The 20-Minute 'Rain Cooling' Method Is the Easiest and Cheapest Way to Reduce Spring Heat and Allergens in Your Home

At this time of year, opening the windows and feeling the air move through your home can feel vital in overcoming rising humidity and heat. But if you suffer from allergies, doing so usually brings pollen indoors. That's where the 'Rain Cooling' method comes in.

Air quality experts have revealed that you can use the 20 minutes after April showers to your advantage, to ventilate your home without exposing your indoor space to the sharp rise in pollen counts, or running up huge AC bills.

As rain pulls airborne pollen down to the ground, there's a short period after it has rained when you can safely cool your home without pushing up your pollen exposure. Pairing this 'rain cooling' technique with one of the best air purifiers will easily create a refreshing and comfortable space.

How to Use the 20-Minute Rain Cooling Method

'When it rains, airborne pollen particles are pulled down to the ground. Once pollen gets wet, it clumps together and can no longer be airborne,' shares Phil Adkins, president of Adkins & Sons.

To allow fresh air into your home without triggering allergies, open your windows for 20 minutes or so after light rain has fallen. This is when airborne pollen counts will be at their lowest.

Then, to catch any pollen particles that may have seeped in, run your air purifier for 30-60 minutes. If you don't have one, I recommend the Shark NeverChange MAX – I use it at home, and its HEPA filtration and large, 1,400 sq. ft. coverage make it ideal for clearing pollen and other spring pollutants from your home's air.

Ventilating your home does more than freshen up your space. It cools your home without relying on your AC, which, in turn, reduces your energy bills. Opening your windows after light rainfall is an effective, money-saving solution that doesn't bring allergens into your home.

The Science

The Rain Cooling technique is particularly important in April as higher temperatures and rounds of heavy rainfall result in high pollen counts for much of the US, according to AccuWeather.

But there's a caveat. If you're allergic to other pollen types, this technique could actually exacerbate symptoms.

'People who are allergic to different types of grasses should be cautious about this approach,' reports Rick Hoskins, air quality expert and CEO of FilterKing. 'Rain will actually cause allergens in the grass to disperse into the air, likely worsening their allergies.'

'Only open the windows when it’s raining if you’re 100% positive your allergies are caused by pollen. If you are allergic to grass or weeds, keep them shut and use your HVAC system,' he continues.

Eli Zimmer, CEO of Luxaire HVAC Services, elaborates, 'Rain also encourages the release of pollen from plants. The heavier it rains, the more that gets released, so following or even during a heavy rain storm, there can actually be an increase in pollen.'

'If you really struggle with allergies, I would highly recommend installing window screens that are specifically designed to filter out more allergens,' he recommends.

What to Shop

Regardless of the type of pollen you're allergic to, these solutions have either been vetted first-hand by our product testing team or recommended by air quality experts to reduce your allergy symptoms at home.

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Cleaning from top to bottom is a simple way of keeping pollutants under control during your spring cleaning, but having one of the best air purifiers at home will help year-round to keep your air quality high and bothersome pollutants low.

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