Lead Poisoning: Prevention is Better than Cure

by | ageing, environmental stressors, health, heavy metals, indoor environmental health, lead, learning disorders

Lead Levels and Lead Poisoning Prevention come to mind every October…

Because #ILPPWA: International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action happens every year in the final week of October.

And 2021 marks the ninth week – thanks to the work of Elizabeth O'Brien, from The LEAD Group.

 

This year we have a lot to celebrate!

And what better way than to team up with the go-to person for all things lead, Elizabeth O'Brien herself.

Elizabeth has campaigned tirelessly for 30 years.

 

She is the co-founder of The LEAD Group, which was formed by a trio of parents of lead poisoned children.

This not-for-profit organisation has dedicated itself to preventing lead poisoning and spreading awareness about the risks.

As well, they have created almost 100 fact sheets and an array of solutions sheets which are freely available to help consumers arm themselves.

Which is unfortunately due to the shortfall of policy and guidance from federal government.

lead levels petrol
lead levels paint

Today, we discuss some incredible progress that has been made –

Real wins for health (and the environment).

As well, we discuss WHY  you should care about lead…

Because it isn't only about lowered IQ…

And, of course, some action that you can take.

Important Points to Consider

  • Despite lead now being phased out of petrol, lead dust can still be found around busy roads, in soil and in ceiling dust
  • As discussed, from 1st October 2021 no Australian manufacturer is allowed to add lead to paint (apart from the two exceptions of anti-fouling paints and anti-corrosion primers), paint containing low levels of lead may still be used as tradies and suppliers use up existing stock
  • The best place to start is always with a Blood Lead Level test (for every member of the household) – if the result is not below 1ug/dL, then lead-remediation action needs to be taken
lead levels the toxic effects

Links

The Lead Education and Abatement Design (LEAD) Group Inc.

Lead Safe World

The Volcano Art Prize

ADRA (Australian Dust Removalists Association)

Green Painters Association

I have written a comprehensive Action Pack
called “Getting Ahead of Lead.”

This is available to members of Detox Your Environment Group – a super-affordable membership program where you can access expert advice live!

Join Us Here

Other posts on #Lead

 

Images:
  • Petrol – Arnaldo Motta on Unsplash
  • Paint – Taelynn Christopher on Unsplash
  • Toxic Effects of Lead – WHO
  • Ban Lead Paint – WHO

Plastic-Free July (and every month)

by | air quality, building biology, building materials, buildings and health, chemical sensitivities, chemicals, cleaning, cleaning products, drinking water, endocrine disruptors, fragrances, health, healthy home, indoor air quality, indoor environmental health, informed choice, personal care, personal care products, scents, self-care, simple life

Why Avoid Plastic?

Avoiding plastic has always been something high on my agenda.

When I was a teen and a twenty-something, it was about protecting the environment –

  • not creating waste,
  • minimising the creating of single-use items, and
  • protecting our beautiful planet (in a very general sense)

As I have gotten older, and understood more about the environment and health, it has become even more important.

Here are three really big reasons to avoid plastics.

 

1. Pollutants from Plastics

Plastic bottles and containers can leach phthalates, xenooestrogens and other pollutant into the food, personal care or cleaning product with them.

This can play havoc with our health, as they interfere with our hormones (“endocrine-disrupting chemicals”).

What is more, they can also effect other animals that are exposed to them.

 

2. Plastic Polluting

Most of us already know about the piles of plastics in the oceans that form islands…

Our PET bottles, condoms, bags, and so on, all sweep the oceans and accumulate in certain areas.

As well, very small particles can break off plastic items (including synthetic clothing) to form microplastics.

These tiny pieces are a massice problem in the environment.

 

3. Killing Wildlife

One example is seabirds.

I saw a documentary where seabirds needed humans to help them survive.

 

Parents were feeding their young plastic that they had “caught” in the oceans…

Of course, the young were not able to digest it…

So it accumulated in their stomachs.

