What is the best way to "de-allergenize" a new home?
Question:My family will be moving into a relatively new home where the previous owners did NOT own any pets. Nevertheless, our preschool-age daughter has significant asthma and eczema. Aside from replacing carpets with hypoallergenic types, any suggestions on how best to make the home environment safe for our little one?
Answers:
CARPETS:
Get rid of the carpets altogether and replace them with hardwood flooring. You can put down area rugs to quiet down and soften areas. Have the area rugs cleaned regularly. Carpets can hold six timed their weight in dirt. This dirt consists of dead skin cells and dust mite feces.
If you must have wall to wall carpets, get a Kirby vacuum. They're pricey, but you should pay no more than $1200 for one. Any more and you're paying markup. Kirby vacuums are the only ones that deep clean the carpet each time you vacuum. They're very heavy and not very versatile like the cheaper Hoovers and Eurekas. Never get a bagless vacuum. They throw lots of dust back into the air when you empty the cup.
DRAPERIES:
Remove the drapes and get them professionally cleaned. Fine an environmentally friendly dry cleaner that does not use harsh chemicals in their process.
HEATING SYSTEM:
Also, if the home has a forced air heating system, get the ductwork professionally cleaned and change the filters regularly.
If you can afford it, depending on the construction of the home, you can replace the forced air heating system with a radiant floor heating system. This could cost several thousand dollars, but it's the preferred way to heat a home.
I hope this helps.
sometimes modern air conditioning system have filters that remove allergens in the air of the room you are living.
Install at least one attic fan. This will cut down on stale moist air in the attic which breeds molds. make sure the outlets and switch's have weather seals. This helps to keep insulation particles from entering the air. Have Service Master or a good reputable co. come out and clean the air ducts. Then use a good allergen filter on the furnace. Of course use a good hepa air purifier. Hope this helps.
For the air conditioner get those hypoallergenic filters, they run from $5 to $10, made by a variety of companies including 3M and Arm and Hammer, change every three months at least. You can buy a air purifier, but make sure you buy the proper one for the size of the room. I recommend Honeywell, it cost $300, but the filter never has to be changed, it is the right size for an average living room. A great homemade germ killer, air fresher, window cleaner, is a spray bottle of water with a tablespoon of white vinegar in it, your daughter probably is sensitive to perfume smells, and this has none. Just mist down the furniture and carpets before bed at night.
make sure use a filter with a micron rating of 90% or more for your a/c some sujections are a electrostatic filter rated at 99% or sponge filters rated at 93% I use sponge filters because it is also very good for dust.also with out hasitation i would install a ultra violet light in my a/c unit it is the best thing i have use for myself and my family.
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