Respiratory allergies and asthma issues are very common, and both are made worse by breathing irritants in the air. However, it is possible to make sure the air you’re breathing at home is clean and free of the things that aggravate allergies and trigger asthma attacks.

Symptoms such as coughing and wheezing due to allergens or asthma triggers are a sign that your home is not healthy or performing well, especially if you’ve already taken measures such as getting rid of carpet.

The common culprit behind poor indoor air quality is dirty air being pulled into your home through an unsealed duct system or through other leakage areas. Since the duct system is usually in the crawlspace or attic, it can pull in outside pollutants (like ozone or pollen from outside or mold spores and dust from the attic) and trap them in your home. Sealing leaky ducts can often make a significant difference at home for people with allergies and asthma, but it is often overlooked as a solution. For the same reason, air sealing in the attic and crawlspace are also highly recommended.

It is also important to properly ventilate your home and clean/change your furnace filter regularly – or better yet, install a high efficiency air filtration system. If you take all of these steps, you can breathe easy knowing that the air in your home is healthy.