“Bake Outs,” Ozone and Our Indoor Air

I want to share some information about ozone, VOCs and our indoor air.

From here, I will share my stance on “bake outs,” so let's start at the end to make sure it all makes sense.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

The best example of VOCs is the smell of the cleaning aisle in the supermarket.

That smell – the waft get when you are approaching the cleaning aisle… You know the one?

That is the VOCs being released from the cleaning products.

What is a “Bake Out”?

A “bake out” is a process that utilises the notion that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released at a higher rate where there is an increase in temperature. To carry out this technique, you would close up a room or building, crank the heating, and bake out the VOCs. But wait!

BUT, where do they go?

Some can be absorbed by building materials (eg plasterboard) and furnishings (eg curtains, couches, carpet) and much remains in the air.

AND, what happens?

That is part of what I wanted to talk about today.

What is Ozone?

Ozone, is a pale blue gas that is a natural part of our atmosphere. At ground level, ozone can cause damage to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. The US EPA have created a guide relating to the risks it can pose, as well as offering a proactive approach to protecting health. You can read it here.

Ozone can be introduced to our indoor air via some “air purifiers” – namely ones that deliberately produce ozone, and as a byproduct of ionisers (Britigan, et al, 2006). This can result in levels being well in excess of exposure standards.

Indoor Air Concerns

Ozone, apart from its known health risks, can be very problematic in the indoor environment.

Due to it's molecular structure, ozone readily interacts with other gases (particularly VOCs) to form byproducts – some known, some unknown.

Summary: In a Nutshell

  • Avoid doing bake outs
  • Avoid anything that produces ozone, including ionising air purifiers
  • Introduce more plants in and around your home

And…

Open your doors and windows several times a day to exchange the air and reduce the build up of VOCs and other indoor air contaminants.

References

  • Britigan, N,  Alshawa, A, and Nozkordoc, SA (May 2006) Quantification of Ozone Levels in Indoor Environments Generated by Ionization and Ozonolysis Air Purifiers J Air Waste Manag Assoc (Online) available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16739796
  • US EPA (August 2015) Air Quality Guide for Ozone (Online) available at https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/ozone/air-quality-guide_ozone_2015.pdf (3 November 2017)

#ozone #airpurifiers #bakeouts #indoorairquality

Avoiding Sick Building Syndrome in the Workplace

Sick Building Syndrome – Avoid this in the Workplace

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) incorporates many facets of the built environment.

Focus on Indoor Air Quality

When it comes to air pollution, we tend to think about it in terms of the outdoors. We worry about factories’ smokestacks, traffic jams and other factors that pump pollutants into the air.

Yet air pollution isn’t just an outdoor problem.

The air indoors also can be toxic for us to breathe. This is especially in an industrial facility where hazardous materials may be used. In fact, the air quality inside buildings can be so harmful that it can cause illnesses. This phenomenon, known as “SBS,” can create symptoms in people without an easily identifiable cause.

Further, people with sick building syndrome may experience respiratory issues such as shortness of breath and coughing, as well as more generalised symptoms such as fever and muscle aches.

SBS – What Does it Mean for the Workplace?

These illnesses can lead to decreased productivity and employees taking excessive time off. As a result, it’s important for industrial and commercial facilities to understand sick building syndrome and how to avoid it.

SBS can be caused by a variety of factors, all of them related to a building’s indoor air quality.

Often, sick building syndrome is a result of poor ventilation, which prevents indoor pollutants from being circulated out of the air.

Many times, contaminants such as motor vehicle exhaust or fumes from volatile chemicals used in industrial processes get trapped inside the building. Bacteria, mould and pollen from outside also can contribute to sick building syndrome.

Avoiding Sick Building Syndrome

Avoiding SBS starts with improving air flow throughout the building, such as with large fans.

From here, other measures to improve indoor air quality include:

  • selecting less toxic cleaning products and methods,
  • avoiding “air fresheners,”
  • creating a “fragrance-free” workplace,
  • choosing real wood furniture (instead of “was wood” composite woods),
  • selecting furnishings made locally that are low in volatile organic compounds, and
  • ensuring that any leaks are fixed promptly and that there is no mould in the workplace.

