Q&A: Can a dehumidifier bring allergy relief?

April 22, 2010 3:01 PM

I've suffered from seasonal allergies for years, but this season they seem worse than ever. Is it true that a dehumidifier can help alleviate allergies?

The combination of a wet winter and warm spring has helped spur record pollen levels throughout the country, making this a brutal allergy season for many. The National Allergy Bureau, Pollen.com, and Weather.com are among the many sites that provide updated pollen and/or mold information. Based on that data, you might consider limiting your time outdoors on days when pollen levels have soared.

It's been a brutal allergy season.

But your best defense is probably to see a doctor to pinpoint which tactics or prescription or over-the-counter medications will work best for you. For more information on dealing with allergies, read "Relief From Springtime Allergies" and use the allergy trouble tracker, both from ConsumerReportsHealth.org.

A dehumidifier can also help relieve symptoms by controlling the relative humidity inside your home, key during this very wet spring and a good idea in general if your home has such underlying problems as a leaky foundation walls or inadequate ventilation or if you live in a humid area. By keeping the relative humidity indoors below 50 percent, you can keep allergy-inducing dust mites and mold from thriving.

"I like the Pig-Pen analogy here," says James Sublett, M.D., Chief of Pediatric Allergy at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, referring to the Peanuts character who's always surrounded by a dirt-and-dust cloud. "There's the outside air, with its pollen and other allergens. But there's also our personal breathing zone, the cloud around us indoors that's another source of trouble."

Before you buy a dehumidifier, figure out what the relative humidity is inside your home by using a hygrometer, which you can pick up for $20 to $40 at an electronics store like Radio Shack or a home center. Save some money by splitting the cost among friends who want to determine the relative-humidity level in their homes.

If the relative humidity is above the 50 percent mark, a dehumidifier is a smart investment. Use our free buyer's guide to dehumidifiers for more information and check out the dehumidifier ratings (available to subscribers).

—Daniel DiClerico

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