Breathe Easier in Your Home
Make your indoor environment clean and healthy this winter season Most people do not realize that the indoor air quality can be worse in someone’s home than the outside are in a large metropolitan area. There several easy things you can do to ensure you and your family a clean and health indoor air environment.
Some of these tips won’t cost you 1 cent, but it will require you to use common sense.
A clean furnace is very important. If your furnace is dirty and has not been serviced in some time, it is worth having an expert come and look at the unit. A properly maintained furnace will work more efficiently, increase the life of the furnace, and emit less carbon dioxide in to your home.
All gas burning appliances should have some sort of exhaust fan. If you are cooking on the stove an overhead hood fan should be on in the winter. Make sure the exhaust tube from your gas burning dryer is tightly fit and flowing free without any obstruction. Since your home is shut tightly during the cold season, these harmful CO gases have little chance to escape. They end up in your lungs and could potentially cause you and your family harm.
If you smoke you are really risking your health. If you smoke indoors and live with other non-smokers, you are really effecting the health of your housemates. Smoke outside and keep those harmful carcinogens away from the non-smokers in your home.
In line with having a clean furnace, it may be beneficial to have an air duct cleaning company come take a look at your duct work. Most companies offer a camera that can go deep within your ducts. Find a company that is willing to do a free estimate and see if your ducts need to be cleaned.
Change heater filters monthly. You’ll increase the life and efficiency of your heater and enjoy better air quality.
Have plumbing inspected by a professional. Leaking water often means mold and mildew and it can happen in so many places. Regularly clean the humidifier. This can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Dehumidifiers in the basement can help keep the moisture levels down. Bacteria and mold thrive in more humid environments.
Immediately clean or dispose of water damaged materials. Scrub any mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, then dry it completely. You may have to throw out porous materials, from carpet to ceiling tiles. Never paint or caulk moldy areas. Clean it and dry it!
Proper ventilation in your attic or crawl space will be another way to reduce the humidity and help prevent mold growth in these areas.
Another easy tip is not to have your car on for long while parked in the garage. Even if the garage door is open. The exhaust from your vehicle is highly concentrated with 100’s of carcinogens. You do not want these going back into your house where you and your family will end up breathing them in.
Indoor Pollutant Primer Bacteria are microorganisms that thrive in wet areas of the home and are often food-borne. Effects range from sore throats to food poisoning. Biological contaminants are life-based contaminants including bacteria, mold, viruses, animal dander, house dust mites and pollen. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that reduces oxygen levels in your body. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, weakness, confusion and sometimes death. Formaldehyde is a colorless, pungent-smelling chemical that can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, and sometimes breathing difficulties. It’s common in pressed woods, and unvented gas stoves can produce it. Mold and mildew are fungi. They gradually destroy items they grow on and can cause allergic reactions, headaches, labored breathing, skin irritation and more. Nitrogen dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas that irritates eyes, nose and throat and can cause shortness of breath. Perchloroethylene is a drycleaning chemical that causes cancer in animals. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the ground. Radon can cause cancer, however it’s inexpensive to detect and there are effective, often inexpensive ways to rid homes of radon. The EPP recommends all homes be tested for radon. Having a clean indoor environment is important to you and your family’s health.
The author works for Weltman Home Services of New Jersey. Experts NJ Plumbers and New Jersey PLumbing. Weltman Home Services is a leading contract company in Central New Jersey.
