No matter what time of year it may be, or how clean you keep your home, there can be a hidden danger, lurking, waiting to strike. It can be growing right now, as we speak, threatening to cause health problems for you and your family. It’s pervasive, invasive, and unwelcome in any home. Often, you don’t even know you have it, and it can be hard to spot, even while damage is being done. What is this hidden menace? Mold, mildew, and common allergens!
Some people are extremely sensitive to common allergens, mold, mildew, bacteria, and other unpleasant things that can develop in your home office, garage, and elsewhere. Others may not be sensitive to these problems, but can, over time, develop serious health issues as a result.
In all cases, these hidden dangers should be identified and dealt with, in order to reduce any harm that may come to you or your family members. It’s especially important for those people who have small children, the elderly, or anyone with high sensitivities or depressed immune systems to deal with these problems promptly and professionally, before they have a negative impact on your life.
The best way to ensure that allergens, mold, and mildew in your home is identified, treated, removed, and is less likely to reoccur is to have a professional inspection service conduct tests in your home. In the greater Los Angeles area, FunGuy Inspections is a leading company that performs these tests, and many other related diagnostic and investigative services. They can help identify what is growing in your home, what’s spreading in the air, and – most importantly – how to get it treated, and steps to take so that it won’t happen again.
The first thing that a homeowner or business owner tends to
do when they find mold or asbestos is try and clean it up. But then that is not
always the best course of action. Asbestos and mold removal is not easy if you
are not a professional. Mold can leave a displeasing mess that smells really
bad; but even worse, it can damage one’s home and put your health at risk.
Asbestos, is a well-known carcinogen and refers to six naturally occurring fibrous
minerals that have the ability to resist heat, fire and electricity, it
is usually found in most buildings that were built before 1980, and those houses
that were built around 1930-1950 usually have asbestos as insulation. Asbestos is
still used today in several products frequently used in construction. In
response, regulations to protect the health and safety of the employees,
occupants and contractors were made.
The Hazardous Asbestos
Before removing any asbestos, it is
important to know the safety tips, which is why asking for the assistance of
professionals is truly important. Asbestos
can cause many health risks, including cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.
It usually takes 10 – 50 years from the time of exposure for conditions to
develop, making it hard to diagnose in early stages.
These are just two of the diseases that can result from asbestos
exposure:
Lung Cancer:Most commonly associated with
factors like smoking and radon, lung cancer is also known to be exacerbated by
exposure to asbestos. Researchers have found that about 3 – 4% of lung cancer
diagnoses are asbestos related.
Asbestosis: This
respiratory condition results from the formation of scar tissue plaques on the
surface of the pleura lung tissue (lung linings). It can be a precursor to the
onset of mesothelioma.
Remember that there is no such thing as
safe level of asbestos exposure. Early removal of asbestos is important;
prevention is better than cure.
Importance of Mold Removal for the Health
There are numerous benefits of professional mold removal. Mold can spread
quickly which makes it hard to find where it originated. But professional
remediation will be able to locate the source of the mold where it grows and
completely remove it. Just like asbestos, mold can also be hazardous to your
health which may cause a wide range of health issues, depending on the type of
mold and severity of the infestation. The most common ailment is respiratory
infections, which can be especially hazardous to anyone with asthma and other
breathing difficulties. The longer you’re exposed to mold, the worse your
condition can get.
It surely may seem less expensive to do the removal on your own, but not being knowledgeable will end up costing homeowners and business owners more in the long run. To make sure that the mold or asbestos is removed safely at home or work, it’s best to let the professionals handle the work.
Contact Fun Guy Inspections at 818-674-7541 today.
ndoor air quality (IAQ) probably isn’t top of mind for most people, if any. But it should be because you’re probably not breathing clean air.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.” That means headaches, itchy eyes, and fatigue now, and an increased potential for respiratory complications, heart disease, or cancer later. So yeah, it’s serious stuff.
IAQ is affected by myriad factors, but according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the leading issue is poor ventilation. In theory, you can just open the windows to increase air flow but that might not be a pleasant option in the dead of winter, or even a option at all if you live in an urban environment with poor outdoor air to begin with.
