Asthma and Allergies – Preventative Maintenance For Asthma and Allergy Sufferers

There are multiple ways you can minimize your suffering to Asthma and Allergies. They are really very simple and easy to implement. Maintenance is the answer to most problems and needs to be done on a regular basis. It is amazing how many problems I find during an Environmental Inspection that could have been prevented by the homeowner or renter. We will focus on the following areas:
1 Filtration
2 Chemicals
3 Moisture
4 Duct Work
5 Exterior
Filtration:
1. Look at your filter in place and see if air is bypassing the filter. You can tell that by dirt lines around the edges of the filter. If so, the filter is the wrong size or rated too high.
2. Check to see if the replacing filter changes the airflow of the system. It could be too high a rating.
3. Replace filter if it is affecting the airflow.
Chemicals:
1. Do not store any chemicals in your home. It is important that you properly dispose of any chemicals that have expired. Each City has a place to take expired chemicals and paints.
2. Always dispose of any chemicals that you don’t anticipate using before their expiration. Remember that chemicals slowly leak out the container via the air. A note to the consumer, once the seal is broken, it can leak into the air.
Moisture:
1. Check underneath all sinks for leaks or dripping faucets.
2. Look behind the toilets for leaking toilet or water supply lines. Is the exhaust fan exhausting properly to the outside.
3. Check the edges of the shower door around the bath/shower for any moisture or toxic mold.
4. Look at your ceiling on a regular basis for any moisture stains or visible toxic mold stains.
5. Check the attic and crawl spaces for any moisture or staining that can lead to toxic mold. Do you smell any musty odors in house?
Duct Work:
1. Check to see if any duct work is sweating with condensation on the exterior.
2. Check to see if any supply grills are sweating with condensation.
3. Check to see if any duct work is leaking.
Exterior:
1. Is there any pooling of water around the foundation? This is serious.
2. Keep the gutter system clean of leaves and debris.
3. Check gutter downspout extensions and make sure they are moving water away from the foundation.
4. After a rain storm, check for water pooling on window sills.
5. Check for cracks or any discoloration of the exterior walls. Fix cracks immediately.
If you have any questions about these matters, feel free to call us or visit our website.