions that promote mold growth, such as damp basements and unventilated bathrooms and attics. If you have allergies or asthma, and have a home with a basement or a level that’s partially underground, a dehumidifier in that part of the house can reduce the risk of mold, says Dr. Devang Doshi, director of pediatric allergy and immunology at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. A whole-house air filtration unit, such as CleanEffects from Trane, can dramatically improve indoor air quality and create a safer, healthier environment for allergy sufferers. Photo courtesy of Trane. Filtering the Air If you’re building a new house or upgrading your heating and cooling system, that’s a perfect time to improve your indoor air quality, especially if you have outdoor allergies, such as grass or ragweed. “We recommend that people with significant outdoor allergies run their AC or heat 24 hours a day and keep the doors and windows closed,” Dr. Doshi says. “That minimizes the introduction of outdoor pollen into the home. Having a very good ventilation system is vital; we recommend ones with built-in air filtration.” You don’t have to put in a new air conditioning system to get cleaner air in your house, though. You may be able to tie a whole-house air filtration system into your existing system, says Randy Scott, vice president of product systems management for Tyler, Texas-based Trane. Their CleanEffect air filtration system removes up to 99.98 of particles and allergens in from a home’s air compared to the one percent removed by the standard, one-inch filters that most people use—and rarely change. “If a consumer is replacing a heating and cooling system, it can be installed with a system change-out,” Scott says. “If they’ve purchased a system in the last few years, it can be added where there’s enough space.” Two other ideas to consider if you’re building a new house or doing a major remodeling job are installing a gas fireplace, which doesn’t produce irritating smoke, and a central vacuuming system. “A central vacuuming system is a great idea when you’re building a house,” Hammes says. “For $2,000 to $3,000, you have something to transport allergens out of the central area.”

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