Written By: Mandy Joey - August 19, 2016
How your flooring and vacuum choice is your secret weapon in the fight against allergies
Have you been experiencing sneezing, sniffles, red watery eyes, or a scratchy throat? So have more than 20% of Canadians who experience allergies in their very own home.
Allergies and Asthma are definitely on the rise in Canada and there are irritants in the air that can act as a trigger. Mold, animal dander, pollen, and dust mites can trigger allergic reactions in allergy sufferers, and for those who have asthma — these triggers can also lead to threatening asthma attacks.
So, the question is "How can I reduce these triggers in my home?"
The answer is simple — Setup A Maintenance And Cleaning Program For Your Carpets Or Get Rid Of Them Altogether.
Carpet is a major contributor to the allergen triggers in your home if it isn't maintained and cleaned regularly. Carpets can hold just about any allergen, and walking across it releases all of them back into the air! A potential solution in the fight against allergies is to change the flooring in your home to an impervious floor.
At Grand Floors we specialize in a variety of impervious flooring types, which include: Laminate Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Tile, Vinyl Plank Flooring, Cork Flooring, and Engineered Hardwood.
By installing any of these types of floors in your home you can drastically decrease the amount of allergens that are present in the air. Of course you will still need to vacuum your floors regularly. Carpets act as filters and trap the allergens. Flat surface floor coverings don't have this effect and will disperse the allergens along the surface.
To ensure your home stays as allergen-free as possible, keeping up with maintenance is key. Finding a proper vacuum is the next step to an allergen free life. Vacuuming is a very effective method of removing dust and allergens from hard floors — assuming your vacuum has good suction and the appropriate features.
A common mistake made by hardwood floor owners is they invest their money on the "best vacuum" on the market. Although this may seem like the obvious choice, these vacuums have won the title of being the "best" mainly due to their versatility of use, and not necessarily their ability to pick up dust from hardwood or other hard floors.
When looking for your vacuum, search for one that features these add-ons:
1. Rubber or felt padding - this feature will protect your floor from scratches
2. Strong suction - this will help make sure any dust that may be stuck in cracks is definitely uplifted
3. Light weight - carrying around a heavy clunky vacuum is not fun for anybody
Even so, when dealing with delicate hardwoods that may scratch, choosing a lightweight vacuum will always be the best choice. The final step to reducing allergens is to buy a dehumidifier for your home.
Mold is a trigger to many who suffer from allergies — dehumidifiers prevent mold growth, by reducing moisture from the air. Not only is a dehumidifier great for reducing the allergens in your home, it is also a necessary tool for hardwood floor installation. Using a dehumidifier can reduce the possibilities of your floorboards shifting during changes in weather and temperature.
It has been proven that by switching to a hard floor and keeping up with the maintenance, you can highly reduce the amount of allergens present in your home. It's time to kick sneezing, sniffles, red watery eyes, and scratchy throats out, and to bring your beautiful new and impervious, healthy flooring in!
From all of us at Grand Floors, Thanks for reading; we hope to help you fight away allergies soon!
Come visit our showroom: at 74 Saunders Road, Barrie Ontario — your one stop shop for all of your flooring needs!
← Back Contact Us