Thankfully, there are different methods to improve IAQ, like testing your indoor air, creating clean oxygen with a houseplant, and even reducing the use of some household products that can lead to high levels of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), which are the gases emitted by everything like nail polish, paint, or even just your stovetop when making dinner.
Here are five ways to test, filter, and improve your IAQ.
Test your space with an IAQ monitor
If you live in a well-ventilated house in a rural area not used for raising livestock, then you may have great IAQ in your home; the rest of us probably have issues.
Using an IAQ monitor gives you a real-time snapshot of the air in your home (or office, school, daycare center — you get it) and can also help get an accurate sense of the air by tracking data over time. That way, you won’t wonder if you just tested the air at a bad time or get a false positive if you happened to test a room while its air was unusually pure.
Test for radon gas too
And while you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to use a radon detector. Radon is a radioactive, odorless, and invisible gas that comes up from the ground, so even a clean home with intentionally-reduced levels of TVOC can be at risk. And radon is deadly; after smoking, it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer.
A good radon detector will give you both current and historical data on the gas levels found in your home. If it’s consistently high, consider hiring someone to help you seal off the bottom of your house and potentially install a ventilation system under your home too.
Detox with an air purifier
A good air purifier isn’t cheap, but a great air purifier is actually kind of expensive. The benefits of clean indoor air can extend throughout your life, so a one-time expenditure now could actually save you a lot in medical bills later — not to mention quality and maybe even duration of life.
The Blueair Classic 480i air purifier ($686.99) uses a HEPA filter and an electrostatic charge to capture harmful particles in the air, and it can be set to automatically adjust fan speed and clean the air faster when sensors detect an increase in air pollution. The Alen BreatheSmart FIT50 air purifier ($550) has a mechanical filtration system and uses activated carbon to capture the smallest bits of pollutant. The system features an Air Quality Indicator Light that tells you the IAQ in real time with five different colors. Blue? That’s high-quality air. Purple? Better set the thing on high and go outside for a walk.
Create your own oxygen with houseplants
Capturing TVOCs, allergens, bacteria, dust, and other unpleasantness floating in your air is a great way to make indoor air less bad. But to make it better, you need to add more pure O2.
And how do you do that? With houseplants.
Plants are pretty amazing. They consume carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and add a lovely aesthetic upgrade all at the same time. At a quick count, my wife and I have 17 houseplants in our home. They vary between pothos plants that are tucked out of sight and allowed to grow as large as they want along with more curated, interesting ones in decorative planters.
One of the best ways to reduce the harmful TVOCs contaminating indoor air is to never present them in the first place. When shopping for household products you use on a regular basis like dishwasher detergent or dish soap, consider a brand like Lemi Shine, which makes cleaning products with natural citrus extracts instead of potentially dangerous chemicals. Or Aunt Fannie’s cleaners; its glass cleaner, floor wash, and multi-purpose cleaning solution are all vinegar based.
Decorate with zero-VOC paint
And when it comes time to paint the walls of a room, spend the extra money for zero VOC paint. You will be keeping your family safer and, because the paint is also low in odor, you won’t have to deal with that awful smell lingering for days.
Indoor air quality is much more important than most people believe. The average American spends 87 percent of their life indoors, according to the EPA. If we’re not outside getting fresh air, then it’s essential to do everything we can to improve the quality of the air inside our homes and offices. Here are seven eco-friendly ways to do that without emptying your wallet in the process.
1. Go Green — Literally
Going green, in this case, doesn’t refer to using eco-friendly products or separating your recyclables. When it comes to improving air quality, the concept of going green is a little more literal. Adding plants to your home can help improve interior air quality naturally, at the cost of a bit of water a few times a week. According to NASA, some plants are better than others for this task. To find the best plants for cleaning the air in space, the agency compiled a list of common houseplants that can be used to remove everything from benzene and ammonia to formaldehyde from the air around them.
Most of these plants, from snake plants to English ivy, can be picked up at your local nursery for a few dollars each. Plus, research has shown that keeping houseplants can improve your mental health, so it’s a win-win.
