Breathe a bit easier
ALWAYS open a window when cleaning or decorating to ensure there is adequate ventilation, so any pollution can escape outside. Allergy UK (allergyuk.org) points out that house dust mites need moisture, and ventilation will reduce humidity. Generally, opening windows, particularly in the bedroom, will ensure good air flow throughout the house, and help expel pollution created by heating and cooking.
“Keeping homes as well ventilated as possible to reduce the build-up of moisture from bathing and drying laundry can help,” says Dr Hopkinson. purifier continually, as per the manufacturer’s instructions, can help to reduce/remove airborne allergens such as house dust mites, mould spores, dander, VOCs and smoke.
POLLUTANTS like house dust mites and pet dander can settle on floors and furniture, so Allergy UK recommends carpets are kept clean using a vacuum with efficient pick up and filtration, hard floor surfaces are washed with hot, soapy water, and soft furnishings are washed regularly on a hot wash cycle. In kitchens and bathrooms, Allergy UK recommends householders use water-resistant grouting for tiled areas, applied flush with the work surface to eliminate any chances of mould, which can cause respiratory problems.
COOKERS, heaters, stoves and open fires can release pollutants into your home, warns the BLF. They can release particulate matter (PM) – microscopic particles of dust and dirt in the air – and gases including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide.
Even when you cook with gas or electricity, tiny easily-inhaled particles are released, particularly when cooking with gas, which can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and oxides of nitrogen.
Make sure the house is wellventilated and gas heaters and cookers have a flue, chimney, or other vent that releases the polluted air outside.
COVER houseplant soil in plant pots with pea shingle, to stop mould settling and forming, says Allergy UK.
CANDLES and incense sticks emit particles and other pollutants when they burn. According to the BLF, incense sticks emit more than 100 times the number of fine particles than a candle does. However, while one candle in a room can substantially increase the particle concentration in the air while it’s burning, over a 24-hour period, the increase is minimal.
Scented candles emit small amounts of formaldehyde and VOCs but if only used occasionally, they’re unlikely to pose much of a health risk.
BURNING wood and coal in a stove or on an open fire releases particulate matter. The BLF says this can irritate your nose and throat, giving you a cough or breathing problems.
If you must burn coal or wood, says the BLF, make sure the chimneys are inspected and swept regularly by a HETAS-qualified sweep. Avoid buying a wood-burning stove or using an open fire if someone in your household has a lung condition.
Install alarms for both smoke and carbon monoxide, and check the batteries regularly.
RADON is a natural colourless and odourless radioactive gas that comes from rocks and soil. The radon level in air outside is very low, but it can be higher inside poorly-ventilated buildings, and high levels can cause lung cancer.
If your home is affected, UKradon (ukradon.org/information/ reducelevels) has a tool to help you decide whether you need to reduce the level and how – methods include creating a sump pit under the house, or introducing special types of ventilation.