Autumn Healthy Home Threats… What’s happening in your home?
Autumn is a beautifully colourful time of the year. Greens become yellowed with red and fade to orange and brown. Once fallen, there’s that lovely crunch to them as you walk.
I remember when my first dog was a puppy and he walked on the dry autumn leaves for the first time. He was startled, then curious, and finally amused… it was then fun for him to walk through the crunchy crackly leaves… I digress.
In terms of our homes, there are healthy home threats that are closely matched with this one.
What is meant by a “healthy home threat”?
A healthy home threat is anything that hinders our efforts to establish a healthy home. These threats come in various forms, ranging from allergens and increased humidity to leaks, fresh paint, and modern technology.
It’s important to understand these threats, and be vigilant in keeping our homes healthy, and today, we’ll explore the healthy home threats associated with autumn.
What is Unique about Autumn?
Autumn days are varied, and tend to be crisp and often clear, the days shorter and we tend to start wearing layers to accommodate the changes through the day.
As Autumn gains momentum, we tend to:
Start spending more time indoors
Squeeze in any final “hurrahs” from summer – like trips to the beach on the last of the hot days
Alternate between using cooling and heating as we transition between the seasons
Use artificial lights earlier in the evenings as it gets dark earlier
Prepare for winter – as do other critters
Let’s find out how these changes can become Autumn healthy home threats.
HVACs and Indoor Air Quality
“HVAC” stands for “heating, ventilation and air conditioning”.
It is absolutely essential that they are serviced regularly by professionals (check the manual as to the manufacturer’s recommendations).
And equally important is the regular cleaning that you do.
Every week (all year), you should be vacuuming the filters for any HVAC units that you use – heating, cooling, air purifiers, dehumidifiers. The fins and all accessible areas should also be cleaned weekly with a moist microfibre cloth.
Too often, I’ve seen them absolutely caked with dust – and dust can harbour dust mites, allergens, mould spores and more.
Infrequent cleaning and servicing can mean that your HVACs could be spreading these contaminants around.
SOLUTIONS
Here are some steps you can take to protect the indoor air quality of your home.
Have all of your HVACs serviced in autumn
Make sure you’re regularly cleaning the filters, fins and accessible parts – including ducts
Replace pre-filters on return air grilles
Gas Appliances
Gas appliances are often not used throughout the summer months. Conversely, in winter, they tend to be heavily used.
Devastatingly, gas appliances can result in deadly gases being released into our homes if they leak, are improperly flued or the gases aren’t combusting properly.
I’ve had quite a few reports from people about intense fatigue and grogginess when using their gas heaters wanting me to come out to assess their homes. This is not something I need to assess – this is when you call in a licensed gas plumber as it is a potentially deadly situation. In every case, I’ve had the person contact me afterwards thanking me for identifying the problem.
Gas appliances include the oven, hot water system as well as heating units.
SOLUTIONS
Have all gas appliances serviced by a licensed gas plumber
Attend to any leaks
Maintain ventilation of your home, by opening windows and doors to exchange the air
Artificial Lighting
As the days become shorter, we use artificial lights earlier and earlier.
Natural lighting fluctuates throughout the day, with varying levels of blue and red light.
Artificial lighting often doesn’t.
The result of this can be that it can cause problems with sleep.
Now is a great time to invest in some lighting that will work for you – lighting your home and supporting your sleep (which is essential to health and wellbeing).
Of the many products available on the market, the brand I like best is BlueLightBlockers.* Use coupon code bb88 to save 10% off their range.
* These are affiliate links – if you don’t want to use them, just click here instead. I recommend them because they are excellent products and really are blue-light-free, and have therefore negotiated a discount for my community. (Not the other way around!)
Condensation
As the temperatures shift, the location of where condensation can form will also alter…
Where there’s condensation, there’s moisture. And, I’m sure you’ve heard me say: mould is a moisture issue.
There are some simple steps that you can take to reduce the condensation risks.
SOLUTIONS
When heating or cooling your home be sure to do this for your entire home – keeping internal doors open will help to even out the temperature throughout your home.