Improving indoor air quality and avoiding SBS are tasks that should be at the top of most managers’ priority lists.

Not only can it boost the health and well-being of employees, but it also can increase productivity and reduce health care liabilities for the facility owner.

This infographic from Go Fan Yourself provides some great tips on improving indoor air quality quality and reducing the risk of SBS.

sick building

Created by Go Fan Yourself


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#Sickbuildingsyndrome #OHS #WHS


References:

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/sick_building_factsheet.pdf

Dehumidifiers – The Benefits of Using One Regularly

Let's first explore humidity – to set the scene and give context to the rest of this post.

What is Humidity?

Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air. It is important to know and understand this, particularly if you have any water damage or you live in a humid environment.

Humidity is commonly measured and discussed in two ways.

Firstly, there is relative humidity – this is the one we hear about a lot. When you think of  being somewhere tropical, where you feel clammy despite having just showered, these areas will have a high level of relative humidity. The level is given as a percentage, for example 62%.

Relative humidity is the measure of how much water vapour is in the air and varies according to the temperature, in that it is relative to the temperature. The warmer the air, the more water vapour can be held and thus the relative humidity level will be higher.

Specific humidity is a different measurement and does not vary with temperature. It is expressed as gpk (grams per kilogram) or gpp (grains per pound).

Ideal Levels of Humidity

There are no ideal levels for specific humidity. As a building biologist, the different readings in different rooms can show me where to look further for water damage, and this requires quite specialised equipment.

Relative humidity is the one that is easiest to measure and changes can be quite noticeable in the way it feels. This is the one more closely related to comfort. Relative humidity is easily measured using an inexpensive hygrometer, such as this one.

Most people generally feel comfortable when the temperature is between 18-24oC and the relative humidity is between 35-75%, beyond this people generally feel uncomfortable.

When relative humidity levels are high, the air is uncomfortably moist – you may feel hot and clammy, sticky or just damp.

When relative humidity levels are low, you may feel quite dry – dry eyes, dry throat, dry skin, “parched”; you may even experience more static electricity.

The optimum level for relative humidity is between 40-60%.

Bacteria, viruses, fungi and house dust mites all are less active; and these biological contaminants can be highly problematic for health, and form part of the microbial stew.

Occupant Activity and Humidity

Humidity can result in water damage.

In our homes, there are four main ways for water damage to occur. The first is a disaster of some sort, eg flooding. The second is damage to the building, eg a burst pipe, tiles coming off the roof, a leak. The third is poor building design or poor workmanship, such as not having an exterior vent on an extractor fan, having bedrooms with no opening windows, running the downpipes to the underneath of the house… And the fourth (which can often be overlooked) is occupant activity.

Occupant activity can cause a lot of water damage. Some examples are:

  • not using the extractor fan when bathing
  • using a clothes dryer
  • spilling liquids and not cleaning them up quickly

Examples of Moisture Created from Occupant Activity

The following is from Elkink and Pringle's 2012 book Building Basics: Internal Moisture – and these levels, I am sure, will amaze you!

Activity Creates
Showering and bathing Varying levels of moisture depending on temperature of shower, length of time, ventilation.
People in a room Awake we exhale 200ml of water vapour per hour. Asleep we exhale 20ml per hour. This is roughly 3L of moisture per day.
Unflued gas heaters 0.5-1L of water per hour.
Cooking Varies depending on method (e.g. boiling and steaming), if the heat source is gas; and includes kettles, microwaves, dishwashers and washing dishes.
Clothes washing and drying Up to 5L per load can be released if clothes are dried inside on a rack.
Wet tea towels, dish cloths, clothes, towels, bathmats These can all increase humidity within a room.
Indoor spas, saunas and pools All produce enough heat and water vapour to require additional mechanical ventilation systems.
Humidifiers Increase the humidity in a room and can result in condensation.
Accidental floods Overflowing baths, sinks and laundry tubs can all create problems if not dried within 24-48 hours.
Roof space ventilation This is important particularly if extractor fans are flued into the roof cavity, and not vented externally. Changes in pressure can cause moisture and other contaminants to enter the building.
Steam cleaning A potential problem is created if the materials are not completely dry within 24-48 hours.
Leaking pipes and appliances A very large problem, which will vary depending on what, where, how much, and how long before it is rectified.
A normal subfloor Evaporation from a 93m2 subfloor is 45L of moisture per day, and up to 180L per day if there is standing water on the subfloor soil.

