Provide Cleaner In-Home Air for the Sake of Your Children’s Health

We think of urban areas as harboring pollution with factories, vehicles and landfills filling the sky with unhealthy contaminants, but is the air in your own house healthy?  Contrary to how it may seem, what you and your children are breathing at home can be polluted and damaging - perhaps even worse than what’s outside.  And with families spending more time at home than ever due to the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting lockdown, your home’s air quality should be a major concern. Thankfully, there are several ways to clean your home’s air.  

What’s in my air?  Many people don’t realize the air in their own homes can be unhealthy.  After all, our humble abode is a shelter from the outside world.  However, your home can contain molds, pollen, dust mites, lead, asbestos and numerous other dirty little particles.  There are many ways they come into your home.  For instance, you, your children and pets can bring pollution in when you walk through from outside.  The fibers of your carpet, furniture and even your walls can also be contributing factors.  What’s really alarming is some studies show the air in our homes can be as much as 100 times more polluted than the air outside.  

Why worry?  Being subjected to indoor air pollution can leave you and your children at risk for illnesses.  According to some researchers, exposure to irritants can be at the root of a variety of concerns, leading to chronic issues such as asthma, cardiopulmonary diseases, and cancer.  Long-term exposure increases risk, even for death.  

Be proactive.  Allergies are a common source of trouble for kids, causing sneezing, sniffles, irritated eyes, an itchy rash and shortness of breath.  The most common causes of allergic reactions are pollen, dust mites, mold spores and pet dander.  Here are some other steps you can take:

Smoking.  If anyone in the home is a smoker, it’s important to stop smoking in the house. Not only does smoke lead to allergy-like symptoms but second-hand smoke is considered just as dangerous as smoking. It’s also worth investing in an air purifier (many models retail for under $100) specifically aimed at clearing smoke particles from the air. It can’t clear smoke particles 100 percent, but it can help limit the effects of secondhand smoke.

Dander.  If you have pets, groom them regularly to reduce dander.  Don’t permit them on furniture, and if anyone in your household is particularly sensitive to pet dander, keep Fido and Fifi from spending time in that bedroom.  You can also spray an allergen reducer to lower the dander and other irritants lingering throughout your home.  

Pollens.  Pollen levels tend to skyrocket in spring and summer months.  If you normally open windows during warm weather, one suggestion is to rely on your home’s air conditioning to keep you cooler instead.  

Molds.  Mold can develop in places where there is lingering dampness.  If you have any leaky faucets or a roof leak, ensure you make repairs as soon as possible.  It’s also important to remove any materials damaged by water, such as carpet padding or drywall.  Avoid allowing gutters and drains to become clogged by cleaning them routinely.  Another recommendation is to caulk around windows and vents, both indoors and out. While mold can be harmful to your family, it can also be costly to remove, with mold remediation averaging just over $2,500 in Cincinnati. 

Products and appliances.  Other irritants such as chemicals and toxins can also be damaging to your children.  Reconsider the household cleansers you use and aim for natural cleansers like white vinegar and lemon.  

Furnaces and other appliances can be sources of trouble if they develop issues.  Have them checked regularly and maintained properly to avoid leaks.  Also as Petro notes, be sure to change the air filter in your HVAC system regularly, at least every few months.  Some experts suggest adding a few houseplants to your home to help keep the air clean as well.    

For your family’s sake, look carefully at your home’s indoor air quality while sheltering in place.  Take action now, and call Teasdale Fenton Cleaning & Property Restoration at 513-797-0900. Our experts can clean your home’s air ducts to reduce debris that would otherwise circulate throughout your home. We use only the most advanced HEPA filtration system so you know that what we clean doesn’t find its way back into your lungs. And as a bonus to better health, air duct cleaning can improve your HVAC system’s efficiency, saving you money and extending its useful life.

Amanda Henderson ⎸amanda@safechildren.info