Dust mites are microscopic spider like creatures that live off of discarded skin cells and residue found in bedding, furniture, carpets, draperies and any place dust collects. You can’t see dust mites, but if you have a tendency toward allergies or have asthma, you can feel the effects of their feces. Yes it is dust mite feces that cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. This thought makes many people cringe, but there are several ways you can effectively remove and prevent dust mites in your home. These methods will protect your family from common respiratory problems that plague thousands of people anywhere dust collects, which is all over the world.

Bedding

One of the easiest ways to protect your bedding is to cover your mattress with an allergen proof cover. You can find these in many styles, but the most effective are the type that zip up and completely cover your mattress and box springs. Pillow covers are also a good way to protect your bedding. Covers can be removed and laundered weekly in very hot water to ensure they are mite free. Use a dry steam cleaner on your mattress between bedding washings to kill and remove dust mites and their feces. If you don’t have a dry steam cleaner, vacuum your mattress with a rotating brush attachment. Wash your sheets and bed covers in the hottest water possible once a week to cut down on dust mites and allergens.

Household Surfaces

Dust mites congregate wherever dust collects. Vacuum your draperies regularly to remove any excess dust and residue. Use a dry steam cleaner on carpets and furniture to kill and remove dust mites. Keep your house dust free with regular cleanings. When it comes to dust mites, one of the best ways to keep down the allergens associated with them is to keep your home as clean as possible. And the best appliances to use are a vacuum cleaner and dry steam cleaner. Look for appliances that offer allergen rated filters.

Air Quality

Air filters that collect allergens and dust help to keep your home clean and cut down on the amount of dust mites present in your home. You might also want to invest in an air purifier system, one that has a HEPA rated filter and removes as many allergens and dust from the air as possible.

These simple steps can considerably help to cut down on dust mites in your home as well as significantly reduce your allergy and asthma symptoms.

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Living in a home, in a private space, is a privilege few around the world can afford. Even fewer people have the chance at, and making yours is a vital step towards the overall health of you and your family. A proper duct cleaning can remove the dirt and grime from your air, and a furnace tune-up can do the same. Without a clean breathing environment, allergies and other symptoms can retract from the intrinsic value of your home.

The time it takes to perform a furnace tune is minimal, but the benefits that can be received from such an action are immeasurable. Whether you have a furnace, a chimney, or even a wood burning stove, checking the ventilation for soot, dust particles, and other dangerous materials is a must. For a furnace, simply check your air filter. These filters are white when bought in a store, but yellow, gray, and even black when they are pulled out of a furnace. To check yours, look for a air filter or ventilation hook-up that leads to your duct system.

Cleaning a chimney, although just as important as a a furnace tune up, is a more complicated process. Although you can do some cleaning yourself, a professional service is most definitely a better idea. The air that is trapped and leaked back into your otherwise healthy home can carry harmful carcinogens, and should be taken quite seriously.

Duct cleaning can be just as, if not more important than other services like chimney and furnace tune ups. Ducts tend to collect dust and dirt, sometimes even mold from the air that is pressed through your otherwise healthy home year round. This service will help remove dangerous microbes that live within those ducts, helping to keep the air in your home safer, and healthier.

With a duct cleaning, a furnace tune up, and a chimney sweep, your home can not only be inhabitable, but healthy as well.  Duct cleaning is important, as is a furnace tune up, but the health of your family is even more so.

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What is Mold?

Mold is a living organism and considered a fungus. Unlike yeast, another form of common fungus which grows in single cells, mold grows in the form of mulitcellular filaments called hypae. It reproduces through the spreading of spores which are airborne. Spores can remain airborne indefinitely, and cling to any organic material. These include fur, wood, and carpet. Once it clings to a surface you may see a black and spotty look that is extremely unattractive. Mold likes dark and damp areas, and thrives at room temperature. Some people think mold needs a hot and damp environment to grow in, but it actually prefers room temperature. Exposure to mold can cause many serious health problems including allergic reactions, colds and coughs, and it may aggravate asthma and allergic rhinitis. For these reasons it is important to address mold problems before they affect your family’s health. If you have a family member with asthma or allergies, it becomes even more urgent.

How do I get rid of Mold?

There are a number of ways how to get rid of mold in your home.

• Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), also known as Muriatic Acid, is effective for removing mold on hard surfaces such as bathroom or kitchen tiles. Mix water and HCl in equal amounts and apply to the area that needs to be cleaned. Scrub the mold off with an old toothbrush or cleaning brush. Warnings for HCl include chemical burns on your hands, and irritation to your eyes and nose. Always use a mask and rubber gloves to protect your skin, eyes, and nose. HCl should be kept well out of reach of children and you should use it with great caution.
• Bleach water is a safer alternative to HCl. Mix bleach and water in equal amounts and follow the above steps. Use gloves and a mask for bleach since it can also cause irritation to your skin, eyes and nose. Personally I find HCl is more effective and less tedious, but bleach carries less risk of irritation.

