Autumn Healthy Home Threats

by | air quality, autumn, carbon monoxide, condensation, HVAC, indoor air quality, indoor environmental health, moisture, mold, mould, natural pest management, pesticide, pests, seasons

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 HVAC autumn healthy home threats - Eco Health Solutions

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.

    SOLUTIONS

        * 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 uninvited guests autumn healthy home threats - Eco Health Solutions

        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.

            How to Avoid Renovation Health Hazards

            by | ageing, asbestos, building materials, dust, dust mites, glyphosate, herbicide, indoor environmental health, lead, learning disorders, mould, pesticide, pests, renovations, water damage

            How to Avoid Renovation Health Hazards

            Applying a little foresight and forward planning can help to prevent renovation health hazards. Through the past decade, I have found that many of my clients have experienced health issues due to factors in their homes, I call these hidden hazards.

            In order to equip you with information and strategies while renovating your home, I am going to share with you 5 of the common hazards… and give you strategies on how you can tackle them safely and effectively.

            Mould

            I'd say mould is a “complex beast.” Here are some key points in a nutshell:

              • Ultimately, mould is a moisture issue. If there’s mould, there has been moisture. Conversely, if something is wet for long enough (48 hours) you can have mould.
              • There are over 100,000 different types of mould, it comes in many colours and has many different moisture requirements.
              • It’s a myth that mould only grows in cold, dark places. Mould spores are present everywhere and can become active when there is enough moisture present.
              • Mould can be actively growing, yet be invisible and/or have no odour.
              • It’s also a myth that only mould that is black can cause problems to health.
              • Not everyone reacts the same way to mould. People can be allergic to it, or become sensitised over time. Others may have an immune system that can deal with it without them even realising it!
              • Mould can grow in all sorts of places – even in areas that you can’t see.

            The biggest factor when it comes to renovation health risks is that any time you disturb mould, it releases spores. This means any changes to moisture levels, light, temperature, air movement, as well as physically disturbing it, can result in mould releasing spores.

            Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of water, mould or damage: wood with “wood rot” (a.k.a. “water damage”), a “high tide mark” in the subfloor and on the stumps, brown stains (typically on ceilings and walls), paintwork that is peeling, cracked or bubbling, and swollen wood (door jambs, cabinetry, kickboards). 

            If you spot any of these, get in touch so I can advise on how to best manage the situation.

            Asbestos 

            Asbestos is a material that most of us have heard of. I am sure you also know of the health risks, like mesothelioma that can result from asbestos exposure.

            However, it is important to know that asbestos does not pose any health risk if it isn’t damaged or disturbed. Which means, you can live in a 1950s home and have no asbestos-related issues if you don’t make holes in the walls or renovate. This is great news – except if you do want to renovate.

            Here are some facts about asbestos.

              • It’s strong, heat resistant and durable
              • It was used in a vast range of materials for many decades,
              • The peak usage of asbestos was 1950s-1970s,
              • Asbestos was banned in 2003, and
              • It is impossible to know if a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it.

            Apart from “Hardie Boards”, cement-lined asbestos pipes and roof tiles, asbestos was used in electrical cable casing (this is the braided one), window sashes on hung windows, slagging, old laundry tubs, carpet underlays, tiles, bakelite materials and so many other materials.

            If your home was built before 2003 and you are planning on a renovation, engage a licensed asbestos inspector to conduct a “demolition survey.”

            Lead 

            Lead has also been widely used in a number of products, and was only phased out from use in paint as recently as 2010. Whilst leaded paint, like asbestos, when it isn’t disturbed poses little risk – if it is sanded or peeling, it can be particularly hazardous to health.

            There are often no symptoms of lead poisoning for some years – and common long term effects of lead poisoning include loss of libido, reduced sperm count, lowered IQ, Alzheimer's Disease, hearing loss, joint pain, stroke, and has been linked to many “diseases of ageing.”

            Lead can be present in our homes in paint, solder, flashing (which can get into tank water), lead dust (from busy roads and industry) which can get into the soil or roof space, and even lead lighting.

            What is important to know with lead is that the “spot tests” that you can get at hardware stores are extremely unreliable. It is for this reason that they are not something that I recommend. Instead, you can get samples analysed by an accredited laboratory. 

            If you suspect lead might be present then take extra care:

              • wear a respirator,
              • gloves and coveralls,
              • avoid dry sanding,
              • avoid removing paint with heat guns,
              • manage the dust to prevent secondary contamination, and of course,
              • keep pets, pregnant women, young children and the elderly away from areas being renovated.

            For more information on lead, a top resource is LeadSafeWorld.

            renovation health risks

            Dust

            Dust is certainly something you can certainly expect in any renovation. 

            But is dust safe?

            I always err on the side of caution, and I would say, “no.” Better safe than sorry, right?

            Dust can contain allergens such as house dust mites and pollen, but also lead and other heavy metals, asbestos, pesticides and herbicides (such as glyphosate), rodents, faeces, dander, frass and more.

            Two places where dust pose the biggest risks are carpets and the roof space.

            Any time you are doing anything involving the ceiling or roof space be sure to have the dust removed prior. This could be installing insulation to cutting out a piece to installing downlights, and so on.

            You can find specialists in dust removal at Australian Dust Removal Association.

            For carpets, I recommend that you spray them down with water, cut them into strips, roll each strip, wrap in a tarp and take it out to the skip. This will prevent dust becoming airborne as well as reduce the risk of spreading it through other parts of your home.

            And of course, personal protective equipment is always recommended!

            Plan Ahead and Avoid Renovation Health Hazards

            Whilst we know how easy it is to get swept up in the vision and planning… However, you are now armed with important information to protect yourself and your family from the most common renovation health hazards. 

            If you’d like advice on your particular situation, please book a call with me.