Top 3 Subtle Ways Your House Could Be Making You Sick

Your house looks clean. So why do you feel sick and tired at home? Chances are, you’re dealing with one of the top 3 subtle ways your house could be making you sick. Let’s take a look at the role dust, humidity and mold play in creating an unhealthy home environment. Then, learn more about the steps you can take to remove these irritants from your home.

Dust

You probably already know that dust contains irritants and allergens. Dust – a common word for an amalgamation of crumb, skin flakes, pollen, mold spores, and more – is literally everywhere. Every object in your home collects dust. It’s there, in spaces you never reach, underneath appliances, inside cabinets, on objects you use every day, on the drapes and in your clothes. What do you do?

Your first instinct is probably to grab a broom or a vacuum cleaner. But sweeping sends dust airborne. Though “big dust” settles quickly, micro-dust can stay aloft for days. When that happens, the micro-dust has every opportunity to reach the deep parts of your lungs each time you inhale.

Instead, use damp swipe mops or a HEPA vacuum to collect dust. Each of these options captures dust from reasonably smooth surfaces without blowing the micro-dusts into the air.

Then, focus on decluttering. Fewer items to collect less dust, and there’s less to clean. Air circulation improves. Keep dust minimal by containing things you plan to keep, and donate things you don’t. You’ll be able to see parts of your home that were hidden that could be affected by our other two sickness sources, humidity and molds.

Humidity

At A Healthier Home, the hygrometer is your new best friend. Here’s why. 

First, go on a humidity hunt to find the trouble spots of your home. As you move through the house, from closet, to cubby, to corner, take the hygrometer with you. Place it in all the forgotten spaces: downstairs, the garage, the basement, the crawl space. In fact, a hygrometer is such a necessary tool for maintaining your home’s healthiness, we make certain to leave one with each of our clients. We also show them how to use it.

The goal of the hygrometer humidity hunt is to find damp, humid places before molds do. In the Southern Appalachians, mold is prolific. There are already mold spores present. They’re just waiting for you to let the space go wet, damp or humid. Don’t let them win.

In any contest, you need to gauge how you’re doing. The humidity gauge will tell you when the air inside is above 55% rh. As you approach 60% rh, the things in the space will become damp enough to allow dormant spores and sleeping molds to awaken and create forests of mold.

Maintaining relative humidity to 55% at maximum is a balancing act between air circulation, moisture, and air and surface temperatures. Here are some basic guidelines: Warming the air will help keep moisture at bay; cool the air, and the moisture “drops out” of the air and absorbs into belongings, creating opportunities for molds to feed and grow. 

You should also know that running kitchen or bath exhaust fans won’t dry out a room, and they should vent to the outside. In the bath, you’ll want to wipe down the shower stall after bathing to remove excess moisture. Turn off the fan when you turn off the shower. In the kitchen, use the exhaust fan every time you cook. Use the hygrometer in both rooms frequently, especially under cabinets.

Molds

Molds are everywhere. Lucky for us, they’re selective. Just as we humans don’t feed on everything in the supermarket, molds don’t feed on everything in your house. Instead, they focus on particular items, surfaces and materials. 

In the event that you spot mold or mildew, dispose of any items that are just not worth the trouble any longer. Damp/Swipe mop or HEPA vacuum items to clear away dusts and molds. Apply mold preventative to the cleaned surfaces.

Outsmart the mold. If cubbies, corners and spaces tend to be overly damp, humid or cool, don’t store anything there that could be attractive to molds. 

Here are the places molds most likely hide. It’s critical to confirm that conditions in these behind-the-scenes areas are working optimally.

• Crawl spaces and attics
• Air ducts – inside and out
• Furnaces – look inside
• Air conditioners – check filters
• Dehumidifiers
• Air cleaning devices

Use common sense. Unplug or pull the power switches before peeking inside. Know what systems and devices you have, what they do, and how to use them. Recognize when they’re sick. Trust that by paying attention, you’ll know when something goes wrong. 

And if something’s not right? We’re here for you.