Ventilation

As you can see, there are a lot of ways that we can fill our homes with moisture – inadvertently, which is one reason why ventilation is important. My ideal would be for every home to exchange all of the air every few hours, and yet reality brings us back to at least once a day.

My favourite thing to do is to open windows and doors in the morning until I feel the temperature change, and I know that all of the air in my home has been exchanged.

I'll come back to this a little later, but it is important to note that moisture moves to where levels are lowest… So, if there is less humidity outside, then opening your windows can allow the moisture to dissipate out of your home. If the relative humidity is higher outside, then it could be better to open your windows and doors when this has changed over.

How to Use a Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier takes the water vapour out of the air and it can be used to bring relative humidity levels back into the optimum zone – between 40-60%.

I like people to have them, particularly when the cause of the moisture is occupant activity or a lack of ventilation (such as a rented property with no extractor fan in the bathroom).

Here is a general step-by-step guide for how to use a dehumidifier for the initial deep-drying. Please note that every house is different, so this is merely a guide.

  1. If you have pets, like birds, etc, please take them out of the room first.
  2. Close the windows and doors of the chosen room.
  3. Open cupboards and drawers in this room.
  4. Set your dehumidifier to 30% relative humidity.
  5. If temperature of the room is low, turn on the heater (or the heater on the dehumidifier) for optimum drying.
  6. Run the dehumidifier for 24-hours a day for 1-3 days.

A good dehumidifier will automatically turn itself off when its water tank reaches capacity – so you should be able to run it while you are at work (they are a bit noisy, so this is preferable to running them overnight).

After this initial drying phase, you can use it periodically to dry the room.

NOTE: If there is water damage and/or mould, I recommend that a) the source of the water is addressed and b) if anything is wet for more than 48 hours that the resultant mould be addressed first.

eco health solutions eco

When Else a Dehumidifier is Useful

A dehumidifier, as mentioned is great for moisture caused by occupant activity.

  • My #1 use for a dehumidifier, in an ongoing way, is to use it in the bathroom or ensuite when bathing. Despite using it regularly, it always astonishes me the amount of water vapour that a shower can produce.
  • It can also be used when you are exchanging the air in your home, and the outside relative humidity is higher than the indoor relative humidity.
  • If you get a good one, it will also have a heater on it. This is beneficial as you now have a clothes dryer – that doesn't add moisture to the air! Simple hang your clothes on a rack and run the dehumidifier nearby (wishing I had one when I lived in the Blue Mountains, where it took weeks to dry my laundry!)

Which One Do I Recommend?

I have sought out one that I like (I stock it for this reason) – I personally own this model and use it every day.

This is the New Wide Tech All Seasons 35L Dehumidifier.

Basically, bigger is better, it does the job more efficiently and has a greater water capacity.

What else to look for?

  • variable humidity settings
  • the water tank will automatically signal when it is full and the dehumidifier will stop working
  • a ceramic heater to help dry more quickly and allow it to work well in cooler climates
  • option for continuous drainage

When a Dehumidifier is Not Enough

As much as I am a fan of the dehumidifier (pun not intended) – there are times when one is not enough. My biggest concern with recommending them is that someone may have water damage to their property with resultant mould.

Mould spores are everywhere and just need water as the spark of life… anything that is wet for longer than 48-hours can be a problem – even if it is dry now.

Read more about mould here and mould, water damage and health here.