To allow the air to circulate to maintain more even temperatures, keep furniture at least 10cm away from exterior walls.
Be on the ready for condensation and have a dry microfibre cloth ready to wipe it off. A flat microfibre mop is ideal if you notice it high up (like on the ceiling or high windows).
Rodents and Other Uninvited Guests
This is the time of year when critters prepare for winter – when traditionally food was not so readily available.
For this reason, you may notice an increase in activity as evidenced by droppings, holes in food packets and other strange occurrences.
Not only are they looking for food, they are also looking for nesting materials (and even locations) – and we don’t want them setting up in our homes!
Rodents are pretty clever and extremely nimble. Mice can fit through tiny holes (even as small as 1 cm) and they are also able to scale vertical surfaces up to about 90 cm!
While it’s tempting to put poison out to kill them – especially when they “go away to die,” I strongly discourage you from doing this. These poisons are “second generation anticoagulant rodenticides” (SGARs) and cause whatever eats them to slowly die by bleeding to death. Decades ago, one of my dogs got into some and we very nearly lost him (he wasn’t even 2 years old)… SGARs are slow acting, so the poisoned animals go about normal activities – and if caught and eaten by a pet or wildlife, that animal will be poisoned, too.
SOLUTIONS
Ensure that all of your food items are stored in glass or metal containers – this includes pet foods. What can’t be stored in these containers needs to go in the fridge or a well sealed cupboard.
Make sure you fill in any holes so that there are no easy entry points – in cupboards as well as around your home.
Avoid poisons – opt for traps instead. If you must use poison, BirdLife Australia have a list of safer options here.
Autumn Healthy Home Threats… now under control!
Now that we’ve addressed our HVACs, gas appliances, artificial lighting, condensation risks, and uninvited guests, we’ve got Autumn Healthy Home Threats sorted!
If you’d like any help with this – then you can book a call with me, I’d be more than happy to help solve your healthy home issues.
Summer – the earth is warm, the flowers are in bloom, there are trips to the beach, celebrations, longer school holidays…
If the songs are anything to go by, summer is the time when the sweetest memories are created.
And yet, like with every other season, there are summer healthy home threats.
What is a “healthy home threat”?
I like to define a healthy home threat as anything that interferes with, or poses a risk to, the good work we’re doing to create and maintain a healthy home.
It could be pollen, an allergen, a rise in relative humidity, a leak, new paint, new taps, a new technology – there are so many possibilities.
What are the Unique Challenges Which Summer Brings?
The days are long and hot, with the sun rising early and setting late (often close to 8.30pm here in Melbourne).
There are a great many celebrations – religious, end of year, solstice, and more.
In Sumer, we often:
Spend much of our days outdoors
Open our windows in the cool of the morning or as the change comes through
In more tropical environments, it’s hot, humid and wet
Crank the air conditioning
Eat lots of summer fruits (stone fruits and berries)
Gather for various parties and celebrations
Let’s now explore how these changes in our behaviour are linked to Summer Healthy Home Threats.
Increased Use of Fragrances
The increase in temperature, with or without high levels of humidity, tends to result in most of us perspiring (sweating) more than in the cooler seasons.
As a result, a lot of people put on more antiperspirant or use even more fragrances than usual in an attempt to mask any body odours.
SOLUTIONS
Wash more often – consider carrying a wet washer in a press-seal bag that you can wipe sweat off with
Consider natural deodorants – some of my clients have used bicarbonate of soda, other swear by cider vinegar, personally, I prefer to mix up essential oils in a bottle of rose water and spray that on every few hours (essential oils evaporate quickly)
Reduced Indoor Air Quality
Closing the windows to keep the heat out and the cool in can cause indoor air pollutants to build up, which is never ideal.
This is made worse when bringing new items into the home – which are often still off-gassing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and potentially also formaldehyde.
Adding another layer to this is the increased temperatures speeding up the release of VOCs, which can readily form by-products in the air.
The great thing about this problem is that the solutions are simple!