• Baking soda and vinegar is one of the safest method. Mix baking soda and vinegar in equal amounts, and apply with an old toothbrush to scrub off the mold. This method is best for use on wooden areas since the paste clings to the surface.

How can I Prevent Mold Growing in My Home?

The most important thing to remember about mold is that it spreads through spores in the air. It likes damp and wet areas, so always dry off surfaces in your bath and kitchen and clean them regularly. Use a cleaner specifically for tile and hard surfaces to ensure you get all of the dirt, grime and mold spores off of them. You may want to invest in an air cleaner with a mold filter, or install special mold filtering furnace and air conditioner filters. This will help keep the mold spores out of the air. Like the old saying, “cleanliness is next to Godliness”, and a clean house is synonymous to a mold free home.

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I’ve noticed that many people are actually hesitant to put plants into their homes. Reasons differ from “I’m allergic to pollen, and I’m afraid putting plants in my house could trigger my allergies” or “placing plants in the house could attract insects” to “the plant might die from lack of sunlight.” Though allergies and insects are important considerations, they are issues easily avoided. Improving indoor air quality becomes even more important for those that suffer allergies, so remedying these issues and finding a way to keep indoor plants may be even more advantageous. There are also some general psychological and emotional benefits to keeping plants. Rooms in your house will appear a bit fresher, energized, and a bit more like home. For me, indoor plants come to represent the familiarity of home, but even if you spent your entire life in the concrete jungle there are some incredible benefits. Even a mere plant can give you a sense of satisfaction in nurturing and caring for it. Enhanced environment reduces stress and relaxes as well, making your space overall healthier—in all aspects of the word.

So how does one go about eliminating these issues to find the freedom to have house plants? For those who are allergic to pollen or asthmatic, choose plants that don’t have flowers like palms or cacti. It is the flowering plants that usually exacerbate allergic or asthmatic conditions, due to the pollination process.  As for the dust that may come from the soil in the flower pots, you  may use an electrostatic filter that filters up to 90% of dust circulating inside your home, or air purifiers as well. For those who are afraid that plants might attract insects remember this: in my experience, having crumbs of food on the floor has a much greater chance of attracting insects than having plants in the house. If you are worried that indoor plants will die inside the house due to lack of sunlight, there are a few different solutions. Regularly cleaning your home—including both high traffic and spill areas like the kitchen, as well as more discreet areas like air ducts and basements will stave off insects, reduce the buildup of allergens, and reduce the likelihood of mold growth.

Making sure to position plants in direct sunlight through windows, or placing them outside once or twice a week will keep them healthy. Plants don’t die right away if not seen by the sun for a few days, but do take note of the signs when you need to take them out. Yellowing of the leaves and wilting are sure signs that your plants are dying and need to be repositioned. There are also many varieties of plants that require less sun than others. Look for those that require minimal sunlight if the layout of your home is not conducive to your plants. Be sure to educate yourself on how often the plants you choose need watered, as it will vary by variety. With the right approach, anyone can keep household plants effectively, and without causing significant allergic reactions.

With the smallest changes, you can go to dramatically improve your indoor air quality within your space, providing a better atmosphere for the health of you and your family. With a combination of proper home maintenance, servicing of your HVAC system, regular cleaning, and a great assortment of houseplants, you will be on your way to breathing right—and a little bit closer to the lush green that we so often miss in our day to day life.

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Health Risks and Dirty Air Ducts

Air ducts can be found in such places as homes, schools, office buildings, hotels, retail establishments, apartment buildings,etc. Contaminated air ducts are often a major a major source of indoor air pollution. Air ducts can provide the perfect environment for the accumulation of allergens, bacteria, fungi, dust, dust mites, mold, and other organisms. Every time a heating and cooling unit runs, pollutants can be pulled in and over time, they will accumulate and flourish. Eventually, these contaminants are blown into rooms where they are inhaled by the occupants. The result will be the development of illnesses and severe allergic reactions.

Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, lung disease, headaches and migraines, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea, insomnia, and tiredness. Biological pollutants such as moulds, bacteria, viruses, pollen, and animal dander reduce air quality which can cause serious illness.

Duct Cleaning Benefits

Cleaning your air ducts is a great method of improving the quality of indoor air. It improves air circulation, eliminates the built-up of contaminates, and improves the quality and function of heating and cooling systems.

