Weird allergy in the house, what am I forgetting?

[Anonymous]

A family member is developing allergic symptoms (sneezing, scratchy throat, stuffy nose) within minutes of coming into the house. It started suddenly 3-4 days ago. The house was thoroughly professionally cleaned yesterday but it doesn’t seem to have helped. Today I have changed all the HVAC filters (last changed about three weeks ago but it can’t hurt), opened all the windows to hopefully air things out (it’s so humid but at least it’s not hot) and am running a HEPA filter at full blast. What else am I not thinking of that might solve this problem?

[Anonymous]

You recently cooked something where the smell is lingering. They developed an allergy to whatever is in the rugs and carpet- did you shampoo them?

[Anonymous]

Any new houseplants? Sometimes the have mold in the soil. Fresh flowers also sometimes have mold or pollen. Also look for any signs of water leaks or condensation inside, which could be growing mold.

New furniture or bedding???

[Anonymous]

Cockroaches
Dust mites
Mold or mildew lurking somewhere
Cat or dog or bird
Cleaning products
Perfume,, sprays,, soaps including laundry detergents

[Anonymous]

Do you have a lot of down blankets or down filled furniture?

[Anonymous]

Really weird but the same has been happening to my 2 kids. Only this week, only in our house.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t shampooed anything recently, just vacuumed. No new plants. Hunting for water and signs of mold or mildew is probably my next step. And some of our furniture may be down-stuffed but it’s not new and it’s at the total opposite end of the house from our bedroom (which has no down and everything in dust mite encasements).

[Anonymous]

Mold caused this symptom for me.

Maybe a leak that isn't obvious yet?

[Anonymous]

Try a dehumidifier. Assuming you are in the DMV the humidity in the summer can make things damp.

You can also try getting some good air filters for the house. We have the winx ones from Costco. We’re in CA so got them for when there is wildfire smoke as one kid is really sensitive to it. Dyson makes a really expensive one that is supposed to be good too.

[Anonymous]

It's probably related to the sweltering heat and running the A/C in an enclosed house. It's possible that the symptoms are just a reaction to the abrupt temperature change when coming into the house. Higher humidity also can lead to excessive mold spores and dust mite allergens in the air. Cleaning and vacuuming can help a little, but it's almost impossible to purify the house in this weather. The poor outdoor air quality also means that opening the windows may not do much for indoor air quality. A dehumidifier might help some but they are high maintenance and eat a lot of electricity, especially if you need more than one.

My one suggestion is to administer daily allergy medication. Zyrtec or Xyzal were recommended by my doctor and they are both effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t shampooed anything recently, just vacuumed. No new plants. Hunting for water and signs of mold or mildew is probably my next step. And some of our furniture may be down-stuffed but it’s not new and it’s at the total opposite end of the house from our bedroom (which has no down and everything in dust mite encasements).

Try shampooing all the carpets and rugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t shampooed anything recently, just vacuumed. No new plants. Hunting for water and signs of mold or mildew is probably my next step. And some of our furniture may be down-stuffed but it’s not new and it’s at the total opposite end of the house from our bedroom (which has no down and everything in dust mite encasements).

Try shampooing all the carpets and rugs.

If the problem is mold or dust mites, shampooing the carpets might make it worse since those things thrive in humidity. I also couldn't imaging shampooing rugs in this humidity. They'd never dry out.

[Anonymous]

Have you had your home tested for Radon?

[Anonymous]

A lot of people have this kind of reaction when coming into an air conditioned building after being outdoors. It's not really an allergy, but more of a reaction to the extreme temperature change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you had your home tested for Radon?

Radon does not cause allergy symptoms, or any symptoms at all. The risk is only the low-level radiation which can cause damage over many years.