In Western North Carolina, humidity is up. If you’re also experiencing ongoing summertime allergies or chronic rhinitis (runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing or coughing), you may want to consider whether it’s possible the humble dust mite has a big impact on your health. You can lead a dust mite to water, but you can’t make […]
Indoor Air Quality Update 2012-2019: Beyond the Energy Efficient Home
Since the Stone Age, the evolution of our dwellings has taken us from caves then huts, cabins and houses. By the early 20th century, the changes of indoor plumbing and electricity revolutionize the way we live. By the 1950s, home heating moved from coal, to oil, to gas.The children of this era, growing up in […]
Focus on Environmental Home Healthiness During October’s Critical Illness Awareness Month
After being diagnosed with a critical illness, patients may develop a compromised immune system. When that happens, their home must meet certain healthiness standards to place a priority on their well-being. Prioritizing home healthiness optimizes symptom management and ensures optimum quality of life. In western North Carolina, with a rapidly aging population, it’s not unusual […]
Is Mold a Factor in Your Family’s Fall Illness? What You Need to Know
In the Southern Appalachians and Western North Carolina, mold is a health and wellness issue that’s unfortunately common. When you add desperation to chronic illness, what you often get is a homeowner who’s highly motivated to spend dollars to make the problem go away. An unbiased, non-sales approach to a home with a suspected mold […]
Think Secondhand Doesn’t Matter? Think Again!
The advertisement for a secondhand item on Etsy reads “comes from a home with secondhand smoke.” Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke exhaled by smokers and that given off by lighted tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars. The box of vintage microscope slides one of my colleagues is considering as a gift for […]
A Cautionary Tale of Jim, the DIY Homeowner Who Vented a Crawl Space
When it comes to maintaining a healthy home, homeowners can do about 50 percent, or half, of those needed project themselves. That’s good news for the handy types among us. Tools and materials are a do-it-yourselfer’s idea of fun. Add a bit of common sense, make a plan, top with a sense of adventure, and […]
6 Mold Myths to Shovel to the Curb This Winter
Cold and flu season means we get cozy in our homes. However, breathing the air in our home environments can be problematic if there’s mold to be found. Let’s dispel 6 common mold falsehoods that we can shovel to the curb with the coming days of snow. A Healthier Home works with you side-by-side to […]
7 Secrets To Good Indoor Air Quality During Winter
If Your Home Could Talk, What Would It Say? In these winter months, when we expect more extreme weather and temperature swings, many of us depend on our homes to keep us warm, healthy and happy. Your home is trying to do its part, but there may be good days and bad days. If your […]
How a Deep Spring Cleaning Could Improve Your Health
It’s springtime! We throw open all the windows and doors, the sun is warm, the air is fresh and it feels wonderful, especially after being confined indoors during some of the coldest winter days on record. We can now appreciate the freshness of the new year and we want to freshen up the inside of […]
Spring Allergies May Suggest It’s Time to Take Care of Mold
The warm, damp weather of spring lies only days ahead. For many western North Carolinians, the lingering flu-like symptoms of seasonal allergies won’t be far behind. But did you know spring allergies may have little to do with flowering trees and plants? Instead, the allergen responsible may be mold. As we live in a deciduous […]