Disclosure: Consideration has been provided for publishing this article. These are great reminders as we head into allergy season.

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If you or a family member has a persistent sneeze, cough, and general respiratory discomforts that are not responding to treatment, things in your home could be making you sick, specifically allergens such as molds and dust mites. These allergens usually have various hosts within your home that help them to thrive and grow. Explore four culprits and the ways they could be making you and your family ill.

Heating and Cooling Systems

Image via Flickr by DaynaT

HVAC systems can be major culprits for producing excess moisture in the home and inviting and harboring mold and bacteria. As your home’s air conditioning unit cools the home, traces of water left in the ducts become a haven and perfect breeding ground for microbes. Respiratory issues such as asthma, allergies, coughing, and headaches are often caused by bacterial growth.

Get your HVAC system’s air ducts cleaned professionally at least every two years and service your heating system to make sure it operates efficiently and cleanly.

Leaking Indoor Pipes

Leaking pipes that go undetected create the perfect environment for some unwelcomed guests to thrive, grow, and possibly affect the health of family members. Mold in the home (see below) can make life for those affected by it extremely miserable by triggering asthma or other allergy- induced breathing problems. Early detection and prompt correction of indoor leaks can help to alleviate the problem.

You may not suspect a leak has happened, so be sure to check all indoor pipes, the attic, closets, and basements. Clean and dry any leaking area and call a plumber for help.

Molds

Molds are fond of damp areas such as bathrooms, basements, grass, mulch, and places where leaks are present. Organic surfaces such as wood, drywall, and many other building materials are their favorite areas to thrive. Molds can grow on multiple surfaces and cause irritation when disturbed. According to the inviting and harboring mold and bacteria, “There is always some mold everywhere — in the air and on many surfaces.” Allergens produced by molds cause symptoms such as watery eyes, a runny nose, and itchy throat.

If their growth in the home remains unchecked, these allergens can cause family members to fall ill. Addressing leaks, other plumbing issues, damp areas, and areas with moisture around the home can stop the growth of mold.

Molds need about 24 to 48 hours with exposure to moisture to promote their growth. Surfaces in your home that remain wet for that time become an ideal host for mold growth.

Dust Mites

These tiny microscopic relatives of spiders live all over our homes, wherever there’s dust, and they feed off dead skin cells that we as well as our pets shed. A thorough cleaning of the home
will reduce the number of dust mites, but will never eliminate them. They thrive in warm and humid environments.

Use a damp cloth for dusting to trap as many dust mites as possible. Use your dehumidifier or air conditioner to maintain humidity of or below 50 percent.

Now that you know the things in your home that could be making your sick, take steps to combat the problems so that you can create a healthier home for everyone in your family.