Allergies and Radiators
While we all need some way in which to heat our homes during the long and cold winter months, many people that suffer from allergies (especially an allergy to dust particles) find that their symptoms can be started and made worse by turning on the radiator. Why is this and what can you do to prevent it from happening?
If you find that your allergy symptoms are enhanced when you turn on the radiator then it is plausible that the radiators in your house work by convection. This means that they circulate the air around the home while heating it up at the same time and this has the effect of blowing up lots of dust and other particles and spreading them around your home. While your allergy may be dormant when the radiators are off and the dust is settled in one place, when you turn the heat on the air flow will send the particles everywhere and, in turn, making your symptoms worse.
If this is the case then consider installing radiators that radiate heat as opposed to circulating warm air. These types of radiator only give out heat as opposed to generating it by flowing hot air through the system and this, in turn, will mean that there is less dust and air particles flying around the room. They are often made from cast iron due to its ability to heat quickly and withstand the temperature and, while they may take slightly longer to heat up the room, they won’t annoy your allergies. Furthermore, you may choose to opt for an electric radiator. These work in the same way as the aforementioned cast iron ones except they will not be linked to the central heating system and can be turned out with the flick of a switch.