If you’re allergic to pollen, winter might seem a welcome break from the sniffles. But winter has an allergy problem all its own, and just as miserable as pollen allergies. Winter is the season of indoor allergies, often brought on by mold, dust mites, or pet dander. If you’re susceptible to indoor allergies, winter can be a season of dread and the sneezing and runny nose can really have an impact on your holiday season. Fortunately, indoor allergies are a little easier to avoid than pollen allergies. You can’t change the pollen levels, but you can reduce the presence of indoor allergens from your home. Here are a few tips to avoid indoor allergies this winter:

Clean the House

And do it regularly. No one enjoys cleaning, especially in winter when motivation tends to run low. But dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping the house weekly will help keep the air refreshed and prevent breathing in those pesky indoor allergens like dust mites and pet dander. Choose the day that works best for you and the time when you’re least likely to procrastinate. If you get more done in the morning, maybe set an alarm and start cleaning in the morning. If you’re more of a night owl, give yourself an hour or two after work to eat dinner and destress and then break out the vacuum. Don’t forget to wipe down smooth surfaces and change the bedsheets regularly to avoid dust mites.

Groom Your Pet

If you have a long-haired cat or a dog that’s prone to shedding, you can understand the way that pet hair gets on everything. There’s not one article of clothing anymore that’s gone untarnished with little white hairs. In winter, breathing in all that pet dander can really start to affect your sinuses. Now is the time to take your pet in for a grooming or even to just brush them off thoroughly at home. Getting rid of all that excess hair will make them feel better, and it will help you to breathe better as well.

Change Your Heating Filters

All of those allergens like dust, dander, and mold spores tend to attach themselves to your

heating unit, so even if your house is clean and your pet is groomed, that bad air still gets cycled throughout the house. The condition of your HVAC unit is key to the air quality in your home. Make sure to clean or change your heating filters, and maybe even call for an HVAC inspection to ensure that your humidifier and other aspects that contribute to air quality are working properly. If the air circulating through your home is clean, you have a much better chance of getting through the season without sniffles.

Air Solutions in College Station, Texas, has been serving the community with HVAC installations, inspections, and preventative maintenance for 50 years. We’re thoroughly equipped to help you avoid seasonal allergies this winter by performing maintenance on your heating unit to improve the air quality in your home. Call us today at (979) 693-2984 or contact us online to request a service.