Snuggling up indoors may be the winter activity of choice, but how healthy is the air you are breathing? Shocking sources of indoor air pollution could slowly be poisoning you and your loved ones as you enjoy your hot coco. Learn what they are, and turn your home back into the safe heaven it should be.
Home Maintenance Risks
Do you suffer from headaches, eye, nose and throat irritations, or nausea? Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) may be to blame. These VOCs, which are themselves solids of liquids, give off certain chemicals in the form of gases. The most well-known and dangerous of these is formaldehyde.
Almost everyone knows that paint, lacquers, paint strippers and similar DIY supplies are not good to breathe in. Opening windows and leaving the space for a while are common precautions that really do help. You don't do that when you clean your house, but maybe you should. Many common household products, including cleaning materials, moth repellents and air fresheners, can also contain VOCs. These items can emit VOCs even when they are stored, not just immediately after use.
What can you do to reduce VOC levels in your home? Reading the label on any product that could contain chemicals would be the first step. Besides household cleaners, art and craft supplies and cosmetics like deodorant or hairspray may also contain VOCs. Follow the instructions on the label.
Always open windows while you are cleaning the house and keep them open for as long as you can. Make sure young children don't sleep or play in areas where you are working with toxic products. Sure, you still need to keep your home clean somehow — why not consider ecological products to take care of the planet and your own family all at once?
One last warning: carpets can contains lots of Volatile Organic Compounds too. Inquire about VOCs when purchasing a new carpet, and always make sure you air your carpet before installation. Keep kids away when the carpet is installed.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is the most common problem area in any house. Research shows that gas cooking can produce very high levels of nitrogen dioxide, for instance. Your health could suffer, unless you ventilate very well or use extraction. Asthma and other respiratory problems are obvious side effects of the toxins that cooking fuels emit, but a recent study noted that your heart may suffer too.
The stove itself isn't the only danger in the kitchen, either. Teflon or other non-stick pans can release toxic fumes when they are used at very high temperatures. Using these pans as directed — at medium heat and not for really long periods of time — keeps you safe from this danger.
Third Hand Cigarette Smoke
By now, it is common knowledge that second-hand smoke is every bit as deadly as smoking the cigarette yourself. Third-hand smoke is the smoke that sticks around when you are long done smoking that cigarette. You'll find it in carpets, bedding, your couch, curtains, and on floors and walls. A smoker's home hides deadly but invisible secrets everywhere, in the form of 250 different kinds of toxins.
Babies and children are much more susceptible to these (and any other) toxins, because they breathe faster and are usually closer to the source of toxins too. If you are a parent who smokes in the home only when your kids are not there, the dangers of third-hand smoke are an excellent reason to quit. Even smoking outdoors is not good enough, as your hair and clothes emit third-hand smoke too.
Eliminating third-hand smoke from your home can be really tricky. Dry cleaning or washing does not do the trick for all the chemicals. In order to remove nicotine, you need to use something acidic such as vinegar. A smoking ban in your house is the best way to ensure your family members are not exposed to this unseen danger.
Little (And Big) Critters
Cockroaches are disgusting and a little creepy, but they can also trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks. Dead cockroaches, roach body parts and droppings will get into almost every place in your home if you have a cockroach infestation. Is that really the kind of stuff you want to inhale? Unfortunately roaches are extremely difficult to get rid of — the poisons that actually kill them are much more toxic than the critters themselves.
Dust mites pose a health risk very similar to cockroaches. These tiny creatures eat your dead skin cells and are most often found in your bedroom. Because dust mites cannot ingest water, they need their environment to be humid. Reducing the moisture in your bedroom is the best way to send dust mites packing, though this could be impossible depending on your climate. Laundering your bedding and kids' toys regularly at higher temperatures will greatly reduce your exposure to allergens if you do have dust mites, and fabric surfaces like mattresses and sofas should also be vacuum cleaned regularly.
Mice are yet another hazard, and they often appear in older homes — especially during the winter. Mouse droppings and urine can, once again, be hard on the respiratory system. Mice can also carry viruses that are dangerous to humans, but that is another topic for another day. Getting rid of mice is relatively easy compared to some other pests. Live traps or death traps will catch mice if you place the right foods in them. Cheese actually isn't one of their favorites. Try peanut butter on some bread instead. While you're at it, try to close every tiny hole a mouse could use to gain access to your house. Not an easy job, to be sure.
Fungi
Bugs and rodents are not the only living things that can harm both your home and your health. Families with wooden floors in their homes or wooden beams in the ground should get tooled up and do some exploring under the floor. Serpula lacrymans is most common wood-eating fungus found in homes. Besides slowly destroying your house, the spores of this fungus can cause serious lung problems and allergic reactions.
The fungus is usually situated under your floor boards, and may well be present if the environment below your floor is moist and dark. If serpula lacrymans is around under your floor, you may notice movement in your floor boards because the beams underneath are damage. Underneath, you will see either the fungal bodies themselves, or a white, blanket-like structure.
The best way to send these fungi packing is to remove all the stray wood that is lying around under your floor and then to fill the space with concrete or to place plastic sheets on the bottom of your basement. These steps both prevent water from evaporating and feeding the fungus. You are probably best off hiring building professionals for this tricky job, though you can do it yourself too if you are handy.
- Photo courtesy of person on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/person/107899274
- Photo courtesy of foshydog on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/foshydog/3434773630