2013 Worst 20 U.S. Cities for Spring Allergies

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has put out it’s annual list of “the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies” for Spring 2013.   We have listed the top 20 below. The rankings are based on scientific analysis of 3 factors for the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S. The data measured and compared each year includes:

1) Pollen Scores (airborne grass/tree/weed pollen and mold spores)
2) Number of allergy medications used per patient
3) Number of allergy specialists per patient

This year, Jackson, Mississippi rose to the #1 spot on the list (up from #4 last year) primarily due to very high pollen and a large reliance on allergy medications among allergy patients.   Jackson wasn’t the only city in the south to make it to the top.  Overall, 15 of the top 25 cities on this year’s ranking are in the South, continuing a trend that AAFA has seen over the years.

For a complete list of the 100 ALLERGY CAPITALS in the U.S. you can visit: http://allergycapitals.com/

1. Jackson, MS
2. Knoxville, TN
3. Chattanooga, TN
4. McAllen, TX
5. Louisville, KY
6. Wichita, KS
7. Dayton, OH
8. Memphis, TN
9. Oklahoma City, OK
10. Baton Rouge, LA
11. Little Rock, AR
12. Madison, WI
13. New Orleans, LA
14. Birmingham, AL
15. Buffalo, NY
16. Providence, RI
17. Grand Rapids, MI
18. Springfield, MA
19. Greenville, SC
20. Virginia Beach, VA

Healthy Home Filter Co has products designed to help you cope with allergies.  Our electrostatic furnace filters act like dust and pollen magnets and can be washed out and reused over and over.  In fact, they come with a lifetime warranty.

We also sell Austin Air room air purifers that use HEPA filtration to remove all allergens from your indoor air.

Use coupon code wp-10 during checkout to get 10% off any product on our site.

5 tips for healthier air: Indoor air quality

Usually when we think of unhealthy air, we think about smog, ozone action days and the smoke belched out by heavy trucks and dirty factories. But realistically the indoor air quality inside our homes and other buildings can be dirtier than the outside air. Air within your home might be polluted with formaldehyde, lead (in dust), radon, fire-retardants, even dangerous chemicals used in household cleaning products. Sometimes you bring the pollutants into your home on the bottom of your shoes; sometimes they arrive on new furniture, carpet cleaners or even the paint on your walls.

Here’s how to help reduce the amount of pollutants in your house:

1. Suck it up. Your furnace pulls air throughout your house, so it’s a good idea to use electrostatic furnace filters and replace your standard throw-away disposable air filters. They are permanent, washable, reusable and self-charging. They’ll also save costs, since you don’t need to buy new furnace filters as often. They’re also environmentally friendly.

2. Mop it up. Mopping picks up the dust that vacuuming and other cleaning leaves behind. Skip the soaps and cleaners and simply use tap water to clean up any dust or allergens. Microfiber mops supposedly capture more allergens and dirt and don’t need any cleaning solutions.

3. Stop it in its tracks. A big floor mat at every door will keep your family from tracking in all sorts of pollutants via their shoes. It will cut down on the dirt, pesticides and other unhealthy substances from getting into your home.

4. Keep it dry. A healthy level of humidity will help reduce dust mites, mold and other critters that love moisture. You’ll want to keep your humidity around 30%-50% to discourage these critters. Try using a dehumidifier (and AC during summer months) to reduce the humidity indoors and an air conditioner can also reduce indoor pollen count, which helps allergy sufferers.

5. Take a test. Regardless if you live in a new or older home, radon could be a problem. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that raises your risk of lung cancer. It comes from uranium naturally decaying in nearly all soils, and usually comes up through the ground and through cracks and holes in your home’s foundation. Testing is simple, cheap and fast.

By using these simple strategies consistently and correctly, you can improve the quality of the air inside your home, and leave the pollutants outside — where they belong.

Want to know more? Contact us, we’d love to help.