2. Leave Your Shoes Outside
How many of you reading this wear your shoes all the time, even if you’re in the house? If this sounds like you, you’re not alone, but you may also be contributing to the poor air quality within your home. When you wear your shoes indoors, you’re tracking in everything you’ve stepped in during the day, from dust and pollen to dangerous chemicals. These molecules are cast into the air every time you take a step.
Start by leaving your shoes on the porch or just inside your front door. If you need to have something on your feet, keep a pair of slippers or house shoes that you can wear while you’re indoors. This little change can improve the quality of the air in your home without costing you a dime.
3. Call a Professional
If you’re trying to save money, it might be tempting to try to repair your home’s HVAC system on your own. This kind of DIY is only a good idea if you’re an HVAC professional. Otherwise, you may find yourself in over your head with the system’s high voltage power and dangerous refrigerants. One improperly tightened seal could leak coolant into your home, severely compromising your interior air quality and putting both yourself and your family at risk. Releasing refrigerant into the atmosphere is also dangerous for the environment.
Calling a professional, licensed technician might be expensive, but when it comes to your home’s HVAC system, it is the most eco-friendly option available.
4. Eat Organic
Adding organic fruits and vegetables to your diet isn’t just a great way to avoid ingesting pesticides or other dangerous chemicals — it can also help to protect the air quality of your home. The compounds that preserve traditionally farmed produce can permeate the air around them, especially if you leave some of your fruits or vegetables in bowls or on the counter rather than in the fridge.
Going organic might be a little bit more expensive than buying regular grocery store fruits and vegetables, but in the long run, it’s better for your health and the air quality in your home.
5. Fix Those Leaky Taps
Areas that don’t get a lot of foot traffic, like your basement or utility room, might have leaky taps that are ignored. Even minor leaks can be detrimental to your interior air quality, though. The damp environment created by those leaks creates the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. Both of these organisms release spores into the atmosphere that can cause allergies and exacerbate existing breathing problems like asthma and COPD.
Depending on the severity of the leak, you may be able to do these repairs yourself. For anything you’re not sure about, it’s always a good idea to call a professional. As a bonus, repairing those leaks will reduce your home’s water usage, which is also eco-friendly.
6. Quit Smoking or Head Outside
Tobacco smoke is one of the most significant contributors to indoor air pollution. While it is illegal to smoke or vape indoors in public places, no such rules exist for private homes. Quitting is the best thing you can do to improve the air quality in your home, but if that isn’t an option, then taking your habit outside can help keep your interior air cleaner.
Secondhand smoke is dangerous to human health, so keeping it out of your home can help improve the health of everyone who lives there.
7. Limit Products With VOCs
Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) appear in many products you might use every day, from your aerosol hair spray to the cleaning products beneath your sink. To make your home a little bit more eco-friendly while improving interior air quality, limit the number of VOCs in your home. With so many eco-conscious consumers making educated decisions about the products they buy, it’s easier than ever to find green cleaning and beauty products.
Do a quick search for low-VOC products, and you’ll be surprised at how many options are available for you to choose from. They may cost you a few dollars more than the chemical-based alternatives, but when it comes to eco-friendly options that are also wallet-friendly, you can’t do much better than this.
Conclusion
You don’t have to empty your wallet to improve the quality of the air in your home or business. It can be as simple as adding some greenery to each room or swapping out your bleach and ammonia cleaners for green alternatives.
Spring officially started! We can say goodbye to winter, but when do we have to say hello to allergy season? It seems like allergy season lasts all year, and technically it does. Watery eyes, stuffy nose, rashes and other symptoms can show up thanks to triggers all year.
So when does spring allergy season actually start? And more importantly for me, when can I expect it to end? We look into and provide tips to help you get through spring allergies below.
When Do Spring Allergies Start?
Spring allergies occur for most people because of pollen. There are different types of pollen to consider (like tree pollen, grass pollen, ragweed pollen). Tree pollen hits in late March and April, and grass pollen isn’t far behind it. Other types of pollen hit later in spring into summer.
