When something breaks down in your home, you’re likely to go through the process of repairing or replacing it. So why aren’t we thinking this way when it comes to indoor air quality? We spoke with Tony Muscat of Inch by Inch Healthy Homes, a mould inspection and environmental company, about the dangers of poor indoor air quality and what we should be doing to improve our living spaces.
Lack of clean, fresh air can make us sick
It’s not uncommon to experience cold and flu symptoms during the winter season, but Muscat says when his clients will experience these symptoms for prolonged periods of time, he begins to suspect it’s not the cold weather that’s causing the illness.“The government wants us to improve the efficiency of our home with insulation and windows, but we’re not really changing the air,” he says. “We’re not actually introducing a change of air daily or weekly.” Mould growth can be the culprit, and lack of fresh air circulating in your home is what’s causing it. Muscat suggests opening a window to circulate fresh air throughout your home.
Mould growth is becoming more apparent in homes
Muscat says he’s noticing more and more internal mould growth in newer homes because there is no change or transfer of air. The winter months are not an ideal time to be opening windows, but this is one way to exchange the air in your home. For homes that are equipped with a heat recovery ventilator system, a device designed to eliminate humidity and provide a steady flow of fresh air into a home, Muscat says they often go unused. That’s because homeowners don’t know how to use or properly maintain them, therefore they sit idle.
What’s a heat recovery ventilator anyway? Take a look:
The solution depends on what’s causing the problem
For over 15 years, Inch by Inch Healthy Homes has conducted air quality tests for homeowners to identify why mould is building up in their home. Muscat says homes that have been flooded at some point or experienced even a small water leak may see mould growth if the water sat untouched for awhile and didn’t fully dry. A thorough mould inspection will determine the level of mould and the right solutions to rectify the problem, including monitoring humidity and changing furnace filters every two to three months. “It depends on the level of mould,” he says.
There’s never a bad time to give your home a check-up. Inch by Inch Healthy Homes can assess your home’s indoor air quality and improve your home environment. Contact Absolute Mould Remediation for a mould inspection.
