Leak: What Do You Do When You Discover One?

What Do You Do When You Discover a Leak?

A leak may come from a tap, a water pipe, the roof, a window…

Whatever causes water to come into your home, you need to act quickly.

Why?

Because mould spores are everywhere, and they need moisture to proliferate.

A leak is one of the many causes of water damage.

Water damaged buildings are of great concern due to the impact that they can have on health, particularly in a sensitive individual.

Mould is a Moisture Issue

Moisture can be all that a dormant mould spore needs to become active and start growing.

With mould, there is bacteria and the “microbial stew.”

Moisture can also attract termites, rodents, and other pests that can cause damage to the building and possibly also your health.

Actions If You Discover a Leak:

  1. Fix the leak/hole/pipe
  2. Dry everything within 48 hours
  3. Monitor it to make sure it stays fixed

I also recommend that you create a regular maintenance schedule so that you can keep an eye on things.

Old leaks can still be a source of problems, particularly to those who are sensitive or sensitised to mould.

This is because mould, dead or alive can be a problem. Read more about that here.


Are you worried that you might have a problem? Let's talk.


Hidden Hazards That May Surprise You

Surprising Hidden Hazards in Our Homes

There is a multitude of hidden hazards in our home, and some affect us in surprising ways!

Have you got thrush/thrush-like symptoms or other irritation in >that< area?

Discover what the environmental cause could be, so that you can take simple action today.


**Women you need to watch this video**


So often women talk about irritation, itchiness and swollen skin in their “private parts” and then self-diagnose it as thrush.

They go on to purchase over-the-counter thrush treatments.

Little changes.

This is because in the majority cases that I have worked with, it wasn't thrush at all. It was a localised inflammation.

Watch the video below to find out what was the cause in these instances. You'd be surprised!

Alternatives to these Hidden Hazards

I did this live video on social media and it sparked a LOT of discussion on alternatives; so here recommendations from that conversation:

Sanitary Protection Alternatives:

Toilet Paper Alternatives:

Unscented Soaps:


A Bit About Fragrances

Fragrances are labelled on items as perfume, fragrance or parfum. It is all the same thing.

But what goes into making the fragrances is impossible, in most cases, to find out.

That is because of trade secrecy laws. The formula for a fragrance is a closely guarded secret for most companies.

What we know…

Fragrances are made from sometimes 100s of chemicals.

The International Fragrance Association published a list of ingredients that are commonly used in their industry to provide some level of transparency. When that list was published, I randomly selected a few for further research.

What I found was that many were skin and lung irritants and some were suspected or known carcinogens.

What concerns me most with fragrances is that the effects discussed are when one single ingredient is used. It does not look at what happens when they are used together (this is known as the synergistic effect).

From the little research that has been done that examines the synergistic effect, it was discovered that the results were unexpected. They weren't the sum of the ingredients, they were different.

To clarify, this means that if ingredient A (a skin irritant) and it is mixed with ingredient B (a lung irritant) that when combined they didn't just irritate the skin and lungs. There were other effects as well.


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Vacuum Cleaners

Vacuum Cleaners. What to look for in a good one…

With the enormous range of vacuum cleaners on the market, how do you choose what is best for your needs?

Is the price the best way to determine? What else should you consider?

Is it enough to get one that sucks – or will it suck?

How do you know?

In this video, I explain what to look for when you are considering vacuum cleaners.

What to Consider When Looking for a New Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuum cleaners are an important part of our cleaning practices, and it is important to get a good one.

That said, there are vast differences between the models on the markets, as well as staggeringly different price ranges.

What To Look For

1. TURBO HEAD

A turbo head means that the brush is powered electrically and can “thump” the carpet to loosen dirt that has lodged further down in the pile. A powered head is one that is “powered” by the air passing by as it sucks – this is a less powerful option, but better than neither.

2. HEPA FILTER

Ensure that the vacuum cleaner has a genuine HEPA filter in it. A HEPA filter is designed to capture the dust that would ordinarily come out of the vacuum cleaner – it prevents that act of vacuuming from being just an exercise in dust recirculation. Originally it was just for people with allergies, nowadays it is a common feature.

3. BAGGED OR BAGLESS

This will depend on whether the person who would empty it has dust mite allergies or not. If they do, a disposable bag is less risky. If not, environmentally, a bagless is better as it creates less waste, and it is less ongoing expenses without bags.

4. BARREL OR UPRIGHT

This is about choice – what do you prefer to use? What sort of storage space do you have?

Whichever one you choose, make sure it will suit your purposes and not be so heavy that it is difficult to manage.

5. CARPET AND/OR HAND FLOORS

Make sure that the vacuum cleaner you choose matches the floor coverings you have. Some on the lower end of the scale are only suitable for carpets, whilst others may only suit hard floors. If you only have hard floors, check reviews (such as Choice magazine or online forums) in terms of how they behave. In the past, there have been issues with many vacuum cleaners actually scratching or damaging floorboards.

6. TELESCOPIC WANDS AND TOOLS

Accessories and features such as these can be excellent. If the price excludes you from these optional extras, a damp microfibre cloth is a great cleaning option.


Cleaning Tips

Research was done by Dr Peter Dingle who found that a quick vacuum over your floors was not enough to get a good clean happening.

It is important to spend good minute on every 1m square of carpet. By doing this just once every six weeks, you will be cleaning your carpets far better than if you did a quick vacuum over the house every week.

That is a lot of time in one small area, and if your house is fully carpeted, then you will be spending a LOT of time vacuuming.

What I recommend:

  • Create a list which sequences the carpeted rooms in your house
  • Each week, vacuum one room “in detail” – and lightly vacuum (as you used to) the other rooms
  • Rotate the focus room each week

In this way, all of your carpets get a thorough vacuum, and you don't spend every waking moment vacuuming 😉


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