A dehumidifier is fabulous for occupant activity, but not ideal (without professional assessment) when there is something more going on, eg structural damage…

So, these factors would give you an indication that you should look beyond just drying out the room with a dehumidifier:

  1. You (or someone in your household) is unwell, and generally, your health improves when away from the home
  2. You have mould
  3. Your home (or parts of it) smell musty, mouldy, damp, dank or earthy
  4. Your clothes are always damp
  5. There is a history of water damage in your home
  6. You have a leak
  7. There is water under your house

Obviously, the above list does not cover everything. Mould is a serious problem, and it is a moisture issue. Addressing the source is paramount to resolving the issue.

Get in touch if you would like to discuss your situation.


(This post is intended to be informative, and not an infomercial. Given the gravity of biotoxin/mould-related illnesses, please understand that I do need to point out the limitations, and how you can action the situation.)

References

Aderholdt, J (3 August 2011) The Insulation Lab (Online) Available at http://www.ntcinsulation.com/the-insulation-lab/moisture-_psychrometrics_and_relative_humidity_-_their_effect_on_structure_and_air_quality (accessed 28 November, 2016)

Elkink, A and Pringle, T (2012) Building Basics: Internal Moisture Building Research Association of New Zealand, Porirua, New Zealand

ProAir (2011) Indoor Air Quality (Online) Available at http://www.proair.ie/the-technology/indoor-air-quality/3/ (accessed 28 November 2016)

#humidity #dehumidifier #mould #mold #waterdamage #indoorairquality

Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action

Lead Poisoning Prevention is Essential

This last week of October recognises the risk of lead poisoning in our lives – this is international Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action.

Lead was the cause of the downfall of the Roman empire and it has been recognised as the cause of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven health problems, loss of hearing and early death.

Yet lead abounds in our daily lives – primarily from its previous use in petrol, but also in paints, water pipes, leaded crystalware, lead-light/stained glass, sinkers, ammunition, and potentially even in the imported painted toys that your children may have. The LEAD Group (2012) also point out that it can also be found in flashing (an important consideration if you drink rainwater collected from your roof), kohl eye and lip pencils, old metal toothpaste tubes, radiation shielding in hospitals, some PVC products, leadshot, painted pre-1970 furniture, road marking paint, painted china and so on.

Given that most of us spends more than 90% of our time indoors, it is always important to consider potential hazards.

Another important point is that lead is sweet – so children and animals may lick, suck on or even consume paint.


I had a quick chat about Lead Poisoning Prevention with Elizabeth O'Brien from The LEAD Group, which you can watch here.

The Silent Epidemic

Elizabeth O'Brien took part in the 2016 Environmental Sensitivities Symposium. Here is an excerpt from her chapter in the 2016 Environmental Sensitivities Symposium: Text Book.

Even though most of us have never been tested for lead and therefore have not been diagnosed with lead poisoning, we are all exposed to lead in the modern world, and every microgram (millionth of a gram) of lead and even every molecule or atom of lead, does damage in the body.

If you have other risk factors (for example, family history) for any of the huge range of health effects of lead there’s virtually no chance that lead will be identified as one of the contributors or causes (Vella et al, 2014). Also, unless you suffer overt lead poisoning – an extremely high dose acute lead poisoning, the symptoms of typical modern chronic lead exposure may not show up until years, or decades, later.

Thus lead poisoning is known as “the silent epidemic.”

Therefore, the number one action that you can take today, is to organise a test with your doctor to assess your blood lead level. Obviously zero is the goal, but The LEAD Group advocated taking action to reduce exposure if your result is not below 1 microgram/decilitre.

Signs and Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

In Babies and Children

The Mayo Clinic (June 2014) list the following symptoms of lead poisoning

In newborns

  • Learning difficulties
  • Slowed growth

In children

  • Developmental delay
  • Learning difficulties
  • Irritability
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Sluggishness and fatigue
  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Hearing loss

In Adults

According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2016) list out the following signs and symptoms (for adults and children), but do point out that “some children or adults may not have any symptoms at all.”

