7 Ways Your Office or Home Could Be Making You Sick

It may sound surprising, but your home or office can be making you sick. Your home or office could be harboring a wide variety of contaminants, chemicals, and hazardous materials that can be detrimental to your health.

Let’s look at seven ways your home or office could be making you sick and what you can do about it.

Plumbing Leaks

Plumbing leaks such as toilet leaks, water heater leaks, drain leaks, and many more can lead to serious health issues. These leaks create a moisture-rich environment, which is the ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew. Mold and other microbial growth can cause a range of respiratory issues, including nasal congestion, lung irritation, a runny nose, and many other symptoms. Besides, plumbing leaks can cause contamination of drinking water, leading to additional health problems. If you notice signs of plumbing leaks in your home or office, call an experienced plumber as soon as possible and have them repair your piping.

Insufficient Ventilation

Poor air circulation and insufficient ventilation can lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide, dust particles, VOCs, and other pollutants in your home or office, thereby leading to breathing problems. It’s important to keep your home or office well-ventilated through the use of ceiling fans, air filters, exhaust fans in bathrooms, and natural ventilation.

Fireplaces

If your fireplace does not have a proper ventilation system, it could be emitting irritants into your home. A fireplace relies on a good ventilation system to burn fuel properly and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s advisable to call heating system experts to inspect your fireplace from time to time.

Indoor Chemical Pollutants

Most chemical pollutants come from within the building. Materials such as carpeting, wood products, upholstery, copy machines, and cleaning agents emit volatile organic compounds, which are known to cause health problems. Some of the measures homeowners and companies can implement to eliminate indoor chemical pollutants include:

• Keep HVAC in good working condition
• Clean carpets regularly using HEPA vacuum cleaners
• Institute tobacco smoke restriction at home and at the workplace
• Use an air filtration system

Cleaning Supplies

Some cleaning supplies contain toxic compounds, which are known to cause respiratory problems, eye irritation, headaches, and many other health problems. It’s advisable to avoid cleaning products that contain the following compounds:

• Ethanolamines
• Alylphenol extholytes
• 2Butoxyethanol
• Citrus oil
• Dye
• Quaternary ammonium compounds

Hazardous Building Materials

Hazardous construction materials contain chemical substances that are harmful to humans. Examples of hazardous building materials that may be present in older and newer buildings include asbestos, lead, halogenated flame retardants, mercury, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorofluorocarbons, and radioactive sources. When hazardous building materials are disturbed, they can get into the human body through contact with the skin, ingestion, or inhalation. It’s advisable to hire a professional property inspector to inspect your home or commercial property to determine if there are any hazardous building materials.

Dirty Carpets

Dirty carpets in homes and offices are among the items that are commonly associated with respiratory problems, allergies, and skin diseases. Many people neglect to clean and care for the carpets in their homes and offices. Dirty carpets house everything from pollutants and grime to dust mites and mold spores, which can harm your health and reduce employees’ productivity. To keep your carpets clean, ensure you vacuum every day or every week, depending on the traffic, and schedule regular deep cleaning.

Looking for A Reliable Commercial Plumber? Call Neighborhood Plumbing for All of Your Plumbing Needs

Whether you’re in need of plumbing repairs, plumbing installations, or a plumbing inspection in your property, our residential and commercial plumbers at Neighborhood Plumbing are ready to help.