3 of 16

Write now Article Tools

Tucked away from the damaging elements of the outside environment, you feel safe and protected in your own home. Yet how would you feel if you knew that studies have shown that the air in our homes is not as safe as we think and in fact can be even more damaging than the air outdoors?

The worst type of pollution that is found in the home is what is known as a biological pollutant. The most common ones being animal dander (the accumulated minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin) dust mite and (I shudder to say) cockroach parts, infectious elements such as bacteria or viruses, pollen, molds and mildew.

Some forms of reaction such as toxic, allergic and infectious and have been linked to these pollutants within our home so it is very important that a good housekeeping ritual is maintained and that heating and air conditioning equipment is properly maintained and adjusted.

By keeping a constant temperature in your home and a relative humidity of between 30-50% you can limit the growth of substances such as mold and mildew. Any kind of water left undisturbed or water soaked surfaces or anything left damp will also be relished by molds and mildew, bacteria and insects. The house dust mite particularly thrive in a warm and damp environment.

A useful tip is to push your hot-water heater above 140F and turn all the hot faucets on for 10-15 minutes, doing this every 3 months will help kill off any harmful bacteria.

Apart from the spread of infection, mostly caused by bad ventilation, the most common reaction to air pollutants in the home is an allergic one. These allergies can come as a result of mold, animal dander, pollens and mite dust.

How many times have we suffered from watery, itchy eyes, a runny nose and sneezing, coughing and sometimes have difficulty in breathing and perhaps wondered what has been causing it?
These allergens are not to be taken lightly. They are one of the main causes of asthma, and can contribute to over 4000 people a year that lose their lives over it.

Even your fridge can be a deadly breeding ground for nasty bacteria, especially if you don't treat your meat like toxic waste! Keep any meat covered with plastic and keep it on a separate shelf to other food. Food like chicken can carry the nasty salmonella bug that can drip onto other food and contaminate it especially when you are defrosting it.

And when you have scoured your house and cleaned like crazy from top to bottom you have other worries to watch out for:

Eco friendly bulbs may save on electricity

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about How healthy is your home??
We want to hear your view. Write now!