Allergies year round?

Do you ever feel like this? Do you ever panic when your tissue box is empty?

In our family, Hubby and I and all three kids have allergies -to everything. Trees, flowers, bushes, grass, cats, dogs, horses, food. Sigh. It's depressing some times.......

Do you have allergies year round?

I found a story from Dayton Daily News. They interviewed several doctors and wrote about how year-round allergies could actually be caused by mold. Wow!

Daughter Kitty sneezes all the time. Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall....doesn't matter when. Sometimes, we'll count her sneezes, and it will be over 20 times in a row!

So I was interested to read this quote from the article:

"Allergy reactions such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes that extend beyond the traditional spring and fall allergy seasons may be a strong signal that the source is mold. Mold – a fungus that thrives in warm, damp and humid environments – can cause persistent allergy issues because it can grow any time throughout the year and exist both outside and inside the home."

The article says there are a lot of different kinds of mold, and just because you are allergic to one  type of mold doesn't mean you will be allergic to all types of mold. They suggest being tested by a doctor to see if you are allergic to mold. 

 It makes me wonder if there could be mold in my house. I clean the bathrooms and both kitchens very carefully. But is there something I am missing?

Is there something behind the walls that I can't see? I have a moisture meter (from when our basement flooded last year.) It has two prongs that you use to touch walls, floors, etc and it will tell you if there is moisture there that you can't see.

You can also use thermal imaging cameras. They are a little pricey, so I wouldn't buy one. I may have to hire a home inspector to see if they can bring their equipment. 

 The Dayton Daily News article lists 10 tips from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) you can do to keep reduce the chance of mold in your home.

 

Look them over and see if there are some things you can do to protect your home. 

Meanwhile, I will be adding Puffs Tissue with Lotion to my grocery store list.