Big ideas

101 pretty good ideas from Home & Garden Television

Allergies:

“When dealing with a mold problem in your home, first repair any obvious water leaks in the basement or the roof. To help lower the airborne moisture that feeds molds, add a dehumidifier to damp rooms, turn up the heat in the winter and open doors to unused rooms. You will also likely need to ensure that the attic and walls have been properly insulated and that all appliances with a vent have been vented outside. Use bath and kitchen fans and clean the drain pan under the refrigerator. Heating and cooling ducts should also be cleaned, sealed, insulated and checked annually for leaks.

“Plants have pollination cycles which are consistent from year to year, which is no surprise to allergy sufferers. Weather conditions affect the amount of pollen in the air at any given time. The pollination season occurs earliest in the South and progressively later in northern regions. Trees pollinate first, followed by grasses and then weeds. Pollens are the small, round male cells of plants. They can travel as far as 400 miles and up to two miles in the air. Thankfully, they vanish after the first frost.

“Insect stings induce severe allergic reactions in at least 1 to 2 million people in the United States. An estimated 3 percent of the population is susceptible to allergic reactions caused by insect stings, including those of yellow jackets, honeybees, paper wasps, hornets and fire ants.