Tag: indoor air quality

4 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality

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ways to improve indoor air quality

Being indoors doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe from allergens or that you’re surrounded by good air quality. You still might have to deal with a myriad of other indoor allergies caused by dust mites, animal dander and, of course, mold. If you’re allergic to any of these, your reactions might include sneezing, stuffiness, a runny nose or an itchy throat. These allergens can also cause a reaction in people with asthma. However, you can counter these allergies by bettering your indoor air quality. Here are some helpful ways to improve indoor air quality from the experts at RestoPros!

1. Clean Up

The most effective way you can improve the indoor air quality of your home is by cleaning up frequently. Here are some things to remember when trying to keep your home clean:

  • Vacuum Often

Chemicals, allergens and pollutants are bound to enter your home and accumulate in the dust. Take some time every weekend to vacuum everything up to get rid of dust, pet dander or other toxins and allergens that could cause problems.

  • Mop Up Too

Mopping up helps clear up any dander that the vacuum did not pick up. Instead of using chemical solutions or cleaners, use plain water.

  • Take off Your Shoes

Your shoes and boots bring in pollutants, pesticides and dirt. Don’t bring your shoes inside – or wear them on your carpet. Use a shoe rack to keep your shoes neatly stacked away to prevent dirt from sneaking its way into your home.

  • Change the Sheets

Sheets that have not been changed for long have dead skin, dust mites and allergens all over them. Remember to change and clean your sheets every two weeks.

2. Maintain Humidity

Keeping your home’s humidity at a reasonable level prevents mold from infesting your home. Mold is a fungus that needs moisture and damp environments to survive. One of the best ways to prevent mold (and other indoor allergens) is to control the moisture and humidity in your home. You can do this by investing in a dehumidifier, which removes excess humidity from your home. Keep your home’s humidity between 30-50 percent.

3. Improve Air Flow

Don’t block any return vents in your home and let fresh air in. Opening windows will ensure that any toxic chemicals and pollutants don’t accumulate in your home. However, if opening windows adds to the problem by bringing pollen in, keep your AC system well-filtered and well-functioning. Your AC filter should be changed every three months. If you have furry occupants in your home, you might have to change it more often.

4. Groom Your Pets Regularly

As much as we love our pets, they can sometimes create a mess in our home. They’re adorable but a little clumsy and bad at keeping themselves clean. If they spend a lot of time outside, they might often bring in mites, insects, mold spores and dirt into your home, in addition to bringing in excess fur. Pet dander is one of the most common causes of allergies so it’s best to groom them regularly to prevent allergies and bad indoor air quality. How often you clean your pet depends on several factors such as their breed, coat type and how dirty they are.

Keep Your Home Allergen and Mold-Free with RestoPros

If you want more tips to improve your indoor air quality and prevent allergens such as mold, get in touch with the experts at RestoPros. Our team serves the great DFW Metroplex as a leading mold and water remediation company – dedicated to making sure our customers are treated with professionalism and respect. Call us today at 855-587-3786 or schedule an appointment online!

How to Avoid 4 Health Problems Caused by Mold

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health problems caused by mold

Have you recently been experiencing watery eyes or a slightly stuffy nose? Resist the urge to look these symptoms up on WebMD because you’ll only scare yourself. Instead, you might want to inspect your house for mold—your body could be reacting to it. Mold is a type of fungus that grows particularly in areas with excess moisture and spreads via microscopic spores, sometimes ending up indoors. It can be a nuisance in addition to being harmful to your health, especially if you are susceptible to allergies. We know this all sounds a little worrying but if you do your research and take the proper precautions, you will be fine. For your knowledge and safety, the professionals at RestoPros have created a quick guide on how to avoid health problems caused by mold.  

Worsening of Asthma

 21 percent of the current asthma cases in the United States are attributed to dampness and mold in the home. Mold spores inhaled by people with asthma can cause the airways in the lungs to constrict and produce more mucus. Reactions to this can include shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing.

How to Avoid It

While asthma is a life-long disease, one of the ways you can manage it is by limiting your exposure to certain things that might trigger your asthma, such as mold spores. Some ways you can do this:

  • Use DIY mold cleaning products in your bathroom, kitchen or other areas prone to mold. It’s a great alternative to products containing bleach that can be toxic for your health and can trigger asthma in some people.  You can mix baking soda or vinegar with water to create non-toxic, asthma friendly, mold cleaners. When buying asthma friendly products, look for the green seal of approval on products.
  • Include exhaust fans in your home to ensure proper ventilation.
  • Use a dehumidifier or humidity monitor that indicates humidity levels in the home. Be sure to keep humidity levels below 50 percent.
  • It’s difficult to avoid mold spores outside but try to stay away from areas where mold counts are high such as parks and gardens. If you must be outside, wear an allergy mask.
  • Skin Irritations

While there is a weak link between exposure to mold and excessive skin irritation, some organizations such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention still consider skin irritation as a symptom  of exposure to mold, albeit a less common one.