There were three big consequences of this.

a) The presence of the plastics in stomachs of the youing birds could leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals… which might have devastating effects on the species.

b) The birds were not being nourished properly – as plastic isn't food!

c) The baby birds were heavy with all the plastic in their stomachs – which meant that as they headed out to sea, they would not be able to fly, and would then drown.

The scientists would catch the youngsters as they headed to the water…

And get them to vomit out all the plastic.

There was a surprisingly (and alarmingly) large amount of it!

By removing the plastic from their stomachs, they were being given the best chance to survive.

 

It was truly heartbreaking to see this.

So, what can you do about it?

Join the Challenge –

In my free Facebook group, we are doing a Plastic-Free Challenge.

Consider alternatives to plastic –

 

Choose Your Tactic

PlasticFreeJuly.org has compiled this great resource – download it here – then review it and choose which ones that you can action.

P.S. This is a great one to involve the kids with 😉

Featured Businesses

by | indoor environmental health

Discover Our Featured Businesses

Just recently, I ran a competition in my free Facebook group – Healthy (and Safe) Living.

The prize was worth almost $2800!!!

Each of the following businesses donated a product or service that formed this massive prize –

Which was won by one lucky person!

A Big Thanks to these Businesses

These featured businesses were carefully selected by me as they all align closely with Eco Health Solutions values –

And/or offer something that is promotes better health.

Please support them by using their services or products.

kelly & windsor featured businesses

Kelly & Windsor

Kelly & Windsor have been making luxurious alpaca bedding here in Australia for 20 years! 

The prize which they are sharing is a $250 voucher – so you can choose from their online store.

This prize is perfect for you because –

Unlike wool that needs to be chemically treated, alpaca is free from chemicals, non allergenic and durable.

Their products are truly luxurious – and assist with getting a good night’s sleep…

Which is so important in supporting health and healing.

merge health featured businesses

Merge Health

Merge Health is a clinic that offers both conventional and complementary therapies to help clients overcome health obstacles.

Merge Health’s Patient Advocate, Sarah Bakker is sharing a Wellness Kickstarter valued at $200.

This prize is perfect for you because –

The team at Merge Health are well aware of the ways in which our environments can impact upon our health.

This is a great first step to regaining your health.

miche meizner featured businesses

Miché Meizner

Miché Meizner is a transformational coach and energy healer focused on helping people achieve deep self-love and…

Discover their super powers.

The prize that she is sharing is a Cosmic Attunement & Realignment Session valued at $495USD (which is about $650AUD)

This prize is perfect for you because –

Even environmental stressors can throw us out of whack.

Realignment allows for natural processes to take place.

earth mother sound healing featured businesses

Earth Mother Sound Healing

Earth Mother Sound Healing is about supporting wellbeing on all levels by bringing everything back into synch with sound healing instruments.

The prize that is being shared is an online group session for you and your friends – valued at $250.

This prize is perfect for you because –

Stress (emotional AND environmental) can wreak havoc with our health.

Sound Healing sessions trigger the relaxation response…

Allowing the body to heal on many levels.

And…

ultimate balance coaching featured businesses

Ultimate Balance Coaching

Ultimate Balance Coaching is founded by Naisse Dermott.

She works with female entrepreneurs and committed women to make quantum leaps in their results by converting thinking into results.

The prize that she is sharing is a private Coaching session on how to set a worth goal and achieve it – which is valued at $500

This prize is perfect for you because –

When you have a clearly defined goal, it is so much more achievable. 

And when you achieve your goal,

You know you can achieve even more.

ausclimate featured businesses

AusClimate

Ausclimate provides top-quality air purifiers and dehumidifiers for a cleaner, dryer and healthier indoor environment.

This prize is a Compact 4 Stage Air Purifier valued at $349.

This prize is perfect for you because –

Indoor air can be up to 10x more polluted than outdoor air –

And in my professional opinion, an air purifier is a necessity in our modern world.

