Can Your 3-Season Porch Reduce Allergies?
Can My Porch Reduce Allergies?
For most of us, the upcoming sprintime presents full-blown pollen and bloom. Allergy season will certainly be here soon. Millions of people with allergy-related symptoms are suffering through it on an annual basis. Symptoms can range from a bit of sneezing to severe respiratory problems. According to WebMD, 30% of adults in the United States suffer from allergies and more than 25 million have asthma.
Since 1990 the pollen season has increased by 20 days. Specifically, the ragweed and pollen season has increased by 4 weeks over the last 15 years. It prevents homeowners and families from enjoying the beautiful outdoors. Taking all of this into consideration, and the fact that spring through fall is the favored season to partake in outdoor living and recreation — what are we to do? Fortunately, when you are at home, there is a way for you to still enjoy the outdoors without sneezing and coughing your way all the way through it. If enjoying the outdoor views, natural light and relaxing calm is your goal, you can still achieve this without sitting in the pollinated air.
Consider a Porch Life conversion for your porch, lanai, or other outdoor living space.
How pollen affects our home
Pollen can affect more than just your health (as if that weren’t bad enough). Pollen and airbornes can also damage outdoor furniture and structures if not maintained. Grass Pollen season happens from May to June. In July, we tend to have some relief from allergies because trees and grasses aren’t pollinating anymore. We do get into the muggy, humid weather though and if you’re in the midwest, you probably hate the mosquitos. This phase doesn’t last long, then August through November our allergies will return for weed pollination.
So, for months and months, this recurring problem tends to happen when you want to be outside enjoying nature with family, pets, and friends. How does upgrading your porch or adding a sunroom help with this problem?
How a DIY Porch Project Can Reduce Allergies
Most people use their screened outdoor living rooms in the spring and summer. There is certainly a coincidence that when we want to be outside is when things are growing and spreading and affecting us all. Screens, per se, don’t keep us safe from pollens or debris that can pass right through them.
Porch Life stands above the competition because we don’t custom-build your windows with screens. All our windows and doors use Porch Conversions proprietary Flexiglaze vinyl in addition to screen options. This clear and durable material not only lets light in just like a window, but it also stops 100% of pollen from getting in! If you live in an area that has mature trees, plenty of flowers and plants, or maybe even a pond, then you have a ton of stuff floating around in the air. If you have a lake home, a cabin, or live in the country or woods then these invaders are no stranger to you. You may even recall times when you’ve had to brush or sweep the pollen off your furniture and from in-between cracks. The dust and colored debris that can enter your space and wreak havoc on your furniture and walls can be really extensive.
FlexiGlaze memory vinyl windows will elevate this from happening and make your home more enjoyable.
In addition to keeping the negative aspects of the season at bay, upgrading your outdoor living area to a 3 season porch adds value and versatility to your home. Sunshine, which is plentiful within a sunroom or three-season room, is beneficial to physical and mental health, improving a person’s outlook and increasing energy. A sunroom will allow you to take full advantage of a climate-controlled panoramic view of the beauty and interest in your very own backyard, season after season. You can enjoy the experience of outdoor views and serenity without irritation and itchy eyes.
Block UV rays
Porch Life’s memory vinyl windows are also UV safe. A misconception about vinyl windows is that they do not block UV rays. This is because vinyl windows are often associated with ‘plastic’ which usually melts or peels off due to exposure to UV rays. The sun is extremely powerful and has the ability to burn our skin, cause cancer, and cause sickness despite its ability to fade fabrics, rot furniture and destroy finishes. UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C are some of the harmful types of UV rays, UV-C being the most threatening of all.
However, the notion that Vinyl windows are not UV resistant is simply incorrect. uPVC windows usually have a special coating that gives them protection from UV rays. this coating not only protects the occupants from exposure to sunlight but also gives the windows that fresh and unstained look. The coating is part of the manufacturing process.
Decrease allergens inside and outside your home
Most screen porch companies advise using curtains and cleaning often to help with pollen. If these things are just too much to handle, one might suggest upgrading to a 4-season room. That comes with heavier expenses though. With Porch Life conversions, you simply don’t have to do either! We’ll keep your space clean of pollen and let in all the light that typical glass windows do.
Tips for decreasing allergens outside your home
Another key element to fighting the allergies battle is to help maintain allergens outside your home. How do you do that? Well, here are a few ideas…
Power wash your home
Pollen and other allergens love to collect on surfaces. Housing materials repel a lot of this on their own, but if they’re caked in dirt and debris, those surfaces will often retain more moisture. Moisture encourages the growth of mold and mildew – these are major allergy triggers. Power washing allows you to clean off the layer of gunk and debris that absorbs moisture and allows mold and mildew to grow.
While you’re at it, it’s a very good idea to power wash stone paths, any concrete or cement walkways, your driveway, and even your car and garage floor. This can ensure you’re starting fresh with every hard surface on your property.
Maintain your car
If you can store your car in the garage, do so. This prevents it from collecting pollen. It’s frustrating to open your door and see the pollen waft up into your face and into your vehicle. You’ve also now got pollen on your hand from the handle. That will get on the steering wheel and other interior surfaces, and you’ll inevitably touch your face. Store your car in a garage and the pollen won’t get in.
Replacing your automobile’s air filters is also a tip you should put on your calendar or task list every few months. Don’t let that stuff fester in an air chamber you sit in for long periods of time.
Your porch and patio
Homeowners often forget to ensure their porch and patio are allergen-free. These are the areas where you’re supposed to be able to relax outside. If you have outdoor sectionals, cushions, or upholstered chairs, make sure to protect these both from collecting allergens and from absorbing moisture. If you don’t have slipcovers, you can use an old sheet. You don’t want this furniture to grow mold or mildew or puff up a cloud of pollen every time you sit on it. The hard surfaces of your porch or patio can be power washed. Or, you can contact us today to learn more about upgrading your outdoor living space or porch with memory vinyl windows.
Your clothing
Wipe your feet. Most allergens collect on surfaces – including the ground, paths, and grass. As you walk through these, you collect allergens on your shoes.
Your clothing is another surface that allergens cling to and collect on. It’s a good idea to take off your shoes and coat and leave them in the mudroom when you come inside. If you want to keep a car, patio, or other outdoor area protected from allergens, don’t bring them with you. Wipe your feet and change out of gardening clothes and into fresh clothes when you go out. Keep clothes you’ve used in a closed hamper, so those allergens don’t spread around your home either. There’s a lot you can do to reduce allergens outside your home and with Porch Life, you can keep them from getting inside your home or your 3-season porch.
Contact Andrea
If you are considering upgrading your porch or outdoor living space, make sure to give Andrea a call at Porch Lilfe. She can give the best advice on how to tackle this project, she can help you measure your space for your new custom windows. She can even get you the best price. Contact Us today.
