Common Health Hazards in Your Home
Your home is supposed to be your sanctuary. It’s where you go to tuck in your kids at night, wind down with a good book, and enjoy a romantic dinner with your loved one. Still, even these cozy comforts have risks involved. Most people know how to prevent water or fire damage, but there are some other common health hazards in your home to know about. Read on to learn about some of the hidden dangers to watch out for.
Asthma Triggers
Asthma is a common lung disease that affects children and adults. It’s no fun, y’all. Asthma can cause wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing night or day. Even if it’s genetic, environmental factors don’t help. Certain factors, such as mold, tobacco smoke, dust, and pet dander, can induce asthma attacks. I recommend seeing a doctor if anyone in your home experiences these symptoms. Also, wash your bedding, use allergy-proof encasings, clean up, and don’t smoke indoors to reduce the severity of these attacks.
Mold and Mildew
One of these asthma triggers, mold, also indicates a larger problem. Mold and mildew are living airborne pathogens that result when moisture leaks into your home. Excessive moisture leads to rotting wood, visible water leaks, discolored surfaces, musty odors, and condensation on pipes and windows. With hundreds of types of mold, each coming in green, brown, gray, or black colors, their spores can grow on walls, ceilings, carpets, and furniture. I suggest y’all keep your homes clean and dry, be mindful of any condensation and wet spots, and fix water leakage immediately. Also, keep your humidity low so that mold can’t grow.
Asbestos
It’s unlikely to show up in new homes, but asbestos is still a common health hazard in your home if you live in an older home built before the 1980s. Asbestos fibers were used as a popular construction material due to their natural insulation and high heat resistance. Nevertheless, asbestos exposure leads to severe health risks, specifically asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a progressive, chronic lung disease that scars the lung tissue. It can reduce life expectancy and cause breathing irritability. Mesothelioma is much more serious. This type of lung cancer is often fatal, with little treatment to mitigate it. Given these health risks, I believe the best option is calling a professional asbestos removal company in your area since they have the equipment and expertise to manage it.
Pests
Bugs, birds, and rodents can be nuisances. Although these pests alone can cause health risks, the chemicals used to kill them are also hazardous. The most common pests that invade a house are dust mites, mice, rats, cockroaches, and bed bugs. I say call an exterminator to handle these annoyances, but you can always use traps, block entry points, and eliminate food and water sources that attract them. Garages, basements, and crawl spaces are common entryways to block off. Take it from me, y’all—you do not want any creepy crawlies in your home at any time.