And…

au naturel featured businesses

Au Naturel Cleaning Services

Au Naturel Cleaning Services was developed to meet the needs of Jessica Colman’s son who has eczema, asthma and severe dust mite allergy.

Au Naturel is a natural yet effective formula that cleans and sanitises all surfaces in a home…

With a fresh scent (from essential oils) –

And it won’t leave behind nasty chemicals. 

This prize is a Complete Bundle valued at $50

This prize is perfect for you because –

A clean home is so important for health. 

And clean products (ie chemical-free) are essential to caring for our planet and everything on it.

hysteric fairy fine art featured businesses

Hysteric Fairy Fine Art

Hysteric Fairy Fine Art is owned by artist Jennie Culic –

Who describes her work as whimsical, colourful and spontaneous.

Jennie's first love and passion is painting but she has also fallen in love with fused and flameworked art glass. 

The prize that she is sharing is a “Fun with Fusing” Class for you and a friend, which is valued at $250.

This prize is perfect for you because –

Not only is it fun,

But expressing yourself through art can really shift things on so many levels.

And…

experts together featured businesses

Experts Together

Experts Together was founded by Kyle Moss – a Joyful Mindset Coach.

She provides vibrant mindset coaching & consulting services for ambitious women seeking to live with more clarity, confidence, and daily contentment –

No matter what their circumstances.

The prize being shared is a 1-hour Joy Mindset Coaching session valued at $250 

This prize is perfect for you because –

Having a joyful mindset (or lifestyle) can powerfully transform your life.

eco health solutions featured businesses

Eco Health Solutions

Eco Health Solutions helps people to maintain their health –

By identifying and eliminating hidden health hazards…

Such as mould, EMF/EME, allergens, heavy metals and more.

The prize being shared is a 1-month Trial Membership of Detox Your Environment Inner Circle for you and a friend – valued at $394.

This prize is perfect for you because –

You will get support and guidance on how to detoxify your home to ensure that your home supports your health… 

What’s more, you can do it with a friend!

Time for New Habits

by | air pollution, air quality, buildings and health, carbon monoxide, chemicals, cleaning, earthing, electric fields, electromagnetic radiation, EME, EMF, EMR, grounding, health, healthy home, humidity, indoor air quality, indoor environmental health, magnetic fields, mold, mould, personal care, self-care, simple life, sleep, traffic related air pollution, ventilation, VOCs

The end of the year is a time when we look to create new habits.

We reflect back on the year that we have had.

And decide what we would like to do differently.

Do you do that?

I do.

I love this practice and tend to do it way more often.

Here’s are 5 new habits that support health!

New Habit 1: Turn Off the Tech

Research shows that evening use of devices containing LED lights in their screens can have a large effect on our wellbeing.


Research out of Israel by Green, et al., discovered that 2-hours of evening exposure to these screens resulted in:

  • Increased waking through the night,
  • Poorer quality sleep, and
  • Suppressed melatonin production.

The effects were also seen the following day, with:

  • Increased sleepiness,
  • A decrease in the ability to concentrate, and
  • Reduced accuracy

Sleep in incredibly important not only for your mood and ability to concentrate, but also for your health and ability to tolerate environmental stressors.

So, when can you turn off the tech?

Habit #2: Easy & Breezy

Did you know that the air inside our homes can be 5-10 times more polluted than outdoors?

This is due to all sorts of reasons, from what we bring into our homes, to what our homes are made of, how we cook and what our pots and pans are made of…

And that is just for starters.

When we add pesticides, cleaning products and scented reeds into the mix, we are really cooking up a storm!

Then we’re there.

Breathing, eating, using the bathroom…

Sweating (or “perspiring” 😉 for those who don’t sweat), cooking, sleeping…

Everything we bring into our homes can affect the quality of the indoor air.

If our home is nicely energy efficient, it is very likely that it is well-sealed, keeping the indoor air in, and the outdoor air out.

