What’s the Fix?
It’s important to have your heating systems and fuel-burning appliances tested annually to make sure they are in proper working order. Install carbon monoxide alarms on each level of your house, including the basement, and replace your alarm no more than every five years. You can purchase an inexpensive radon test online to check your home and invest in a treatment if radon levels are high.
Biological Pollutants
Homes with pets may accumulate unhealthy amounts of pet dander that can aggravate allergies and may be host to cockroaches or dust mites. Cockroaches in particular release antigens that are aggravating to asthma sufferers, and they carry disease-causing germs that can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses.
More significant, however, is that the presence of certain types of mold in your home may become a health hazard. Mold spores, which are present in nearly every climate, can invade the home by attaching to wet surfaces (just like mold develops in showers). In homes that have water leaks in walls, leaky roofs or behind sheet rock in damp basements, molds can take hold and spread, largely unnoticed, until they become a health problem. They can cause or aggravate allergies, as well as lead to respiratory problems from long-term exposure.
What’s the Fix?
If your home has significant water damage, such as after a natural disaster or if mold has spread to an area that covers more than 10 square feet, you may want to hire a contractor to help eliminate mold. For small areas, carefully scrub mold off of surfaces and consider purchasing special sprays or paints that can kill and prevent future mold growth.
Keeping your home clean, allowing the home to air out and using hypoallergenic liners for mattresses and pillows can ease or eliminate issues with pet dander and dust mites. To manage cockroach infestations, take steps to clean off areas where food particles may linger, store food in tightly sealed containers and invest in roach traps and/or boric acid to avoid further contaminating the air with foggers and other pesticides.