Home allergens 101 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 (sickbuildingsolutions.com) 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 101Air 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 cleanIn 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. Next: Home allergen hot spots >>Related articles:Clutter control: Get your home organizedStorage magic in 3 easy stepsTips and tricks for home organizingPage 1 of 2 Allergen hot-spots How clean is your bathroom? Take our quiz to find out.Home allergen hot-spotsIn your home, be wary of common allergen hot-spots. Art outlines the top four: 1 Condos: "Any room that has a small fan coil unit. These units are notorious for mould in the insulation," he says.How to fix it: Clean the unit referring to manufacturer's instructions, watching for dust, dirt and water build-up -- or call a professional for help. 2 Basement: "This is the worst room due to poor air exchange and water ingress. (Each room gets better going up floor by floor)" says Art. How to fix it: Control the moisture. Purchase a hygrometer at the hardware store to measure the humidity levels. If needed, invest in a good dehumidifier and fix any leaks right away.Check cement walls for mould, especially near the floor, ceiling and windows. Art recommends using Moldex, a dye- and fragrance-free spray solution to clean any signs of mould.3 Bedrooms: "Bedrooms are often a problem [for allergens] as many people sleep with the door closed and no window open," says Art.How fix it: Encourage air flow and control the dust. Clean or change the filter in your air-conditioner regularly. Wash pillows and flip and vacuum your mattresses every so often. 4 Bathrooms: "Bathrooms can be fine as many have fans connected to lights [to encourage air flow], but they often have mould due to the high moisture levels from showers," says Art.How fix it: Art encourages fans be left on for 20 minutes after a shower, with the door closed, if no window is opened. Ventilation is key to keeping this room dry and toxin-free. Scrub any signs of mould around grout or tiles. When it's time to call in the prosSome older or poorly-maintained homes are beyond a little bleach and elbow grease. Art recommends calling in professional services as soon as allergic symptoms do not seem to improve after improving ventilation and a good cleaning, or if extensive mould growth is found. Sick Building Solutions is located in Toronto, Ontario. They provide mould inspections and cleaning, growhouse inspections, remediation and indoor air quality control. For more information on Forsite-Pro or to book a building inspection, contact Sick Building Solutions: sickbuildingsolutions.comRelated articles:8 rules for buying containers5 tips for organizing a home officeOrganizing the bedroomfunction fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;} html .fb_share_link { padding:2px 0 0 20px; height:16px; background:url(http://static.ak.facebook.com/images/share/facebook_share_icon.gif?51:26981) no-repeat top left; }Share on FacebookPage 2 of 2