This can lead to a build-up of volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, house dust mites, mould spores, combustion gases and more.

To make matters worse, if you never exchange the air in your home…

It never gets diluted.

And –

That is how the indoor air can be so much worse than the outdoor air.

Where in your day can you open your windows and doors?

eco-health-solutions-nature

Habit #3: Healing Naturally

I always see nature as our baseline…

The ideal to which we strive…

The harmony and balance of nature is so supportive and healing.

The Japanese embrace this through their practise of Shinrin Yoku – or “forest bathing.”

The idea is that you wander out into nature, ideally under a canopy of trees, and sit or lay there for at least an hour.

I see so many benefits of this…

  1. You get to breathe fresh natural air, instead of indoor air
  2. Being in nature in this way can allow you to discharge accumulated EMF – it is a form of grounding
  3. I suspect that the air you breathe is full of natural antimicrobials – let’s face it, trees survive in a forest because of their natural antimicrobials
  4. If you do this free from devices, it can be deeply relaxing, which can be incredibly healing
  5. It can help us to reconnect with nature – which traditionally we have always been well aware of

I have seen research some years ago now, that found that the benefits of one-hour of forest bathing last for 7 days.

So even if you live in the city, you should be able to carve out an hour a week to do this.

Where can you create some time to be in nature?

Habit #4: Be a Labels Sleuth

Whilst there is a lot to learn about reading labels, there is a lot you can learn by doing this.

If you took a moment to review the labels of products as you pick them off the shelf, you might be surprised at what you see.

If I could encourage you to eliminate one ingredient…

It would be fragrance (also listed as perfume or parfum).

By cutting out fragrances, you could reduce your daily chemical exposure dramatically because…

Fragrances require so many chemicals to make them!

There are loads of other ingredients you can omit, too…

But fragrances are the best place to start.

Also, some products don’t necessarily have an ingredients list…

So, this is where you can put your nose to use and have a sniff of it.

Tip: toilet paper and sanitary products are often fragranced…

Instead, you may choose to focus on an ingredient in food.

Which ingredient are you going to target?

eco-health-solutions natural

Habit #5: Need or Want?

When you are about to make a purchase, stop and think:

Do I actually need it?

If not, then consider why you want it.

The goal here is not to accumulate too much “stuff.”

Accumulating can lead to issues in terms of safety (trip-hazards), pests, dust (and house dust mites) and may even become a hygiene issue if cleaning becomes difficult.

We created a rule many years ago that you might like to adapt or adopt…

For every item that we buy, we need to pass on three to charity.

When I do this, I tend to really get into it, and often can fill a large garbage bag with goodies that would benefit from a new home.

It is surprisingly liberating to pass things on to charity…

What can you put in place, so you remember to ask, “Do I really need it?” when making a purchase?

5 New Habits

There you go – there are five new habits to propel you towards a home or workplace that supports your health.

Let me know how you go with them!

 

Would You Like More Help? Book a Hidden Hazards Hotline Call here >>

 

References:

A. Green, M. Cohen-Zion, A. Haim & Y. Dagan (2017): Evening light exposure to computer screens disrupts human sleep, biological rhythms, and attention abilities, Chronobiology International, DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2017.1324878

Spiders: Managing them Naturally

by | happiness, health, healthy home, indoor environmental health, natural pest management, pests

Spiders… Cockroaches… Beetles & Bugs

Spiders, cockroaches, beetles and bugs can give even the toughest person a bit of a shock.

I am a massive insect lover, but I can get spooked sometimes.

One night, I crawled into bed.

Closed the mosquito net and snuggled down under the covers.

I pulled out my book and adjusted the nightlight so I could read for a bit.

Then I saw it laying right there on the pillow next to me…

I big, glossy, brown cockroach!

I yelped and leapt out of bed.

Once it was safely outside, I returned to my bed… gingerly checking for any more of them.

