Home Is Where the Health Is - HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric

Thinking about Stripping Your Carpet?

Carpet, although comfortable, can provide the ideal home for dirt, dust mites, molds and pesticide residues. Pesticide? Really? That’s right. Pesticide residues are brought into our homes from our shoes and represent one of the most harmful perpetrators of indoor air pollution.

Carpeting is also difficult to thoroughly clean because it’s part of a much larger system. Underneath the carpeting are backing, underlay and glues securing it to the floor. Additionally, synthetic carpeting systems that use nylon or polyester fiber can contain toxic chemicals derived from petroleum.

VOCs – or volatile organic chemicals – that settle into our carpeting can evaporate and get into the air we breathe. VOCs are also commonly emitted from many cleaners, pesticides, paints, sealants and pressed woods. Ultimately, VOCs are heavier than air and will eventually settle back into the carpeting along with dust and soot that’s tracked or blown indoors. Children often get the worst of this through playing on the carpeting.

The antidote to all the meddlesome things that eventually destroy our carpeting is vigilant cleaning, using steam machines and carpet shampoo. Vacuuming takes care of a good portion of the dust but is more of a topical rather than deep cleaning method, and needs to be backed up with more thorough methods.

If you want a cleaner, healthier home, the best practice is to get rid of carpeting altogether in favor of hard surfaces such as wood or tile. To soften it up, try throw or area rugs that are much easier to keep clean and also a great way to add beauty and comfort.

 

Using Dehumidifiers to Fight Mold

Dehumidifiers are an excellent weapon in the war against mold because mold spores can’t turn into mold unless they land in a moist area. Installing a dehumidifier in problem areas will suck the moisture out of the air, rendering mold spores impotent. Dehumidifiers are preventative, so if you already have a problem with mold, you’ll need to get rid of it before a dehumidifier will be able to help.

Mold is frequently found in refrigerators, basements, bathrooms, attics, kitchens or anywhere that has excessive moisture. Common houseplants can also encourage mold growth. If you’re dealing with mold before you install a dehumidifier, try and identify the types you’re dealing with. Some – most, in fact – are generally innocuous. Others, such as black mold, can cause major health problems and should be removed by professionals.

Once your mold situation is handled, put a dehumidifier in place to eliminate the possibility of future outbreaks. Dehumidifiers can be costly, with higher-end models meeting or exceeding $200, but this is an appliance where skimping isn’t an option. Buy the best model you can to ensure functionality and longevity. Strategically placing a trusted machine in your home’s trouble spots will make future mold growth impossible. Once you start running your dehumidifier you should notice an immediate difference. 

 

Combat Allergens and Purify Your Air with an Air Filter

Do you suffer consistent allergies in your home? Do you have pets that exacerbate existing allergies? If so, running an air filter can radically improve the quality of your life indoors as well as your health and happiness.

Indoor pollutants are more potent than you may think. In fact, indoor air quality is often poorer than outdoor air quality. Common contributing factors such as dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander can make breathing indoors downright unhealthy, and if you suffer from common allergies or asthma, it can make home life needlessly unpleasant.

Installing a HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air) can reduce indoor pollutants significantly by forcing your home’s indoor air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites and tobacco smoke, to name a few. Created during World War II to prevent radioactive particles from escaping laboratories, HEPA filters must capture at least 99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3 microns in diameter to qualify. To put it in perspective, particles that small would have to be magnified over 150 times to be seen by the naked eye. Without a doubt, a HEPA filter will have you breathing easier no matter how much your pet sheds.

In addition to installing a HEPA filter, these practices will also drastically improve your indoor air quality if practiced regularly:

• Vacuum often
• Open windows when weather permits, except during times of high pollen counts
• Frequently wash and change your bedding
• Replace drapes and curtains with wood or metal blinds
• Replace carpet with wood, tile or vinyl flooring

 

Humidifiers - When It's too Dry

Cold air doesn’t hold as much water as warm air, so for most of the country humidity is low in the winter and high in the summer. Low humidity can dry out your mucous membranes and make you more susceptible to colds, and it can also dry your eyes, make your skin itchy, chap your lips and irritate your throat and nasal passages. More bad news: dry air can cause nosebleeds and aggravate asthma and sinusitis. In other words, constant exposure to dry indoor air is no good.

Good news: a humidifier can solve that.

If you notice any of these symptoms (including an elevated energy bill) it’s time to invest in a humidifier. Here’s what to look for when you shop for a humidifier:

• Energy savings. Steam and “warm-mist” humidifiers use more energy than the ultrasonic, impeller, or evaporative types because they involve heating water. In-duct models generally use the least energy of any type.
• Easy-to-use controls and hydrostat. The humidifier should have a hydrostat, which automatically controls the humidity. Why? Because too much humidity can cause serious health problems for some people.
• The right size. Consider the area that needs to be humidified. If you have high ceilings, you should probably get a humidifier with a square-foot capacity that is higher than the actual square footage you wish to humidify.

Easy maintenance. Unclean humidifiers can breed bacteria and mold that can aggravate irritations and allergic reactions. If you think you might tend to neglect the chores associated with keeping yours clean, get an easy-care model.