Duct cleaning involves the cleaning and disinfection of the components of a heating and cooling system. This normally includes supply and return air ducts and registers, grills and diffusers, heat exchangers, heating and cooling coils, drip pans, fan motor, fan housing and air handling unit housing.

If not properly maintained, the components will become contaminated with dirt and other microorganisms. Moisture in ducts is a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi which can cause respiratory illnesses when inhaled. If there are mice or rats running through the ducts, they will often leave their droppings in the ducts. Air blowing the droppings can result air contamination and may lead to serious health problems.

Duct Cleaning technicians have the experience and tools to thoroughly clean and disinfect ducts. There are professional cleaners that can clean a variety of ducts such as commercial, residential, and industrial ducts. The outcome will be a cleaner and less dusty home or building because there will no longer be any dust blowing into rooms. The chance of an indoor allergic reaction will be greatly reduced. Dust mites feed on debris found in air ducts. When you eliminate the debris, you will eliminate the dust mites.

Newly constructed homes also need a duct cleaning. Materials such as plaster and drywall particles, wood, dust, insects and insulation can accumulate in ducts during construction. Removing these contaminants will make breathing in your new home much easier. New homes are now being built to be more energy efficient. This means that they are more air tight. Dirty air ducts in an energy efficient home can seriously affect the health of the occupants.

If left unclean for a long period of time, your air duct system could be a major source of dust and contaminants. For businesses, hiring a professional duct cleaning service once or twice a year will greatly improve the health of employees, clients, and customers. Cleaning home ducts will benefit homeowners, their children, and their pets.

Source: Correct Cure

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Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later. Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effectsare usually short term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment issimply eliminating the persons exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified.

Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor airpollutants. The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity,which varies tremendously from person to person.

Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeatede xposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.

Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place the symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from the home and return when the person returns, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that maybe possible causes.

Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home. Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal.

It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.

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There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home.

These include:

- combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products;

- products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies;

- central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices;

- outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollutions.

The relative importance of any single source depends on how much of a given pollutant it emits and how hazardous those emissions are. In some cases, factors such as how old the source is and whether it is properly maintained are significant. For example, an improperly adjusted gas stove or gas furnace can emit significantly more carbon monoxide than one that is properly adjusted.

Some sources, such as building materials, furnishings, and household products like air fresheners, release pollutants more or less continuously. Other sources, related to activities carried out in the home, release pollutants intermittently.

These include:

- smoking, the use of unvented or malfunctioning stoves, furnaces, or space heaters, the use of solvents in cleaning and hobby activities, the use of paint strippers in redecorating activities, and the use of cleaning products and pesticides in housekeeping.

High pollutant concentrations can remain in the air for long periods after some of these activities. 

If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants can accumulate levels that can pose health and comfort problems.

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Here is a list of the most common air pollutants in your home:

1. Moisture

2. Pressed Wood Furniture

3. Humidifier

4. Moth Repellents

5. Dry-Cleaned Goods

6. House Dust Mites

7. Personal Care Products

8. Air Freshener

9. Stored Fuels

10. Car Exhaust

11. Paint Supplies

12. Paneling

13. Wood Stove

14. Tobacco Smoke

15. Carpets

16. Pressed Wood Sub flooring

17. Drapes

18. Fireplace

19. Household Chemicals

20. Asbestos Floor Tiles

21. Pressed Wood Cabinets

22. Unvented Gas Stove

23. Asbestos Pipe Wrap

24. Radon

25. Unvented Clothes Dryer

26. Pesticides

27. Stored Hobby Products

28. Lead-Based Paint

While pollutant levels from individual sources may not pose a significant health risk by themselves, most homes have more than one source that contributes to indoor air pollution. There can be a serious risk from the cumulative effects of these sources.

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The Environmental Protection Agency, suggests that Indoor Air Quality is up to 5 times more polluted than the air outdoors, and in some cases, this figure is considerably higher. As the majority of people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, you might like to stop and wonder what impact this is having on your health and well-being.

If you are suffering from any of the following symptoms, and have not been able to determine the cause, it may be worth looking at your Indoor Air Quality.

• Flu like symptoms
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lethargy
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Sinus problems
• Eye irritations
• Chronic respiratory problems, Asthma
• Eczema and skin irritations
• Feeling ‘under the weather’

There are a number of factors that can compromise your Indoor Air Quality. They may include:

• Inadequate ventilation
• Insufficiently maintained heating/cooling systems
• Chemical substances. For example, household cleaning solutions
• Synthetic building materials, finishes and paints (releasing toxic compounds)
• Animal dander
• Dust and dust mites
• Pollen
• Smoking

Rest assured there are measures that you can take to improve your Indoor Air Quality.

