If allergies are bothering you, the problem could be indoors

As we noted in this morning’s post, it’s allergy season outdoors, particularly from tree pollen. Sneezing, itchy eyes and other symptoms are pretty common right now. But did you know there are indoor irritants that can also cause these symptoms and you can do something about it? With this post, our sponsor Reliant wanted readers to know that now is a great time to consider what you can do to improve the quality of the indoor air inside your home.

The first step is to determine whether you need an indoor air quality check-up. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, then it is probably a good idea:

  • Do you have respiratory issues that improve when you leave your home?
  • Does the air inside your home feel damp or stuffy?
  • Do you smoke inside?
  • When you enter your home, do you notice that smells linger?

So what is an air quality check-up? As part of this service, air quality specialists perform a visual inspection of your home’s HVAC system, assessing the quality of the air you and your family breathe. There could be any number of underlying problems, from poor ventilation to unexpected sources of odors and allergens.

The goal of the assessment is to diagnose those problems, and then find solutions that leave you with a healthier, fresher home. Here are some of the potential solutions available to improving the air quality inside your home:

  • UV lights to reduce viruses and bacteria in your HVAC coils
  • Air cleaners that capture up to 99.98% of allergens and bacteria
  • Media filters that capture dust and debris and enhance the efficiency of your HVAC system
  • In-duct air purifiers that provide whole-home purification

Reliant offers an indoor air quality assessment for just $49. This service is available to anyone, regardless of electricity provider, but Reliant customers receive 10 percent off.

People often think Reliant only provides electricity, but they do a lot more than that! They want to ensure Houstonians feel safe and secure in their home, which is why their home services team provides indoor air quality checks, along with HVAC repair and efficiency services, home maintenance and home security. If you’re interested in having your home’s air assessed, please call (833) 480-7835.

With pollen high, and a dry March, we could use some rain

Houston is in the midst of some lovely weather, but we do have some concerns about pollen, particularly from oak trees. Levels remain “extremely high” across the region as we’ve not had a good, hard rain in quite some time which would help knock these levels down.

Tree pollen levels in Houston on Tuesday, March 26. (City of Houston)

There is the possibility such a rain will come this weekend, but no guarantee as the model forecasts are somewhat disjointed. And now, on to the forecast…

Wednesday

Another incredible spring day is on tap: sunshine, highs in the 70s, dry air, and a moderate night in the 50s. If you’re working today, get outside this evening. If you’re working tonight, get outside today. Enjoy!

Thursday

As winds become more southeasterly, we’re going to see some rises in humidity, and perhaps some clouds move into the skies, but high temperatures still should remain confined to the 70s. More clouds move in later Thursday evening, and nighttime temperatures likely will only fall into the 60s for most of the area.

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Monday notwithstanding, winter is not quite over in Houston

You might be deceived into thinking that summer has nearly arrived in Houston. After all, the city recorded its warmest day of the year on Monday—with a high temperature of 87 degrees, it wasn’t really close. However, a nice cool front arrived Monday night, and forecast models indicate an even stronger front will arrive this weekend. Although I wouldn’t bet on it, I also wouldn’t rule out some parts of the metro area dropping into the upper 30s about a week from now. Anyway, summer isn’t here just yet.

On Monday, a band of temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s stretched into Houston. (NOAA)

Tuesday and Wednesday

The next two days are going to be gorgeous. Highs in the 70s, generally. Lows in the 50s, generally. Ample sunshine. Low humidity. Get outside, y’all.

Thursday

This will be another nice day, with highs in the 70s. But with southerly winds returning, we may expect a few clouds, and overnight temperatures probably will remain in the 60s for central and southern areas heading into Friday.

Friday

More clouds will return by Friday, but we should still see some sunshine, that will push highs into the upper 70s or even toward 80 degrees. Scattered, light showers are possible during the day, although rain chances for most are probably in the 20 to 30 percent range, so pretty low overall.

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Expect a pleasant spring week, but an uncertain weekend lies ahead

Before jumping into the forecast, I just wanted to note an oddity developing off the southeastern Brazilian coast—Tropical Storm Iba. This is the first tropical cyclone to develop in the southern Atlantic Ocean since Tropical Storm Anita, in 2010. Such storms are rare in the Atlantic, south of the equator, due to typically very high wind shear conditions. In this case, Iba should last about 24 hours and does not appear to be a significant threat to land. (I also wouldn’t read anything into Iba’s development with respect to the upcoming North Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1).

Tropical Storm Iba off the coast of Brazil. (Tropical Tidbits)

Monday

It’s warm, humid and (for some parts of Houston) foggy this morning as the region lies under a southwesterly flow. Temperatures are in the upper 60s. But a front is coming, and along with it more spring-like weather. Conditions will remain mostly cloudy through the early afternoon, with temperatures rising to about 80 degrees for the area. A diffuse area of showers and thunderstorms will move into Houston this afternoon—most people probably won’t see rain—that will herald the arrival of the front. It should move offshore this evening, allowing for clearing skies and a pleasant night in the upper 50s.

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