It comes on like an itch—the need to turn your cosy winter home into a breath of fresh air, and for good reason! As our tightly-sealed homes kept the cold air out for months, many of us have been bottled up with indoor air contaminants all winter long.
Think that itchy skin was just the dry air? How about the weird "cold" your kid has every morning, or your mystery migraine after a few hours of TV in the basement? According to Art Robinson, president of Sick Building Solutions these all could be symptoms of allergic reactions to contaminants in the air. "Other symptoms vary as the response of the individual varies to given stimuli," he explains.
Home allergens 101
Air contaminants can enter the home from the outside such as dust, pollen, vehicle exhaust, mould and mildew. But they can also come from inside your home: VOCs ("volatile organic compounds") emitted from elevator motors, office equipment, paint, furnishings and even cleaning products.
Is your health in danger? Keep a close eye on strange symptoms that appear when inside areas of your home. "Reactions of the body to the allergens is probably the most accurate predictor of problems," says Art. "If symptoms clear up within 20 minutes of leaving the building, a BRI is usually the problem (Building Related Illness)."
While he says preventative measures are often case-specific—depending on the home itself and sensitivity of the inhabitants—the lack of fresh air and fresh air exchange is often the culprit of home allergens. So crack open those air-tight windows and invest in a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system if you own your own home. "HRVs are an energy-efficient way of improving your 'Indoorvironment'," says Art.
Keep it clean
In general, keeping your home dust- and mould-free using natural, fragrance-free products is a step in the allergy-free direction. For the best protection in new homes and renovations, Art highly recommends treating surfaces with Forsite-Pro—a natural, non-allergenic formula made with anti-microbial silver ions. "It's non-toxic, environmentally safe, has no odour and the only thing on the market guaranteed to keep the mould out for 20 years," he says.
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