Saturday, December 7, 2013

Allergic to the Holidays?

 Do the holidays leave you with a stuffy, itchy nose or nagging cough?

 It could be the dusty tree ornaments, a moldy Christmas tree skirt, the scent or the sap of your tree or green wreath garlands.

It is important to keep your furnace filters changed and clean so they can work as efficiently as possible. Consider installing an electronic air cleaner or purifier. There are many options available on the market today.

When it gets very cold, the air in your home can get dry and that can affect the flow of mucus through the sinuses and nose, exacerbating allergy and sinus problems. If you have a humidifier make sure the humidifier pad has been changed and the humidifier cleaned to avoid any mold build up that may have occurred as the unit was idle.

Allergy hints: If you purchase a real tree and you have plant allergies, hose off the tree before bringing it in the house to clean off any pollen residue that may be on the branches.

If you use an artificial tree and wreaths, make sure to vacuum them and wipe them down before putting them up to rid them of any dust mites that might be lingering.

When unwrapping ornaments don a dusk mask and or have someone dust off the ornaments/boxes outside before bringing them in. After Christmas store the decorations in something other than a cardboard box, such as a large pretzel tin or plastic container to limit the dust.

The holidays can be very stressful so remember to pamper yourself and doing this small things can make you more comfortable.

Have a very Merry Christmas from the team at Hearthstone Heating and Air!
Rest easy knowing that we will be here 24/7 during the holidays in case you need us.