Where allergens lurk

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When it comes to public art contests, Fort Wayne has had giant decorated sneakers and smaller-than-life-size decorated mastodons.“Now it’s time for wheelbarrows,” says Hollie Chaille.Sunday

Felled trees not lumber – but art

On a rain-drenched day in early 2008, a large elm tree tumbled over, destroying a house in Sacramento, Calif.Sunday

US 30-year mortgage rate falls to record 3.79%

Average U.S. rates for 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgages fell to record lows for the third straight week. The steady decline has made home-buying and refinancing more affordable than ever for those who can qualify.Sunday

Living room
Carpets, heavy drapes or curtains or Venetian blinds, upholstery and pillows. All can harbor dust, dust mites and pet dander. Dust and vacuum regularly. Use of a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter is recommended. Wash fabrics in hot (130 degrees F) water, and if you are very sensitive and can handle the expense, replace carpet with bare floors, upholstery with non-permeable covers such as leather, and curtains and drapes with washable fabrics or easy-to-clean blinds. Note: New carpets can temporarily raise the level of chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which might be respiratory irritants.
High humidity. Dust mites love it and mold grows well in it. Use air conditioning in hot weather to keep humidity at 40 percent or lower. Avoid vaporizers or humidifiers, which raise humidity, but consider a dehumidifier if you live in a humid climate.
Books, magazines. Store them in boxes instead of letting them sit in stacks or on shelves where they catch dust.
Houseplants. They help clean the air of carbon dioxide, which gives indoor air that “stale” quality, but soil can harbor mold, and pollen can be an irritant. Dried and artificial flowers and straw baskets as containers also hold dust and are best avoided by those who are very sensitive.
Bedroom
Bedding. Dust mites can be limited by washing bedding every 10 days in hot water and vacuuming mattresses and box springs (a HEPA filter is preferred). Dust mite-proof covers for mattresses, pillows and box springs can be bought.
Pillows. Look for alternatives to down, feathers, foam rubber or Kapok, if any of these are problematic.
Pets. It may be hard to banish a pet from the bedroom but, because of pet dander and urine traces. “The most important room of the house to keep your pet out of is the bedroom,” according to the ACAAI. Bathing pets frequently and washing hands after contact can reduce allergen contact.
Kitchen
Dirty dishes, food left unrefrigerated or in unsealed containers. These can harbor mold and attract cockroaches, whose feces can cause allergic reactions. Also, empty and disinfect wastebaskets and recycling bins frequently to prevent mold. Don’t neglect disinfecting the inside of the refrigerator with a 5 percent bleach solution or other allergy-effective cleaner and getting rid of dust hidden underneath, or behind or on coils.
Unseen spaces. Set traps along walls for cockroaches or rodents.
Leaks and/or damp spots around the sink or refrigerator. Wipe up wet spots as soon as possible and fix leaky plumbing. Clean visible mold with a 5 percent bleach solution.
Bathroom
Shower walls and bathroom fixtures. Mold and mildew grow in moist and/or dark places. Disinfect frequently.
Fan. Blades can harbor dust and mold and should be cleaned often or disinfected if mold appears. Run the fan or open a window after showering to lessen high humidity that fosters mold growth.
Playroom
Toys and stuffed animals. Store them in sealed containers to keep them from catching dust. Wash stuffed animals frequently in hot water. Keep them off affected children’s beds.
Chalk. Dust can cause respiratory irritation.
Garage
Car exhaust. If a car runs in an attached garage, its pollutants can permeate the house, even with the garage door open.
Lawn, garden, automotive and other chemicals. Store them away from the garage or basement if chemical sensitivities are present.
Firewood. It can harbor mold or insects. Store it away from the garage or house.
Smoke. Smokers need to go away from an attached garage to prevent irritants from entering the house.
Basement
Dampness or wet spots. Mold can grow. Run a dehumidifier. Check for visible mold, and clean and disinfect affected areas.
Furnace, air conditioning. Consider investing in a HEPA or allergy-trapping filter with a minimum efficiency rating value of 8 or higher. Replace or clean any filter as directed.
Air ducts. They trap dust and can harbor mold. Consider professional cleaning. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association does not recommend a specific frequency of cleanings but says pets, smoking, water damage, environmental dust, a large number of residents, or the presence of someone with allergy, asthma, lung disease or a low immune system are factors that warrant more frequent cleaning. “I would say most normal housing would benefit every three years,” says Buck Shepard, NADCA president. Ducts should be inspected annually, he says.

For allergy sufferers, there’s no place like home.

And we mean that literally.

Residences can harbor scores of triggers waiting to bedevil up to 50 million sensitive Americans who sneeze and sniffle and wheeze their way through life because of allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Homes foster indoor allergens such as dust; microscopic critters that live in dust called dust mites; pet hair and dander; insect or rodent droppings; and mold. And, at this time of year, homes also can harbor pollen and spores that get blown or tracked in from outside.

Yet the home is often overlooked by sufferers who, instead of working to minimize triggers, focus only on alleviating their symptoms with over-the-counter or prescription drugs or shots, says Dr. Michael Smits, partner in Fort Wayne’s Allergy and Asthma Center.

“Allergies to something in the house are very common,” Smits says. “The main thing is dust and dust mites. It’s unusual that people are only allergic to dust, but of those who are allergic, it’s the most common allergy. Mold is probably the second most common thing.”

Some clues that the home might be involved in causing symptoms, according to the immunology college: If symptoms show up more while you are at home than while you are in other places, or upon going to bed; if symptoms aren’t confined to a single time of year; if symptoms flare when you are cleaning the house; or if there’s been water damage or visible mold within the last three months.

Smits says if you suspect you have an allergy, the first thing to do is get an allergy test. Then, if household allergies are revealed, you can go about remediating the home sensibly – instead of trying to eliminate every trigger, you can target the things causing the most problems.

No one can remove all of a home’s triggers, but experts say a diligent effort could lessen the allergen load, and that may lead to fewer symptoms, less medicine or eliminate the need for shots, says Gary McEldowney, marketing manager for AllergyBuyersClub.com, an online seller of allergen management products.

rsalter@jg.net