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Spring is a time for rebirth and warm temperatures, but nobody wants to get pollenized when they poke their head out of the house. Fortunately, I've set up my smart home to minimize the negative effects of pollen during each spring.
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I'm a longtime sufferer of pollen allergies. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, I live in the seventh-most-challenging city for pollen allergies. Before that, I spent a decade living in the number one pick. I take my war on pollen quite seriously, and here are a few things I do in my smart home to succeed against my allergies.
A smart air purifier will automatically kick in when airborne particles, such as dust and pollen, are detected in your home. I always recommend using air purifiers with HEPA filters, which remove 99.97% of these particles, making these devices the most effective on the market. You can't control outdoor air quality, but you can keep the air in your home clean with a purifier.
Don't fall for gimmicky marketing. Just look for an air purifier with a HEPA filter, then check the room size to determine which device is most effective. Smaller air purifiers are best suited for smaller rooms, but can still handle larger rooms. However, small devices will take longer to clean a larger room effectively.
Expert recommendation: Levoit Vital 200S
You can see how quickly a smart air purifier can clean the air in a room, automatically turning on when a high AQI is detected.
You can get information about your local air quality index from your phone's weather app. However, a smart air quality monitor can provide actionable insights into the airborne particles in your home. Many smart air purifiers display the indoor air quality index (AQI), but you can also add monitors to your smart home to keep tabs on the AQI in multiple rooms.
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These results can show you when your indoor air gets worse so you can act accordingly. For example, if you notice the AQI rising consistently in the evenings, it could be pollen from a day of opening and closing doors and windows, as well as cooking particles. This alert is a good reminder to automate your air purifier and kitchen fan.
Expert recommendation: SwitchBot Air Quality Monitor
A smart thermostat can help boost your indoor air quality more than you might think.
Using historical data, your smart thermostat can keep your home comfortable by running your HVAC's fan to circulate filtered air, reminding you when to change your filters, and keeping the indoor humidity in the 40% to 50% range.
Expert recommendation: Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
Keeping your home's humidity between 40% and 50% is ideal to manage allergies, whether from pollen or dust. A smart humidifier can run automatically when humidity drops below 40%, helping to keep your home environment balanced.
If indoor humidity drops below 30%, the dry air can irritate your nose, throat, and sinuses, aggravating allergy symptoms. Dry air also makes it easier for viruses to spread. Humidity above 60% encourages the proliferation of dust mites and mold, which also worsen upper respiratory symptoms.
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The 40% to 50% range is a sweet spot where airborne particles, including pollen and pet dander, can settle out of the air more quickly. Slightly humid air helps dust and other allergens settle rather than float.
Expert recommendation: Levoit 6L humidifier
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