How to Avoid It 

  • According to the American Academy of Dermatology, outdoor allergens such as pollen and mold spores could trigger Eczema in some children who already have it. If your child’s Eczema flares up when outdoor mold counts are high, try to limit their time outdoors. Also, keep your child off the lawn a couple of hours after it has been mowed.
  • Antihistamines are good for symptoms of allergy such as sneezing and itching. Zyrtec and Benadryl are some of the most common antihistamines taken to reduce allergy symptoms. You can also try applying calamine lotion to relieve any skin irritation. Read all the directions before you take any medications and consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns.
  • Take an oatmeal bath! Sure, it might be a little messy but it’s good for relieving irritated skin. You can either take the DIY route by making your own oatmeal powder, or you can purchase Oatmeal bath treatment kits from a pharmacy.
  • Sinusitis or Sinus Infection

Inhaling allergens can lead to the inflammation of the sinuses leading to a sinus infection. Signs of this condition are nasal stuffiness, sinus headaches and fever. A more serious version of this is allergic fungal sinusitis, which is the swelling of the sinuses after fungus comes into contact with the sinuses. Some people with allergic fungal sinusitis might need surgery to remove fungal debris from the sinuses.

How to Avoid It

  • Do saline rinses to keep your sinuses clean. You can purchase saline solutions from your local pharmacy or make your own saline solution.
  • Stay away from sugary foods– fungus feeds on sugars. Try this anti-fungal diet instead.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
  • Eat fish oil tablets to strengthen your immune system.
  • Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a condition caused by an allergic reaction to certain dusts you inhale, leading to the inflammation of the lungs. It is also called Farmer’s Lung as it is common amongst farmers and cattle workers who breathe in allergens from mold on hay. There is also something known as mold-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which can be caused by contaminated humidifiers and ventilation and even areas with water damage. Symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis include chest tightness, dry cough, shortness of breath and chills.

How to Avoid It

  • Thoroughly clean out your ventilation systems.
  • Make it a goal to be active for 30 minutes a day. Go for a jog, a brisk walk or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Exercising can help your metabolism and increase the efficiency of oxygen transportation in your body.
  •  Eat foods that are known to reduce inflammation. Some examples are green tea, turmeric, leafy greens and blue berries.

These might be great preventative solutions, the best way to avoid health problems caused by mold is by removing exposure to the mold. If you think your house might have a mold problem call RestoPros at 855-587-3786 or schedule an appointment on our website. With years of experience and a dedicated team, we’ll make sure your home is mold-free.

Mold and IAQ (Indoor Air Quality)

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We all know mold can be damaging to our homes. But what happens if we inhale it? After all, mold is a type of fungus, and fungus can be full of bacteria and contaminants that would be dangerous to inhale. So, it’s not uncommon to wonder the possible effects of breathing in mold.

However, to answer this question, we must first find the correlation between mold and your IAQ (indoor air quality). The experts at RestoPros have been helping Dallas/Ft. Worth homeowners deal with the effects of mold for years; read below for our thoughts on how to approach spores in the air.

Can Mold Affect Your IAQ?

When mold has infested your home, it’s next objective is to reproduce. This is done by spawning mold spores that then travel through the air to find a new home. Once they’ve found a suitable place to grow, they attach themselves to the surface and begin “planting” new mold. With these spores traveling through the air, this creates a possible correlation between mold and IAQ.

So, can these mold spores affect your IAQ? The answer depends on amount of mold in your home. In small amounts, mold spores generally won’t have any effect on your IAQ, provided you clean it immediately.  The larger the infestation however, the more spores are produced. And with an abundance of spores in the air, your IAQ can be affected negatively.

This is due to the confined space of your home. Generally, mold spores don’t affect people as much outdoors. But within a tighter enclosure such as your home however, the allergens and irritants in the spores have a greater probability of contact. This can affect your IAQ, and trigger allergy symptoms as well as leading to sickness.

Spores aren’t the only way mold can affect you, however. Other molds, such as black mold, also produce mycotoxins. These are toxic substances that can also cause allergy triggers and sickness. But with the vast types of mold that can grow in your home, it would be useless to try and identify black mold. Therefore, it’s important to treat all mold the same.

What are the Effects of Breathing In Mold?

So, what happens if you inhale these mold spores or mycotoxins? Most of the time, it won’t be anything severe. You may experience allergy symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, sinus headache, or other types of congestion.

However, these symptoms may increase in severity for those with weaker immune systems or an allergy to mold. Mold can be devasting if you have a condition such as a lung disease, as inhaling it can lead to a serious infection. Mold can also trigger asthma symptoms to those who suffer from the condition. Additionally, if you’re allergic to mold, the original symptoms can exacerbate. Therefore, it’s best for people with existing respiratory problems, weaker immune systems, and mold allergies to stay away from mold as much as possible.

It is important you know the correlation between mold and IAQ, as well as the effects of breathing mold. And if you have discovered mold infesting your home, contact RestoPros immediately. Give us a call at 855-587-3786 for affordable mold remediation services from Dallas/Ft. Worth’s leading experts.

