Reduce Your Child’s Risk of Asthma

Over six million children in the U.S. have asthma. Medical studies have shown that long-term exposure to mold in your home can double your child’s risk of developing asthma. But there are some solutions to prevent and reduce mold in your home. Molds are fungi – plant-like organisms that grow outside or indoors. Inside your home, molds grow in damp areas, like your kitchen, bathrooms or basement. Molds produce millions of spores that can become airborne in your home. When your child breathes in these spores, it can cause an allergic reaction that may develop into asthma due to respiratory irritation. The odor of household mold has been found to increase a child’s risk of developing asthma by about 2.5 times. Musty odors can also cause nose, eye and throat irritation.

If you have children, it’s important to be aware of the potentially harmful effects of long- term exposure to mold and its link to asthma, so you can take preventative measures to reduce your children’s risks. Some ways you can control mold growth in your home include:

•  Keeping humidity levels low (no higher than 50%) throughout the day by using a dehumidifier.

•  Ensuring your bathroom, laundry and kitchen are properly ventilated. Exhaust fans and clothes dryers should be vented outside your home.

•  Promptly fix any leaks in your roof or walls, or around pipes or windows, to keep mold from growing.

•  Thoroughly clean and dry areas after flooding, preferably within 24 to 48 hours. Get rid of carpets or upholstered furniture that becomes wet and can’t be promptly dried.

•  Use mold-killing products to clean bathrooms.

•  Install a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter on your central air conditioning unit to help trap mold spores and keep them from circulating in your home’s air.

•  Have your air ducts cleaned by T. J.’s Chimney Service of Greenfield, IN.

Duct cleaning can help remove mold spores as well as dust, pet dander and other debris clogging your air ducts. While the Environmental Protection Agency says there’s not enough evidence to support the claim that duct cleaning can prevent asthma, it does recommend that you have your home’s air ducts cleaned if substantial visible mold is growing inside your ducts or on other parts of your heating and cooling system. Contact T.J.’s Chimney Service to schedule your air duct cleaning appointment today.