SOLUTIONS
Ventilate your home. Open doors and windows at least 3 times a day (the ideal would be every hour) to exchange the air in your home.
When you’ve got the windows closed, ensure your airpurifier is going.
Avoid using “air fresheners” and other scented products.
Moisture in the Interstitial Spaces
Condensation forms where there are variations in temperatures. What we see with the use of air conditioning, is condensation forming on the other side of plasterboards, outside of windows and also on the other side of the ceiling.
These areas are referred to as “interstitial spaces” and can be the site of many cases of “hidden mould.”
In 2018, I was in far north Queensland to present training on mould and was amazed to see the windows literally streaming with condensation – to the point that it looked like it was raining heavily.
This is a complex problem, but ultimately it rests heavily on the use of air conditioning – as this is what causes massive temperature variations.
SOLUTIONS
Explore alternative ways to cool – installing plants along the paths and in front of your windows to naturally cool the air, hanging a wet sheet across the open window or door, wetting your hair, clothes or skin.
Aim to keep the inside temperature closer to the outside temperature – don’t set the cooling for 15oC, instead, set it for 25-30oC.
If you can, keep the windows open a little to help even out the temperature a bit.
Mould
Higher levels of relative humidity in tropical and subtropical regions is the number one problem here.
It’s important to remember that there are mould spores everywhere, waiting for the right conditions.
Often all they are waiting for is enough moisture.
And high levels of relative humidity can provide this.
(This is why “mould is a moisture issue” – as I’m sure you’ve heard me say time and again).
SOLUTIONS
Keep an eye on the levels of relative humidity with a hygrometer, remembering the ideal range is 40-60% RH, with 50% RH being the magic number.
If the relative humidity levels go above this, use a dehumidifier to bring them down to below 60% RH.
Pull furniture from against the walls, so that air can circulate around it, as well as giving you the opportunity to check the walls for mould.
Add essential oils, such as thyme and oregano to your cleaning water.
Mosquitoes & Other Pests
The combination of higher temperatures and higher levels of rainfall (as we’ve been seeing in Australia) results in more active breeding of mosquitoes, termites, cockroaches and rodents.
Each of them bring their own risks to either human health and/or the health of our homes.
While we consider them pests, we need to be considered in how we deal with them.
My preference is always to deter them, rather than kill them.
If you prefer to kill them, then take great care with poisons – especially rodenticides (poison for rodents – rats and mice). Poison can be slow acting, and other animals further up the food chain can also be killed as a result. I’ll be putting a post together on this soon. In the meantime please read more here – as they also include a post about safer poisons.
SOLUTIONS
Install fly screens over doors and windows; and repair any old ones that are damaged.
Use essential oils to deter them, such as my Bug Repellent.
Keep your food in sealed containers – I love glass jars for this.
Take your rubbish out daily, and ensure that your bin is closed.
Clear wood out of your garden.
Ensure that your property drains well and that there are no pools of water around.
Keep your garden free food – collect fallen fruit, seal your compost,
Use a feeder for your chooks to prevent their food attracting rodents.
Encourage native birds that prey on rodents.
Encourage spiders that eat smaller insects.
Summer Healthy Home Threats… Sorted!
And, I wanted to share some final tips.
Make the most of the cleansing power of the sun – dry your laundry outside; wash bedding (and pillows if recommended by the manufacturer); and take your mattress outside to air.
Take your rugs outside, and put them over a rail or airing rack and turn them over so both sides get the sun shining on them.
Spring cleaning is great, but summer cleaning is even better as the sun can really boost your efforts.
If you’d like any help with this – then you can book a call with me. I’d be more than happy to help solve your healthy home issues.
Flooding is something we’ve recently experienced on a scale that really hasn’t been seen before.
I’m not a scientist or meteorologist, but experts say this is due to either or both La Niña and climate change.
Flooding – the Primary Effects
Primarily, flooding is going to result in mould issues. Mould is a moisture issue and with the abundance of moisture (rain, on the ground and the high levels of relative humidity), we’re seeing a perfect storm brewing for mould and microbial activity.
