For many people in Ottawa, spring brings beautiful weather but also rampant seasonal allergies. Therefore, watery eyes, sneezing and other allergy symptoms plague sufferers as pollen counts rise. Consequently, you likely turn to medication, air purifiers and other remedies for relief. Subsequently, you may wonder if professional duct cleaning could offer help too.
How Ducts Spread Allergens
Firstly, air ducts traverse your entire home, connecting to vents that release air into each room. Similarly, these ducts pull in outdoor air that contains common allergens like pollen, mold, and dust mites. Thus, when your HVAC system runs, it circulates these allergens throughout your house. Furthermore, allergens can accumulate in ducts over time, increasing exposure risk.
Cleaning’s Impact on Allergies
Importantly, thorough duct cleaning removes built-up contaminants from your system. Consequently, this reduces the amount of allergens released into the air you breathe. For example, a study found that participants with allergies and asthma reported less symptoms after duct cleaning. Additionally, dust mite levels dropped significantly for 6 months following the procedure.
However, duct cleaning provides only temporary relief from seasonal allergies. Although a thorough cleaning removes buildup, new allergens will eventually enter your home again. Similarly, dust mites and molds may recolonize your ducts over the next year. As a result, most experts recommend duct cleaning no more than once every 1-3 years.
Other Factors That Help
While duct cleaning alone may not completely control your seasonal allergies, it can offer some benefit when combined with other strategies. Allergen-proof covers for mattresses, pillows and furniture inhibit dust mites. Furthermore, high-efficiency air filters trap some pollen and mold. You should still rely on tried-and-true methods like medication, nasal irrigation, and limiting outdoor time on high pollen days.
In conclusion, professional duct cleaning may provide temporary relief from some allergy symptoms by removing contaminants from your HVAC system. Still, to properly manage seasonal allergies in Ottawa, a comprehensive approach that combines duct cleaning, air filters, medication and lifestyle changes will likely work best.