4 Allergens and Irritants that Climb Through your Windows Uninvited

The weather's starting to warm up and there's the irresistible urge to throw open the windows and enjoy the fresh air.

However, if you suffer from allergies, asthma, or other sensitivities, it can be a big mistake. Check out this list of 4 allergens and irritants that can invade your home through open windows. We also offer a few strategies to help you get some fresh air without sending everyone into a sneezing frenzy.

1. Pollen

Pollen is the usual suspect when you're looking for the cause of your hay fever attack. This includes runny noses, sneezing and itchy eyes. Sources of the pollen are trees, shrubs, weeds and grass.

Sever hay fever suffers are smart to keep physical barriers between themselves and pollen, like having all the windows closed and using a good dust mask when working outside. However, there are a few things that can be done to help suffers deal with their problems and still get some fresh air.

First, know the specific pollens that cause your runny nose and itchy eyes. Check your local pollen forecast at a weather website. When your specific offenders are out of season, maximize your outdoor activities. This is also the time you can throw open your windows and enjoy the fresh breeze.

Second, find the time of day when the air is more still. Pollen from nearby trees won't be whipping around your yard as much during these times. Often the early morning hours are the best because they are more still and moisture in the air can keep the pollens from floating around as much.

2. Sunlight

A good number of people suffer from polymorphous light eruption—they break out in a rash when exposed to UV radiation. Here the challenge is a little different than dealing with pollens. Those who find sunlight irritating can enjoy the fresh air, but would like to block the sunlight beaming into their homes.

Shutters can be the ideal solution to this problem inside the home, and outside on a patio or deck, an awning works beautifully. Shutters can be adjusted in a variety of ways to let in as little or as much sunlight as can be tolerated. Added benefits of products like shutters and awnings are that they can help families reduce their energy bills, they look good and they can even add to property value.

3. Mold

Many allergy suffers know or at least suspect that they are sensitive to household mold. However, outdoor mold can cause symptoms as well. If it's the middle or late summer and all the trees and weeds are past their pollen producing days and you're still suffering hay fever symptoms, it's possible that an outdoor mold could be invading your home through your open windows.

Scout around your yard and your neighbor's yards for mold growing on rotting logs or leaves. If this turns out to the be case, the fix is easy: get rid of them.

Before leaving the topic, household molds can cause allergic symptoms all year long. Examine your home for molds and clean as necessary. And, keep your central air unit clean and fitted with fresh filters. Have a professional check it out once or twice a year.

4. Smoke and Odors

Strictly speaking, the coughing and sneezing caused by smoke or an odor, like a perform or after shave, are not allergic reactions. By definition allergies are when a protein, like pollen, enters your body and your immune system kicks in to get rid of it. Smoke and fragrances cause an irritation that can seem the same to the person who starts sneezing.

Smoke and odors can easily invade your home through open windows. Fortunately once the windows are closed, the problem should quickly dissipate. However, make sure your air conditioning unit is clean and working. You don't want to exchange outdoor smoke for indoor mold.

Carrie Thompson loves the outdoors, but knows well about the need for shutters as she has a friend with allergies to UV light which can be absorbed from flourescent light fixtures as well.    Her friend recommends shutters wholeheartedly as a solution.   They are not only much nicer to surround yourself with than a dark cloak in summer, but they also add tremendous beauty and value to a home.

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THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF A COMMON PRODUCT

You often wake up sneezing and coughing, eyes itching, throat vaguely sore, feeling tired—it can’t be a cold; nothing lasts that long. You have been suffering for months, maybe years. “Allergies,” says the doctor. “Take an antihistamine.” But what are you allergic to? 

Testing at the specialist’s office reveals a litany of things: grass, rabbit weed, alder trees, wheat, corn, apples … you may as well be allergic to life! What are you to do, stop eating and never go outside?

An often unrecognized hazard

It may be that the primary cause of your symptoms isn’t anything on the allergist’s list—but a common chemical being emitted from your clothing and furniture. It has been used for everything from embalming to woodworking, and you could likely find it in the wooden stand sitting by your bedside. It is difficult to escape the reach of the toxic substance known as formaldehyde.

Despite strong opposition from the chemical-making giants, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in its 2011 Report on Carcinogens, finally added formaldehyde to the list of known cancer-causers. Why the delay? Formaldehyde is used extensively by many manufacturing industries—and health concerns most always take a backseat to financial considerations.

How to tell if you are being affected

Symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning include:

• Watery, burning eyes
• Irritated throat and nose
• Stuffy nose
• Skin rashes
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath

Long-term exposure can cause chronic bronchitis or cancer of the nose and throat. There is no good news about formaldehyde. It is a toxic chemical compound that has hundreds of applications across a range of industries—even in food preservation.

Could your be cleaning with poison?

Some people are more sensitive to formaldehyde than others. If you, or someone in your home, are experiencing symptoms that can’t be explained in another way, look for potential formaldehyde-emitting sources: Do you have furniture, cabinets, or paneling made of particleboard (the number one culprit). 

Are you being exposed to cigarette smoke? Are you wearing no-iron fabrics (they are laced with formaldehyde) or even sleeping between no-iron sheets? Have you recently moved into a new home (the sub-flooring may be releasing formaldehyde) or purchased new furniture? Are you using harsh chemicals for cleaning?

Call your local health department and ask about formaldehyde sampling in your area. Solutions can range from simple (get rid of the affected furniture and begin using safer-for-your-home cleaning products) to complex (move to a different home), but your health and wellbeing are worth the effort.

Educate yourself on the dangers of formaldehyde—if you wait for the chemical companies and government agencies to protect your family, you may be waiting a long, long time.

Author Lane Goodberry focuses on health and the environment.

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