The focus of today’s post is the secondary effects.
So, I’ll leave the topic of mould here, with the following pointers:
Anything that’s been wet for more than 48 hours can create the opportunity for mould and microbial activity
Porous materials that have been wet, need to be replaced
Semi- and non-porous materials can be saved, but need to be addressed by the appropriate professionals (those who’ve trained with IICRC and have achieved the Mould Remediation accreditation)
If you want to learn more about dealing with mould, I have a course by that very name – you can check it out here.
As well, we need to keep asbestos, lead and pesticides top of mind – and use PPE where appropriate.
The Secondary Effects of Flooding
Secondary effects are those that come after the immediate cause >> effect. For these, we’ll start more broadly and then narrow it down to our homes and buildings.
Landslides
With all the moisture in the soil, it is possible to have landslides.
Local councils (in Australia) apply different overlays to areas – check with yours to see if you have a landslide overlay on your property.
Falling Trees and Branches
All that water in the soil can loosen tree roots and result in them falling.
As well, the flooding may have killed some trees, and as a result, the trees or their branches can fall.
Obviously, this can result in damage to property or people and animals.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes (or “mossies” as we call them here in Australia) are able to carry diseases.
Apart from that, if you’re like me, you get huge red welts from any bites! (Personal experience has taught me not to scratch!)
It is best not to get bitten – so keeping them out is preferred. Here are some ideas to help with that.
This is as simple as installing fly screens over windows and doors
Mossie zappers can be useful (installed, hanging or even the “table tennis” racquet style [which you can get from camping stores])
If you choose to apply mossie repellents to your skin, choose a natural one, if you can
www.EWG.org will also list options, however, I’ve found that these are often not available in Australia (and I don't recommend purchasing these types of items online from overseas as they may not meet our safety standards)
I’m going to bring back my essential oil based Bug Repellent (contact me if you're interested)
If you opt for a non-natural option, apply an oil-based moisturiser on your skin first, so the repellent sits on the surface of your skin (and is also easier to wash of)
Another way to use the non-natural option is to spray it onto clothing, instead of your skin
DIY – make your own with essential oils, such as tea tree, rosemary, eucalyptus blue mallee, and lavender. You can mix them up in water and spray them on your clothes/skin and reapply every 2-3 hours
Termites
We can expect some pretty big issues with termites with the high levels of moisture.
According to Professor Dieter Hochuli, Integrative Ecology Group at the University of Sydney,
“It’s going to be a massive year for termites as the high levels of soil moisture are ideal for them to burrow and flourish” (ABC News, 31 Oct 22).
A bit like house dust mites, termites thrive in moist conditions.
Termites are attracted by the moisture then go in search of food – wood.
Here are some things to do.
Clear away wood (fallen branches, sleepers, wood piles) from around your home and property
Keep things as dry as you can
Be vigilant – keep an eye on your building, including the subfloor. If you’ve got termite caps at the top of your stumps, then you should be able to spot their activity easily.
Have your home inspected
Termite traps can be useful around your property, too
Cockroaches and Rodents
Cockroaches and rodents (rats and mice), as well as other pests are likely to increase, particularly as the weather warms up.
Some actions that you can take are:
Installing fly screens on windows and doors
Keep your home clean
Clean up food scraps and mess
Ensure your bins close properly
If you’ve got a compost bin, keep it away from the home
If you’ve got chooks, look into getting a feeder that doesn’t spill their food around
Keep pet food (and your own) in sealed containers
Other Steps You Can Take To Reduce the Secondary (and Tertiary) Effects of Flooding
Keep an eye on the relative humidity levels – these should be between 40-60%. A hygrometer is handy for this.
There are many after effects of flooding – apart from the obvious ones. And these secondary effects can also be devastating. Please give these tips a go to protect your health, and that of your home.
Stay safe!
Have you been bamboozled by all the information (and misinformation) about mould?
This Creating a Healthy Home Guide exposes 3 common myths about mould so that you can be empowered to deal with it effectively.
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 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
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