Yuk!

So many of our insects are considered “pests.”

What Are Pests Really?

Reality is, that a “pest” is something in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A lot of the time, pests are due to human behaviour.

Such as an introduced species with no natural predators; or planting fields of the same plant, with no natural controls

How Do We Manage Pests?

There has been a plethora of chemical pesticides (and herbicides) used by people since World War II, many of which have not been tested adequately.

Bear in mind, too, that testing is based on LD50 (lethal dose 50).

LD50 is a very cruel method that science uses. It means that the dosage of what is being tested is increased until 50% of the animals it is being tested on die.

Then remaining animals are “terminated,” thereby eradicating information about longer-term effects.

Most people are aware of what happened with DDT, and glyphosate seems to be a modern version of this.

Glyphosate is extensively used in Australia and annihilates microorganisms in soil, increasing risk of diseases; reduces root growth and worms, which obviously detrimentally affects nutrient-uptake; and is not biodegradable (Blazey, 2012, 18-19).

You can read more about glyphosate in an article by Dr Stephanie Seneff here.

Controlling Pests In The Home Can Be Simple And Safe

I always recommend these steps for ANY pest:

1st STEP Remove the attraction (be it food, water or shelter)
2nd STEP Prevent entry into your home
3rd STEP Repel or deter pests naturally

Let’s Look at Spiders…

spiders

Spiders love to eat insects.

Sometimes having them around can actually be a blessing as some they eat other spiders too; as well as mosquitoes, cockroaches, earwigs, moths and flies.

To manage spiders, we are going to look at a three-pronged approach:

  • Prevention
  • Management
  • Deterring

Prevention

Prevent spiders from entering your home:

  • Seal gaps and cracks around windows and the foundations of your home
  • Caulk around where pipes and cables enter your home
  • Install a weather guard at the base of external doors

Keep porch and garden lights off, or replace with a yellow bulb

Remove food and shelter – take rubbish out every day, clean up after meals, avoid clutter, ensure you store your food in sealed containers

Ensure that ducted heating is intact – and if not, cover the vents, repair any damage to external walls

Install fly screens on all doors and windows. Make sure you clean them regularly so as not to hamper ventilation

Keep bins away from the house or where children play

 

Management

Remove webs and egg sacs – unless they are from redback spider as these should be removed by a professional

Introduce plants that attract birds – they will naturally keep spiders under control

Catching bugs (especially spiders) with a glass jar and releasing them outside is preferable to killing them

In the case of white-tailed spiders, be sure to shake out your shoes and any clothing on the floor before putting them on

Keep on top of your housekeeping

 

Deterring

Grow eucalyptus

Rub lemon peel on windowsills or wherever you want to deter spiders

Fill a spray bottle with water and add 20 drops of any citrus essential oil (lemon, orange, bergamot, lime), shake and spray on surfaces

Fill a spray bottle with water and add 20 drops of peppermint essential oil, shake and spray on surfaces

 

Want More Help?

Book a Hidden Hazards Hotline call

Time Indoors – Is it Affecting Your Health?

by | air pollution, air quality, buildings and health, environmental sensitivities, grinding teeth, health, healthy home, indoor air quality, indoor environmental health, sleep, ventilation, VOCs, wifi

Spending more time indoors, you may discover that your place is not supporting your health.

Did you know that on average Australians generally spending 90+% of their time indoors?

This can include home, work, in vehicles and places of worship.

Whether it be a change in employment, circumstances or, due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, all of a sudden, you might find yourself at home a lot more than previously.

Like André.

His contract finished, and instead of being on the road all the time for work, he was at home until he arranged new employment.

All of a sudden, his voice got raspy, he felt sick, but not sick enough to spend the day in bed, his energy was low. He didn’t feel great, so found that he spent even more time indoors.

Quickly, he realised that something was wrong.

He got in touch with me, and we uncovered some hidden hazards, otherwise known as environmental stressors.

