Winter is one of the most important times of the year to look inward to our own home.
Especially when it comes to health risks. We’re all likely to spend a lot more time indoors, meaning that our exposure to health risks in the home is much greater. One risk that’s not often talked about is that of asthma.
Though the causes for asthma on an individual basis can be hard to pinpoint, there’s general agreement that environment has a big role to play. Here’s how your home might just be an asthma risk and what you can do about it.
Dust, debris, and air quality
While there are other causes, such as bronchiolitis, premature birth, and smoking during pregnancy, environment is known to be a significant cause of asthma. Excessive exposure to known asthma triggers can not only exacerbate the condition, but they can cause it as well.
This is why it’s essential to look at the air quality in your home. Do what you can to improve it. Ensuring good ventilation, making sure that dust doesn’t lie, and taking care of your HVAC, especially your air conditioner, can all help you maintain decent air quality in your home.
Watch what you burn
Fumes and smoke are a known asthma trigger. Living in a home where they are a common occurrence can be bad for your health in a wide variety of ways. Fuel-burning appliances like fireplaces and stoves tend to direct most of the fumes outwards. But there’s still some nitrogen dioxide that filters into the home that’s invisible and has no smell.
Even if you don’t sense it, however, it’s still a major irritant and asthma trigger. Replacing your hearth with an artificial fireplace might be a lot healthier in the long-run, even if it doesn’t quite feel the same.
How clean is clean?
One of the risks that many homeowners are becoming more aware of is the use of common household chemicals. Paints, soaps, bleaches, pesticides, and a wide variety of artificial cleaning supplies are full of ingredients that cause fumes that are highly irritating and known to be asthma triggers.
This includes bleach, which can easily be replaced by hydrogen peroxide. However, you should also be careful of soaps, shampoos, and detergents you use. They can contain highly abrasive fragrances that can do just as much harm.
Animal allergens in the home
Some exposure to animals, such as the household dog or cat, is thought to actually prevent the rise of allergies and asthma in later life. However, there are some that contaminate the air so badly that they are a risk that has to be eliminated.
We’re talking predominantly about pests. They leave dander, nesting material, urine, and droppings, all of which are terrible for air quality in the home. It’s important to call pest control on them as soon as you see any signs of their presence in the home. Beyond being a potential asthma risk, they may also carry a range of communicable diseases.
Moisture and mold do a world of harm
There are plenty of reasons to want to manage humidity in the home. The damage they can do to the walls, roof, and foundation is reason enough. If there’s mold and humidity, there’s likely to be a greater risk of water damage, too. Besides that, mold is one of the greatest risk factors in asthma and one of the most severe triggers. Equipping the house with a dehumidifier and hunting out all sources of leaks and damp is essential for the health of the home.
Preventing asthma directly
If asthma is a serious concern of yours, there are ways to directly prevent it, as well. Respiratory infections, such as the cold, can make you more vulnerable to asthma triggers, for one, so make sure you avoid close contact with people who have them.
Ensure you get your flu shot to protect yourself every year, as well. If you do have allergies, then immunotherapy allergy shots may help to prevent severe symptoms and stop preexisting asthma from getting worse. Ensuring a home that’s clean, hygienic and free from contaminants is the number one concern.
Your home isn’t likely to immediately make you sick unless lead, asbestos, and radon are significant threats (if they are, you should get them checked out.) However, managing the risks above can ensure that it’s not a long-term risk to you as well, so you can rest easy in your own home.
