While we often think of pollution as something outside the home, there are many indoor air pollutants that can adversely affect our health. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times–and occasionally more than 100 times–higher than outdoor pollutant levels. The EPA states that indoor air pollution is among the top environmental risks to public health.
Here are four ways your home can make you sick and the solutions:
1) Dust mites: These microscopic bugs (about 1/300th of an inch long) feed on shed human skin and thrive in warm, humid environments such as bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets and stuffed toys. They are a common allergen, but their droppings can also cause asthma attacks in sensitive individuals.
Solution: Dust mites thrive in humid environments, so keeping humidity below 50% will help reduce their numbers. Encasing mattresses and pillows in impermeable covers will help reduce dust mite allergens in your bedroom. Wash sheets weekly in hot water; maintain low carpet moisture; and keep pets out of the bedroom.
2) Mold: These ubiquitous fungi grow on any damp or decaying organic matter indoors or out and commonly inhabit showers,
4 Ways Your Home Can Make You Sick
When you think of how your home can affect your health, you probably think about the dangers posed by chemicals in your house. While this is definitely a concern, there are many other ways your home can make you sick. And these often-overlooked factors in your home can be even more dangerous than chemicals.
Here are four examples:
1. Mold
Mold has been linked to the development of asthma and allergies. Molds can also cause fungal infections in people who have weakened immune systems.
If you have mold in your house, it’s important to remove it right away. In severe cases, you may need to hire a professional service to clean out all the mold and spores from your home. Some molds, like black mold, are particularly resistant and toxic and should only be removed by a professional service.
2. Dust Mites
Dust mites are microscopic bugs that live in dust and feed on dead skin cells from humans and pets. While they don’t directly cause illness, their droppings can trigger asthma and other allergic reactions in some people.
Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments with lots of dust – like the average bedroom or living room
When it comes to your health, your home can be a source of comfort or stress. You spend so much time at home that it’s important to make sure you have a safe, healthy place to rest and recover.
Here are four ways your home may be making you sick, and how to avoid the problems in the future.
1. Water quality
The quality of water coming out of your faucet can affect more than just your thirst; it can impact your overall health. Tap water contains chloramines, which are used as disinfectants instead of chlorine. Chloramines have been linked to increased risk of heart disease and cancer, according to a 2015 study in the Journal of Toxicology. Chlorine also reacts with organic matter from dead skin cells in the water to create trihalomethanes (THMs). These THMs are carcinogenic and have been shown to increase risk for miscarriage and bladder cancer.
To get rid of chloramines in tap water, you can use an activated carbon filter that is certified by NSF International (formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation) to remove chloramines from tap water. To reduce THMs, choose a shower filter with KDF media or Vitamin C media, both of which react with
The average American spends 90% of their time indoors and the vast majority of that time is spent in their home. Your home environment directly impacts your health and well-being and can even make you sick! A combination of poor air quality, humidity, toxins, house dust mites, mold, and other potentially harmful factors can negatively affect your health without you even realizing it. These four home health hazards can cause a variety of health issues such as frequent headaches, respiratory problems, allergies, and more.
Mold
Excessive humidity levels in your home can lead to mold growth. Mold growth isn’t always visible but it can trigger symptoms for those who are allergic or sensitive to it such as sneezing, congestion, coughing, and itching eyes. Having an air purifier that removes contaminants from the air can help reduce these allergens in the home.
Dust Mites
Dust mites are microscopic bugs that feed on dead skin cells shed by humans. They are considered one of the most common causes of allergies in the United States because they are found in almost every home. Dust mites thrive in warm and humid environments—bedrooms with mattresses older than 10 years old have been found to have millions of dust mites living inside them! Dust mite allergies trigger
Our homes are our sanctuaries. They’re where we relax, escape the everyday stresses of life and feel safe and secure. But for many people, their home is making them sick.
Mold
Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to mold. These people should stay away from areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.
Radon
Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium found in most rocks and soil. It can be found all over the U.S. The gas gets trapped inside houses through cracks in floors and walls or other holes in the foundation of your home. Any home can have radon; new and old homes; well-sealed
Many people don’t realize the impact their home can have on their health.
The first and most important thing you can do to create a healthier home is to ensure it is moisture-free. Excess moisture can come from a number of sources, including leaking roofs, windows, or pipes; inadequate ventilation; improper landscaping (such as sloping dirt toward your foundation); condensation from water-heating appliances; or excessive humidity inside the house.
Some common indoor pollutants include mold spores, dust mites, bacteria, viruses, animal dander and skin cells, pesticides and cleaning products, tobacco smoke, radon gas, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. These pollutants may not be visible to the naked eye but are harmful nonetheless.
Use low VOC paints for walls and ceilings. Flooring choices made from natural materials like wood or ceramic tile are also safer than synthetic options like vinyl or carpeting. Do not make unnecessary renovations inside your home if you have already gotten rid of mold. The more you disturb things in your house the more likely you will spread mold spores into the air.
The air you breathe in your home can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Yet many people spend 90 percent of their time indoors.
Airborne chemicals, dust, pollen and other allergens can cause a variety of symptoms. The most common are dry, itchy eyes and runny nose, but others include migraine headaches, asthma attacks and even cancer.
The good news is that many of these risks can be easily reduced with simple steps.
Start with the basics: