Do you often feel unwell during the winter months? Central heating could be causing your allergy symptoms.
Central heating keeps homes warm and cozy during the colder months but can also spread dust, mold, and dry air. These factors can exacerbate or even cause allergy symptoms, impacting your overall well-being. Understanding these symptoms and their triggers can help create a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.
Check out these ten common central heating allergy symptoms and get tips on how to avoid them.
#1 Dry Eyes
Central heating lowers indoor humidity, which can dry your eyes, causing irritation and discomfort. When air moisture drops, the tear film on your eyes dries faster, making your eyes feel scratchy and possibly leading to chronic dry eye syndrome.
#2 Nasal Congestion
You might wonder, “Why does the heater make my nose stuffy?” Dry air can make your nose swollen and stuffy, making breathing hard. The wet stuff in your nose dries up and becomes thicker, unable to catch dust and allergens well. This may lead to more nose stuffiness, pressure in your sinuses, and a higher chance of sinus infections.
#3 Sneezing
Dust and allergens in your heating system can irritate your nose, leading to sneezing. These particles can make your body sneeze to get rid of them. If this happens a lot, it can make your allergies worse and make your nose feel irritated all the time.
#4 Sore Throat
Dry indoor air can lead to a sore throat, as the lack of moisture irritates the delicate tissues in your throat. The dryness can make your throat feel scratchy and uncomfortable, making it difficult to swallow or speak. Prolonged exposure can also make you more susceptible to throat infections and other respiratory illnesses.
#5 Coughing
Dust, mold spores, pollens, fungus, and other allergens can be dispersed through your heating system, causing persistent coughing. These particles can affect your respiratory tract, leading to a dry, hacking cough. The coughing can sometimes become chronic and disrupt sleep, affecting your overall health and well-being.
#6 Itchy Skin
Low humidity levels can make your skin feel dry, itchy, and flaky. They also remove your skin’s natural oils, making it dry and irritated. Eventually, this can result in skin problems like eczema or dermatitis that need medical help.
#7 Headaches
Poor indoor air quality and dry conditions can cause headaches, especially if you are prone to allergies or sinus issues. The dryness can cause your sinuses to become inflamed and congested, leading to sinus headaches. Additionally, the circulation of dust and allergens can trigger an allergic reaction to the heaters, contributing to headache pain.
#8 Wheezing
Central heating can cause wheezing and shortness of breath for people with asthma or other lung problems. Dry air and allergens moving around can irritate the lungs, making breathing difficult. This might mean using asthma medicine more and having a higher chance of asthma attacks.
#9 Fatigue
Constant exposure to allergens can lead to fatigue, as your body works harder to fight the irritants. Your immune system keeps fighting, which can wear you out and make you feel tired, even making you sick. This tiredness can make it hard for you to do things and lower your quality of life.
#10 Watery Eyes
Airborne allergens can make your eyes water as they try to eliminate irritants. This increased tear production can cause fuzzy vision and discomfort. Constant exposure to allergens can make your eyes more sensitive and easily irritated.
How can central heating cause allergy symptoms?
Central heating systems can contribute to allergy symptoms in several ways:
- Circulating dust and allergens: These systems can blow dust, pet dander, mold spores, bacteria, and other allergens throughout your home, worsening central heating allergy symptoms
- Lowering humidity levels: Central heating can reduce indoor humidity, leading to dry air. This irritates mucous membranes and skin, potentially worsening allergic reactions.
- Harboring mold: Central heating systems can harbor mold if not properly maintained. When the system runs, it can disperse mold spores into the air, triggering allergies.
Tips for improving the quality of the air in your home
- Use a humidifier
Adding moisture to the air can ease dry eyes, stuffy noses, and itchy skin. Keep your home’s indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50% and the temperature comfortable. For comprehensive comfort, you may consider whole-house humidification systems to ensure consistent humidity.
- Change the air filter regularly
Ensure all air filters in your air conditioning are changed every 1-3 months to reduce the circulation of dust and allergens in the room.
- Clean ducts and vents
Clean your heating system’s ducts and vents regularly to minimize the buildup of mold, dust, and various allergens.
- Invest in air purification
Air purification can help remove allergens, improving overall air quality. These systems enhance indoor air by continuously filtering out pollutants.
- Maintain your HVAC system
Schedule professional HVAC inspections and ANNUAL maintenance to ensure your system operates efficiently and healthily. Proper heating installation can also play a crucial role in maintaining good air quality if you are considering a new setup.
For expert heater maintenance, contact Anderson Air today!
Central heating can cause or worsen allergy symptoms such as dry skin, nasal congestion, and headaches. Knowing these signs and taking preventive measures is essential for your health and comfort.
At Anderson Air, our team is committed to ensuring our customers achieve the best indoor air quality and comfort. If you’re experiencing central heating allergy symptoms or want to prevent them, contact Anderson Air today for expert HVAC maintenance and air quality solutions.