1. Improve Ventilation. Opening your windows and switching ceiling fans on can greatly improve the quality of the air indoors. Adequate ventilation is particularly important in wet areas, such as bathrooms.

2. Service Heating/Cooling Systems Regularly. The manufacturer’s instructions will guide you in caring for, and maintaining your system. Also, make sure that you have your system serviced regularly. Ensure that all systems, as well as fire places are sufficiently flued.

3. Eliminate Chemical Substances. There are plenty of environmentally friendly, green cleaning products available on the market. Alternatively, go back to the basics of your grandparents’ generation for keeping the house clean. You will be amazed at what you can do with some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar! That way, you not only save money, you avoid polluting the environment, and you can protect you and your family from the negative effects of toxic chemicals in your home.

4. Natural Building Materials. Avoiding synthetic and chemically treated products will help to reduce the risk of compromising your Indoor Air Quality. For example, use low V.O.C paints on walls. ‘Natural’ is a word that is sometimes overly abused, so the key here, is to do your research. Many companies include the word ‘natural’ into their marketing, although it does not necessarily mean that the product is completely natural.

5. Clean Your Home Regularly. This can go a long way towards reducing the problems associated with poor Indoor Air Quality, caused by dust, dust mites, animal dander, pollen and mold, etc. It may be worth considering the benefits of investing in a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner.

6. Air Purifiers. Air Purification Systems assist in removing contaminants from the air. Other ways to purify the air in your home include:

• House plants such as Areca Palms and Peace Lilies assist in removing harmful toxins from the air.
• Natural beeswax candles clean the air naturally and emit healthy ions (similar to the air you breathe by the ocean, or on a mountain).
• Himalayan Salt lamps. As the salt is heated, it produces healthy ions.

7. Smoke Detectors. Install combination smoke alarms/carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that can be produced by faulty household appliances such as gas heaters.

8. Avoid Smoking In The Home.

Taking the above steps can go a long way towards improving your Indoor Air Quality.

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If your ducts are not cleaned regularly, you may be increasing your risk of suffering from the many symptoms and illnesses associated with indoor air pollution. Many types of pollutants and small particles can collect within the ducts that include mold, fungus, dust, bacteria and viruses as well as other outdoor pollutants, such as exhaust fumes, pollen and animal hair. The more these particles collect within the ducts, the higher chance you have of developing illnesses and symptoms associated with poor indoor air quality.

If you have allergies, you are even more susceptible to the high concentration of contaminants that may be circulating within your home. Poor indoor air quality can cause a variety of symptoms that include nausea, headaches, respiratory illness, congestion, eye and nose irritation, runny nose, trouble concentrating, malaise (generally not feeling well) and lethargy. It also increases the risk of contracting illnesses such as colds, flu and fungal or other infections. Indoor air pollution greatly contributes to the amount of severity of symptoms suffered by those with allergies and can even contribute to the development of new allergies.

Many times we do not think about the quality of air we air we breathe while inside our homes. However, the American Lung Association estimates that we spend anywhere from 60-90% of our time indoors. Usually, the pollutants and fine particles found within the air we breathe indoors are at substantially higher levels of concentration compared to the air outdoors. This makes those with allergies at especially high risk for the health problems associated with poor indoor air quality that may in part be attributed to the debris collected within our ducts.

Dust buildup is the most common cause of asthma and is also the biggest allergen within the home. The more dust buildup there is, the more dust mites there will be, which are true causes of dust allergies. The large quantities of dust mites that are found with collections of dust within your ducts and airborne dust particles are a major contributor to the allergy symptoms experienced by the vast majority people. It is hard to rid your house of dust and avoid the health risks of the allergic reactions attributed to dust mites if there is a large amount of dust buildup within your ducts. This dust is then circulated in high concentrations within your home and is breathed in causing a much higher risk of allergy symptoms and allergic reactions within the body.

Regular duct cleaning is essential for clean indoor air quality and the reduction of the potential health hazards associated with indoor air pollution. It is even more essential for those that suffer from allergies to avoid the severe symptoms associated with them. Dust is the most common allergy, but many other allergens can be found in high concentrations within the ducts and in the indoor air you breathe including pollen, animal hair and fungus. It is important that you clean your ducts regularly. If you do, you will find this will greatly reduce and even relieve the many allergy symptoms you are experiencing and will also reduce your chance for other indoor air pollution health risks. The most important component of your duct cleaning system is the compressor.

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