Once these were addressed properly, he was 100% a-okay in his home.

He was sweet, he called me every week to say, “I’m still okay!”

That is exactly why I do what I do!

Being able to help someone take back the reins of their life, to return to full health and be able to do whatever they choose… that is what is all about.

All too often, when something goes wrong health-wise, people immediately think there is something wrong with them.

Yet, like in André’s case, sometimes the problem is within the environment, not the person.

You fix the environmental stressors, and the person returns to normal.

In so many instances, when you clean up the environment the problem goes away.

I believe that more people are affected by the environment than they realise.

A good example of this is a headache. What do you do when you get a headache?

Do you…

  • Reach for the painkillers like many people do?
  • Drink extra water and have some downtime?
  • Explore your environment for changes?

My #1 go-to is always to explore any changes in the environment.

I would rather fix the environment (cause) than take medication to temporarily ease the symptoms and never get to the bottom of it.

We’re all different, I get it. No judgement here. ☺

Have you noticed any changes since spending more time indoors ?

Here’s a list to get you thinking – but do note, there are medical causes for some of these too – so do check in with your doctor or health practitioner for certainty.

  • Headaches
  • Poor sleep
  • Aching eyes
  • Muscle tension
  • Feeling off (malaise)
  • Ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
  • Grinding your teeth (bruxism)
  • Runny nose
  • Cough
  • Low energy
  • Foggy head
  • Poor concentration

These can all have environmental causes.

So, you might want to check things out.

eco health solutions nature

The best way to determine if your place is playing a role is…

Notice how you feel when you are out of the building? 

OPTION 1

If you are in lockdown, you can’t stay somewhere else, but if you aren’t in lockdown, see how you feel when you are away from your place for a few days.

OPTION 2

Go for a walk, ideally in nature (the beach, a park, a reserve). Ideally spend a few hours enjoying the sunshine, fresh air and natural world.

If you notice your symptoms ease off when you are away, it begins to point to an issue in your place.

If you find that they ease off and then when you return, the symptoms do too, then it confirms that there is an environmental stressor there that is affecting you.

Simple Steps to Ease the Symptoms when you are Spending Time Indoors

Here are some simple steps that you can use to ease the symptoms. Do be aware that these are temporary measures and until the cause is addressed, the issue remains.

1. Ventilate. 
If there is a build-up of indoor air contaminants, open your doors and windows to exchange the air and dilute the levels of contaminants.

2. Spend time in nature. 
Shinrin Yoku is the Japanese practise of “forest bathing” and it is seen to be highly beneficial for health (including mental health).

60 minutes of time in nature, especially under a canopy of trees can result in 7 days of benefits. Make some time, at least, every week to get out in nature.

3. Turn off your devices, wi-fi and smartphones – at least while you sleep. 
Sleep is the most important time of the day it is when our body heals. So, give it the best chance to do this, and turn everything off.

I call this “digital downtime” and you can do it more often than just overnight. 😉

 

Let's talk. If you want to find out more about what could be going on, book a call with me here

Environmental Stressors Can Cause Blindness??

by | air fresheners, air quality, babies, buildings and health, condensation, electromagnetic radiation, EMF, EMR, environmental sensitivities, environmental stressors, fragrances, gases, health, healthy home, indoor air quality, indoor environmental health, informed choice, lead, mold, mould, particulate matter, perfumes, water damage, wifi

Environmental Stressors Can Cause Blindness??

Say what? Environmental stressors can cause blindness????

Yup.

Let me illustrate this with a story about Billie.

Billie (not her real name) is a young Mum who is super keen to ensure her bubba is safe. She’d heard about 5G and noticed some of the attention it was getting. So she asked Dr Google, she joined FB groups, she sought out information from everywhere.

Out came Protective Mamma Bear.

5G became an obsession. It consumed every available moment between changing nappies, feeding, washing, playing with bubba and sleep…. Well, to be honest, it even started to creep in there too – as she dreamed about #5G.

