People with allergies may be more sensitive to mold than others. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), black mold exposure can cause the following types of health problems: Allergy and irritation To learn more about how Pillar To Post Home Inspectors can help you and your clients, visit. Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is committed to ensuring confident home ownership. The presence of these materials may also need to be included in disclosure forms when selling a home, so special attention is warranted in these situations. Professionals will have the proper training, safety equipment, procedures and disposal methods to safely deal with these substances. Whatever the conclusion, these are definitely not DIY projects. Designating the home as non-smoking will go a long way toward limiting not only the dangers of second-hand tobacco smoke but also how the smoke affects the indoor air quality.Īsbestos and lead do not normally cause problems if they’re left undisturbed, but these hazardous substances should be analyzed by a qualified professional to determine if sealing, abatement or removal is warranted. Over the years, it can be absorbed by wall, floor and ceiling materials and may need to be professionally removed. In this situation, using attic or window fans and opening windows when weather permits are easy and inexpensive ways to increase ventilation.īesides particulates and an unpleasant odor, tobacco smoke has another insidious way of affecting a home. Many newer homes in particular are so well sealed that only a very limited amount of fresh air can get in. These include tobacco smoke, cleaning products and moisture buildup. It’s also a good idea to have heating and cooling ducts cleaned every few years.įor many other offending substances, improving ventilation is a key means of decreasing indoor pollution. In some cases, eliminating the specific sources of indoor pollution is all that is necessary for example, removing carpets and repairing faulty furnaces. Source control is usually the most effective way to improve indoor air quality. Individuals can react very differently to indoor air pollutants, which can make it complicated to pinpoint the causes of symptoms. It can sometimes take years for substances to build up to problem levels, and the home’s occupants won’t even know it. People living in sick houses are often unaware of their situation because air quality conditions usually worsen over time. Mold spores are released into the air and can also travel throughout the home via heating and cooling ductwork, so what seems like a localized problem can actually be spreading all through the house. In addition, a buildup of moisture can cause mold, which can grow uncontrolled and undetected inside walls, attics, crawlspaces and other areas. Pets can be affected too.Ĭommon sources of indoor pollution include tobacco smoke, certain carpeting and flooring materials, furnaces and fireplaces, pressed wood cabinets and furniture, and household cleaning products. Young children, the elderly and some chronically ill persons are most susceptible to the effects of Sick House Syndrome. Sick House Syndrome occurs when a house can’t “breathe” and rid itself of indoor pollutants, resulting in poor indoor air quality-a “sick house.” Inadequate ventilation allows these pollutants to build up, causing potential health risks to the home’s occupants.
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