Pollen and Mold Allergies (Portland, Freeport: house, to live in, move to)

[Seekeraftertruth]

My allergist advised me to live in the desert or on the water. Is Maine a good place for me to try or would it be as bad as where I am now in southern IN?

[Elcarim]

I'm not sure about allergies, specifically, but I have read on news articles that Maine is among the top healthiest states in the country due to air quality.

[msina]

I found this site Rankings - American Lung Association site (http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=50752#graph3 - broken link) . It lists the worst and best places for allergies. I didn't read it all but from a scan I see Hancock county Maine on the list as #14 for cleanest year round particle pollution.

[bigchuckie]

If one of your triggers is pollen then no. Maine is the most heavily forested state in the union. However Portland and the mid coast areas are heavily developed. The ocean seems to have some cleansing effect and often seems a little crisper than just a few miles inland

[BacktoNE]

I definitely can answer this one! My doctor once told me the only place to escape the worst of the seasonal allergens was to move to AZ. I am definitely NOT a desert dweller.

Lived in Maine the first 46 years of my life. Developed seasonal allergies as an adult. Pine pollen and mold being the worst for me. Pine pollen is horrendous in the early Spring, there is just no way around it. But it is also short lived.

Mold never bothered me until late August and into the middle of September. Again, short lived.


16 months ago we moved to WI. I am pretty much trapped in the house 9 months of the year. The mold is horrendous until it snows. Pollen is, at best, "high" and usually "very high" or "extreme". Much worse than Maine.

I think, with a good antihistamine/decongestant, you will be fine in Maine. The closer to the coast you can afford to live, the better off you'll be. The north woods should probably be your last choice strictly from an allergen point of view.

[Seekeraftertruth]

Thanks. That's very helpful.

Now at the risk of seeming like a worrywart, are biting flies bad on the coast? I just like to know what I'm up against.

[dsrtmtn]

Everyone has different allergens but the desert has always been the worst for me. NM being worse than AZ but all desert, especially high, puts me on house arrest with closed windows, air purifiers and the such. I'm going to the coast as soon as possible. I'm not allergic to mold at all though.

[Maineah]

You should live at the Desert of Maine in Freeport. Nothing lives there....nothing can.

[GrammieLinda]

Originally Posted by Seekeraftertruth

Thanks. That's very helpful.

Now at the risk of seeming like a worrywart, are biting flies bad on the coast? I just like to know what I'm up against.

Black Flies are pretty bad about May to June, but they are worse in wooded areas. Of course, then there are deer flies, but then, again, wooded areas. But you asked so long ago, are you still out there looking?

I think we all like to commiserate about bugs sometimes :-)

[Maineah]

Right at the shoreline there are little flies called midges or No-See-Ums due to they're tiny size. They are small enough to fly right conventional screen mesh. They come out at dusk and can be enough to drive you indoors in a hurry. The slightest breeze will keep them away though.
The other problem directly on the coast are green headed horseflies. They are nasty . They will take quite a chunk out of you. They are slow however and you can usually swat them before you get bit. If I had the million dollars for a house on the water I'd certainly opt for a screened in porch with the no-see-um mesh installed.