Symptoms of acute lead poisoning:

  • Muscle pains
  • Fatigue
  • Abdominal pains
  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Coma

Symptoms of chronic lead poisoning:

  • Irritability
  • Lack of energy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Learning disabilities
  • Behavioural problems
  • Poor school performance
  • Poor coordination
  • Impaired growth

In Dogs

Dr Becker (1997-2016) lists the following signs of lead poisoning for dogs:

  • loss of appetite
  • colic (pain, inflammation, gas or discomfort in the colon)
  • vomiting
  • diarrhoea
  • constipation
  • anxiety
  • hysterical barking
  • jaw champing
  • salivation
  • blindness
  • problems with coordination and movement
  • muscle spams
  • convulsions
  • abnormal posture from severe muscle spasms
  • pressing the head against a wall

Please consult your vet immediately if you notice the symptoms.

 

#lead #leadpoisoning

References

Becker, Dr K (1997-2016) Signs and Symptoms of Lead Poisoning in Dogs (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/06/16/lead-poisoning-dogs.aspx

LEAD Group (4 June, 2012) Sources of Lead (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at http://www.lead.org.au/lasn/lasn006.html

Mayo Clinic (10 June, 2014) Lead Poisoning: Symptoms (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/basics/symptoms/con-20035487

O'Brien, E “Save Lives by Testing for Lead” in Curran, L (2016) 2016 Environmental Sensitivities Symposium: TextBook Building Vitality, Melbourne

Department of Health and Human Services, State Government of Victoria, Australia (2016) Lead Exposure and Poisoning (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/lead-exposure-and-poisoning

Hawthorn University Holistic Detoxification Presentation

Hawthorn University: Holistic Detoxification

Hawthorn University offer high level online training to health practitioners, predominantly naturopaths. So, I was thrilled to receive an invitation from Hawthorn University to present a webinar.

I have watched many of their webinars, which are available for free and are presented by highly respected people, so as you can imagine, getting an invitation from them was such an honour.

The topic which I presented on is, of course, so dear to my heart – Holistic Detoxification: How to Create a Healthy Home Which Supports Healing.

Too often I hear stories of people on the (expensive) merry-go-round of treatments, objects, supplements, drugs… when in many cases the cause is environmental and can easily be addressed by changing the environment.

I wanted to help students of natural therapies and practitioners understand more about this and avoid unnecessary treatments and delays.

In a nutshell, the topics that I covered in my webinar include:

  • why detoxification is so important
  • case studies
  • our built environment
  • hindrances to detoxification
  • action steps for your clients/patients
  • when to think of the environment

After the webinar, I was able to answer the questions asked by the audience – and they were such fabulous questions.

I would like to publicly thank Hawthorn University for the opportunity to present this webinar, all of the audience members, and everyone who has watched it since. What an honour!! 🙂

Hawthorn University Presentation

#hawthornuniversity #holisticdetoxification #buildingbiology #health

Water Damage Sources and More Information

Water damage can create massive issues for our homes and our health.

Sources of Water Damage

Water damage can occur as a result of many factors, here are some to consider:

water damage home

EXTERNAL

  • flooding
  • storm damage
  • rising damp
  • building design
  • building materials
  • damage to the roof
  • lack of adequate fall in the roofline
  • damaged gutters
  • blocked gutters
  • box gutters (and other internal gutters)

INTERNAL

  • condensation
  • overflowing gutters
  • structural damage eg holes in the roof, gaps between windows and walls, and so forth
  • occupant activities such as bathing, cooking, sleeping, perspiring, laundering and drying your clothes
  • lack of or damaged water proofing
  • lack of or damaged caulking, silicone or grout

Read more…

I have written more about the effects of water damage, and mould, on the Australasian Society of Building Biologists (ASBB) site.

This article begins:

As a building biologist, my primary role is to identify the possible cause of health complaints and then hunt out the hazards in a home. It is quickly evident when there are problems with indoor air and electromagnetic radiation. However mould and problems from water damage is far less obvious – except to a trained professional.

Many people don’t realise that materials that remain wet for more than 24 hours begin to become problematic.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s only water!” Something we all have said… and then left the spill to dry out naturally.