Why are Allergies Worse in the Fall?

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Why are Allergies Worse in the Fall?People deal with allergies and allergy-like symptoms year-round.  But for many of us, Fall is when the harshest allergies seem to make their strongest attack.  When certain agents (pollen, dander, mold spores, etc) are inhaled or come into contact with the skin, the body can produce histamines which react in the form of swelling, rashes, or inflammation in the sinuses (among other symptoms).  Histamine blocking medicines are usually called upon to stop this, but there are other ways to deal with your fall allergies, staying away from allergens in the first place.

Source of Fall Allergies

The worst allergies are triggered by a plant commonly known as ragweed.  Pollen from any plant can induce an allergic reaction or even a simple sneezing fit, but ragweed is extremely potent.  Its pollen can travel for hundreds of miles and is spread across large portions of the nation.  If it’s early fall and you’re having sinus trouble, ragweed is a likely suspect.

But ragweed and pollinating trees are not the only source of mild to severe allergies in the fall.  Mold spores, which can lodge themselves in sinus passages or your lungs, are another source of allergic reactions, sinus irritation, and breathing difficulty during the fall.  These spores aren’t just from mold growing in your home either.  There’s an increase in mold spores during the fall due to fallen leaves, dead grass, and other decaying vegetation.

Mold is part of the Earth’s natural process for breaking down biomass.  As plants enter their dormancy period, large quantities of vegetation are left to be broken down by microbes and mold.  That fancy landscaping job you have around your home may be great during the spring and summer, but during the fall you’re likely to run into allergy issues from pollen and mold spores.

How to Fight Mold Allergens

In short, keep mold spores outside.  Taking a proactive approach to dealing with spores is the best way to prevent allergy attacks throughout the fall season.

  • Remove jackets as soon as you enter the home to keep from tracking mold spores throughout the home
  • Wear a mask while raking leaves, mowing the lawn, or doing yard work (and change clothes as soon as you’re done)
  • Have a HEPA filter installed in your home to filter out the worst contaminants
  • Vacuum floors, upholstery, and curtains regularly during the fall
  • Watch the weather for high pollen and mold counts, and keep the windows closed on high-count days
  • Air out your home on days when the pollen and mold count is low
  • Use a dehumidifier to dry out the air, limiting potential mold growth

If you’ve tried all of these things, then there’s a chance the problem is hiding somewhere inside your home.  Take a look around for common trouble spots or signs of places mold could be hiding.  If you haven’t found anything and are still worried that there may be an infestation, call a professional to inspect your home.  Mold is no joke.  It’s hazardous to your health and can lead to damages that are expensive to repair if left unchecked.  Even a small infestation can be a huge irritation.  It’s better to spend a little to find a small infestation than to wait until the damage becomes visible and expensive.

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Get Mold out of your Air Conditioner

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Get Mold out of your Air ConditionerIf you’ve noticed increased allergies whenever you turn on your HVAC or furnace, it might be a sign that there’s a mold infestation hidden within your ventilation system.  While mold that’s hiding in walls, corners, and carpets can be hazardous to your health, exposure is, though only for the moment, limited to the room where the mold is contained.  Ventilation mold isn’t limited.  The second your fan kicks on, harmful spores are being distributed throughout the building.

In addition to being a major health concern, mold growth in your climate control system poses a risk to the HVAC and furnace units themselves.  Mold growth can lead to costly future repairs and even if it doesn’t, the longer you leave it unattended, the more expensive clean up can become.

How to Remove Mold from your AC System, Furnace, and Vents

Conduct a thorough inspection first.  Look at cooling units, the furnace surfaces, piping, and the insides of ventilation ducts to find the mold.  Any pooling water or damp surfaces should be examined and dried out.  Follow water to its source and repair any leaks or drips.  Clean out condensation lines to allow for proper drainage.

Contact a professional to have large-scale mold infestations removed from the system.  The entire unit needs to be cleaned and dried out to prevent a resurgence of mold after remediation.  If the infestation is minor, clean the surface with warm water and detergent, then dry all surfaces.  Replace the air filter to remove the last traces of spores and mold in your system.

Follow up any cleaning with the proper prevention techniques.

How to Prevent AC and Furnace Unit Mold

  • Have your system inspected and maintained regularly. Most HVAC professionals recommend getting a major maintenance done annually for each unit.  That means a maintenance in the spring and one in the fall.
  • Improve or clean out the drainage systems for your unit. All HVAC and furnace units have drip pan or condensation line to remove condensing water and drain it away from the unit.  If you notice pooling water, this line has likely become too clogged to allow for proper drainage.
  • If the mold growth was due to increased humidity in your home, invest in a dehumidifier to lower the average humidity in your home. Adding fans or space heaters to especially humid rooms will help to keep them drier as well.
  • Consult a professional to make sure your home is insulated properly. Improper insulation can lead to condensation collecting on other surfaces, which will feed mold spores and cause them to take root within ventilation ducts, crawl spaces, or sealed areas.

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