Experts say that warmer-than-average winter temperatures and climate change mean allergy season starts earlier and ends later. These factors lead to early tree pollination and led to higher pollen counts than normal for this time of year. As a result, we’re experiencing an early start to allergy season. And if you suffer from tree pollen allergies, you’re likely among the first to feel the effects.
Scientists have a hunch that an early allergy season could mean we’re in for a longer-than-average season. But because rainfall amounts have a bearing on how long trees and flowers pollinate; it’s too early to predict for sure. Whatever the outcome, if you are prone to seasonal allergies, now is a great time to get prepared.
Tips for Dealing with Spring Allergies
Use these simple tips to avoid symptom-triggering pollen and breathe easier this spring:
Know Your Pollen Count
Keep an eye on the daily pollen count for your city. You can use our handy pollen alert tracker in our Learning Center to track your city’s daily reports. On days the count is high (120 or above), stay indoors if possible to keep pollen exposure to a minimum.
Close Your Windows
Although it’s tempting to open your windows and let fresh spring air indoors, it may not be the best thing for your symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed to avoid letting pollen spores circulate and settle inside your home.
Shower After Spending Time Outside
Take a shower after spending time outdoors to wash pollen out of your hair and keep it from falling onto your pillow.
Consider Using An Air Purifier
Air purifiers, especially those that have HEPA filters, filter even the tiniest pollen spores out of your air along with other symptom triggers like dust, mold, and pet dander. With regular use, you can reduce and even eliminate your symptoms. Browse our air purifiers for allergies to see our top recommended models.
When to Expect Spring Allergies to End
So when do spring allergies go away? Unfortunately, the same qualities that make allergy season start earlier also makes them stay longer. April tends to be the worst month for most spring allergy-sufferers, but spring allergies typically last until early summer. It’s pretty easy to see why: That’s when most of the flowers and trees are blooming.
Tree pollen is the most common culprit for spring allergies. Grass and weeds also cause issues later in the spring allergy season. Most people see their allergy symptoms start to disappear by early June, but it can change depending on where you live in the country. The best idea is to be prepared and use our tips to fight them any time of year.
At the end of the day, after work or school, we always look forward to coming home again. Our minds and hearts are attached to our homes because of the sense of belonging, comfort, and safety that it provides. Feeling safe is the state of not being exposed to danger or risk, and that is how our homes should feel, right? So, let me ask you, are you sure you are safe within your home?
You may feel that there’s nothing lurking within the corners of the rooms of your home. However, if you are setting aside the fact that there could be molds in your house, then you are getting further away from the sense of safety that your home should provide. Molds are not something you should overlook.
Molds usually appear on damp building materials and may look like stains. They can come in various colors and sizes. You may have seen some sort of spot growing in the interior of your house, and that is not something that should be ignored.
Molds can create a lot of nuisance and danger for you and your loved ones. It can give your family nasal and sinus congestion, coughs, headaches, asthma, skin irritations, and much more.
If your home is attacked by molds, you have to do something about it. Here are some signs that your house may have been infected by molds:
Allergic reactions. If you notice that your allergies tend to react and even get worse while you’re at home, chances are there are molds growing in your house. Some allergic reactions to mold could be sore eyes, sneezing, and nasal congestion.
Mold odors. A musty or moldy smell can be a great indicator that there are molds in your home. If you can smell mold, then you probably have mold. You should thoroughly inspect your home before it gets worse.
Visible signs of molds. When you see greenish black spots of molds, then it’s obvious. Take action immediately.
Water issues. If you have experienced water leakages, condensation, or past floods in your house, mold growth is likely to have occurred. If there are water stains or discoloration of the walls due to a moisture problem, there is most likely mold growing behind the material.
Your home is where your family should feel safe. If you’ve noticed the above-mentioned signs of mold growth in your house, please do not ignore it. Ignoring it might cause you bigger problems in the future.
If you want to be sure of your homes safety, contact Fun Guy Inspection and Consulting Inc. They will provide a thorough inspection of your home and you can have peace of mind.