Although this is a common behaviour, it is something that needs changing…

 

As well, I have another post about it here on the Eco Health Solutions site. In this, I go into relevant signs and symptoms and have a list of references.

Here is that post: Mould Water Damage and Health

#mould #mold #water-damage

Lead Reducing Your Exposure

Lead tends to be ubiquitous…

Lead tends to be all around us – thanks to the lack of knowledge and understanding about its health effects.

Sources of contamination include:

  • lead paint
  • windows with leadlighting
  • petrol/fuel
  • smelting
  • fertilisers
  • slag from industry used as soil or landfill
  • dust in ceilings and wall cavities
  • solder on water pipes
  • fishing tackle/weights

What Can You Do?

Choosing a Home

Firstly, if you can avoid it – do so.

If you are looking to buy or rent a home that is near industry, please reconsider.

Renovating, Remodelling or Repainting

Make sure you test for the presence of lead in paints before any renovations or repainting. (If you missed this step, test it right away.)

Lead test kits are available from paint and hardware stores.

If you are doing any of these activities, then make sure you are wearing a disposable tyvek suit, gloves and a P1 respirator. Also be sure to keep pregnant women, young children and pets out of the way – lead poisoning can be deadly.

There are some more tips in the video below.

Babies, Children and Animals… Some Great Tips:

All three spend a lot of time on the ground, so make sure the following become part of your daily routine.

  • Introduce (and enforce) a no-shoe policy – this will prevent lead dust from entering your home
  • Wash paws and feet if they have been outside where there is possible lead contamination
  • Make sure you wash hands before every meal AND before (and after) toileting
  • Wet dust and mop your home, including sills and ledges – use sugar soap or detergent
  • If there is lead dust, then using a 3-bucket system*, as advocated by the LEAD Group
  • Ensure your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter, or is cyclonic
  • Consider where the painted toys are from – choose ones from Australia
  • Where there is bare soil, create barriers in play areas – such as mulch or play mats to prevent contact
  • Wash toys, dummies and so forth regularly

And a video


Here is the 3-Bucket System recommended by The LEAD Group.

lead


I personally don't like Step 5. Instead, I suggest finding another safe way to dispose of the water – ask your local council.

An alternative would be to clean with Bamboo Microfibre Cloths and dispose of them.


#lead #LEADGroup #ecohealthsolutions

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Indoor Air Pollution and Health

Indoor Air Pollution and Health

Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.

Immediate effects

Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable.

Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified.

The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and pre-existing medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, individual sensitivity determines whether a person reacts to a pollutant. Some people can become sensitised to biological pollutants and to chemical pollutants as well.

Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases. This can make it difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur.

If the symptoms fade when a person is away from home, an effort should be made to identify possible sources. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of fresh air. Fresh air can come from outside, heating, cooling, and ventilation systems within the home.

Long-term Effects

Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is so important to improve the indoor air quality in your home. This is the still the case even if symptoms are mild or barely noticeable.

While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants.

This is where getting a professional in to assess the situation can be helpful. It is important to determine the cause and what actions can be taken to remedy the situation.

eco health solutions fresh

10 Steps You Can Take To Improve The Indoor Air Quality of Your Home

Clean the air in your home your goal by both keeping outdoor pollution out and also by increasing the ventilation within your home by ensuring a thorough exchange the air on a daily basis.

  1. Make your home a shoe-free zone
  2. Ensure your home is smoke-free
  3. If you have a leaks, drips or water damage, attend to it immediately. Anything that is wet must be completely dried out within 24 hours – if not, mould remediators may be required
  4. Keep food in sealed containers – jars, tins – whether they be in the pantry or the fridge
  5. Dispose of rubbish, recycling and compost every single day
  6. Do the laundry regularly
  7. Avoid idling your car in the driveway or garage
  8. Close the windows during peak-hour traffic
  9. Avoid using anything that is scented, particularly scented candles, reeds and air fresheners
  10. If you have gas appliances, be sure that they are flued and vented to the exterior. If you have a gas stove, use an externally vented extractor fan.