Is Your House Making You Sick?

It’s hard to imagine the place you’re supposed to feel safe and protected could be the one thing causing your pain, and illness, but it can happen. When you’ve been experiencing nagging symptoms like headaches, fatigue, body aches, chills, forgetfulness, irritability, sore throats and just an overall feeling of being ‘off’, and all the regular culprits have been ruled out – your house might be to blame for how you’ve been feeling. That’s right, you might be house sick!

Air Quality in Your Home is Probably Causing Sick House Syndrome

Why is your home betraying you like this? What is causing this sick house syndrome? Normally it’s thanks to poor air quality. Even the busiest people still spend a large portion of their lives inside their houses, or apartments. 

What Affects a Home’s Air Quality

Our homes are sealed tight like that brand new piece of Tupperware. We’re all lowering our energy bills, but the quality of the air we’re breathing inside our homes can be hurting us. Indoor air quality suffers when there isn’t proper ventilation. What’s depleting the quality of our air?

High Humidity

When humidity is higher than 60%, it becomes a breeding ground for all kinds of molds and fungi. Mold is always around us, but it thrives in moisture. The more it grows, the more it hurts a home’s air quality causing lots of health problems. 

Help lower the moisture levels in your house with fan vents in your bathrooms and kitchens, increase ventilation by opening windows and even getting dehumidifiers for your house. Consider having a free mold inspection done.

Dust, Pest Droppings, Pet Dander

Growing up, most of us had the highly boring job of dusting the house. We grew up, and many of us have no interest in doing this chore. However, it’s important to remove dust from the house as it is made up of dust mites, pet dander and droppings from insects and other stuff. Gross, for sure. Even worse, all that dust is causing health problems.

Deal with dust by vacuuming often (make sure your vacuum has a clean filter), keep your HVAC filters HEPA and change them often. If you can, leave your shoes at the door when you come in from outdoors, and with pets, wipe their paws off before letting them run around the house. Make sure you’re washing your bedding, curtains, and stuffed animals regularly.

Radon

We all do our best to fill the gaps and cracks in our homes. Most of us are thinking about keeping bugs out, as well as water and moisture. But, when gaps and cracks aren’t filled in, Radon can seep through them. Rocks, soil and groundwater break down, when they do, Radon is released. Radon can cause respiratory problems, and when exposed for long periods of time, it could cause lung cancer. 

Testing can be done with a test kit, and if Radon is present, it’s time to find all the cracks in your house and fill them with plaster, caulk, or similar materials that can get the job done.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide isn’t just something coming from running cars. Fireplaces and appliances are also carbon monoxide hazards. Basically anything burning wood, gas, charcoal, kerosene, or oil can put your air quality at risk. 

The best way to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning inside of your house is to install a carbon monoxide detector. To help reduce the chances of carbon monoxide reaching high levels inside your home, keep fireplaces and chimneys clear of blockages, never use appliances that burn wood, gas, charcoal, kerosene, or oil in enclosed spaces without proper ventilation. 

Cleaning Products

Cleaning with chemical cleaners adds to indoor pollution, which messes with the air quality in your house. Most of us don’t protect ourselves when cleaning – windows open to ventilate, gloves on, diluting the products with water. The chemical gives off harmful odors that affect air quality. 

Avoid cleaners with dyes, fragrances, pine or citrus oil, and ethanolamines. Instead, make your own cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, water, and baking soda. 

If you have a green thumb, incorporate plants into your home’s decor. They’re nature’s best air filtration system!

Signs and Symptoms of House Sickness

You think you have the flu, or maybe a cold, or perhaps even believe your allergies are extra bad this season – but, in reality, these may be the signs and symptoms indicating you’re suffering from sick building syndrome. After visiting your doctor and no one can pinpoint exactly what is causing the following symptoms, it could be sick house syndrome.

• Body aches
• Fever
• Rashes
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Sore throat
• Breathing issues
• Chest tightness
• Runny nose
• Burning feeling throughout your sinuses (nose and around eyes)
• Concentration difficulties
• Increase in the severity of your allergies or asthma

We’re Here to Help Battle Your House Sickness

House sickness is often traced back to mold. We can help detect mold’s presence, locate where the mold is growing, clean the mold from your house, remediate the mold problem and then repair any structural damage the mold growth caused. Unexplained health issues? Call us today for a free mold inspection to help battle your house sickness issues.