Billie was so obsessed with 5G that she thought nothing of using her tablet while bubba slept, while it connected to the wi-fi.

The humidifier in bubba’s room that was causing mould to grow on the ceiling didn’t even enter her mind.

The perfume she spritzed on her body and clothes didn’t get a mention.

She was so caught up in the one issue, that she saw nothing else.

Not surprisingly, she was blinded by her obsession with one environmental stressor.

Billie is not alone. Environmental Stressors are Hugely Important

Billie’s story is not unique. I see this time and time again – be it around #SmartMeters, #fragrances, #lead, #mould… any #EnvironmentalStressor. 

Whilst it is valid to be informed and proactive, there are quite a lot of issues with this kind of blinkered focus on one thing. 

In a nutshell, the issues are:

🤷🏽‍♂️ There is a lot of mis-information, hype and well-marketed nonsense. As a result, you can end up spending a lot of time and money on unnecessary things

🔎 With all the mis-information, you might end up doing something that could make things worse

🔍 Usually, when my team and I assess homes of people like Billie, we find all sorts of other problems that are much larger issues than the one they are stressing about… the blinkers need to come off to be able to address the bigger picture

And yet, there is much more to this…

It is one small word that has massive ramifications.

🔎 It is #stress 🔎 

Stress can cause a whole gamut of problems. It can:

😡 Reduce your ability to #detoxify 

😞 Negatively impact your #sleep (and as a result, your mood)

😕 Cause a release of all sorts of chemicals in the body that ultimately reduce your #resilience 

AND, this next one is the worst of all, in my opinion.

😔 Stress can cause you to freeze up, become #overwhelmed and take NO action

I believe strongly in taking #empowered action.

There is always something you can do to make a difference.

Even if it feels small, it is enormous! 

So, I urge you to keep perspective, to open your heart to the wonderful things in life, and draw inspiration to take empowered action.

One of my favourite recommendations is to put flowering plants in your garden (or balcony). This will help the birds, bees, insects and your loved ones. 

Take a moment to imagine how the world would benefit if every single person did this? 

🌻🐝🌸🐾💐🦉🌞🦆🌿

Managing Mould

by | air pollution, condensation, environmental sensitivities, health, healthy home, humidity, indoor environmental health, mold, mould, water, water damage

Managing #mould. It’s everywhere, so how?

Managing mould doesn’t have to be an uphill battle.

Managing Mould At Your Place

Since mould is a moisture issue, we are going to focus on moisture.

Moisture can come from weather-events, building-related issues and occupant activity. Today, we are going to focus on occupant activity – this is what you do within your “four walls.”

My top 5 sources of increased moisture include:

  1. Bathing – showering or bathing
  2. Using the clothes dryer
  3. Hanging laundry inside
  4. Cooking, especially with gas 
  5. Breathing

These are all regular events in most households, so what can you do?

The first step is to monitor the levels of relative humidity (RH) to help keep mould at bay. The ideal range is between 45-55% RH. 

To understand more about humidity, please read this post.

A simple and inexpensive way to monitor RH is with a hygrometer – you can get a simple one here. 

Some Simple Steps

Based on my top sources of moisture, managing mould can be done simply and easily by following these seven simple steps.

  1. Use the extractor fans when bathing, cooking or doing the laundry
  2. Dry your laundry outside
  3. If you do have to use a dryer, vent the dryer to the exterior
  4. Make sure you use the extractor fan every time you cook. If you don’t have one, then open windows to all for cross-ventilation
  5. Open your windows and doors! It can take as few as TWO MINUTES to exchange the air in your home. It is essential to do this as often as possible – at least 6 times day
  6. Consider a dehumidifier (especially if your extractor fans vent to the ceiling void, and not outside)
  7. Consider an air purifier to help to keep the air clean

If you would like to explore this further and get my advice,
then book a Virtual Indoor Environmental Health Assessment here.