Asthma is considered to be one of the World’s largest health problems. Official data suggests that from 16 to 20% of all Canadian and U.S. citizens suffer from this malady. What is more alarming, is that these numbers increase with every passing year. Asthma has issued us a challenge!
Unfortunately, medical treatments for asthma have not seen much progress in the recent years. Doctors still prescribe inhalators and pills as a way to manage an existing condition. However, most medical specialists still agree that prevention is the most efficient strategy to avoid asthma. While our health care system does not heavily involve itself with disease prevention, the responcibility of keeping your family safe from allergies lies in your own hands. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves”. But do not despair if you are unsure how to tackle this difficult issue. Let us help! My 30-plus years of experience in the fields of Duct and Carpet cleaning, in addition to the medical training that I have received while working as a doctor in the Soviet Union, give me special insight into this issue. Let me share my knowledge with you, by summarizing the most efficient ways of preventing asthma!
First and foremost, trust your own nose!
If, while in your basement, you notice smells of rotting or mould, it’s time to be concerned! Mold can be extremely hazardous. Even healthy people can start developing severe allergic symptoms in the presence of moulds, including coughing, difficulty breathing, and nausea.
Follow these steps to identify the source of the smell:
- Check your drainage pipes for clogging.
- Check for contamination in your humidifier. Make sure to close it up during the summer, when it is not being used.
- Check to make sure that it’s condensation tube is directed into a drain.
- Check to make sure that your rugs and carpets are dry. If you notice that they are damp, they need to be dried immediately, by an IICRC Institute approved specialist. Make sure that a truck-mounted system is used to dry your carpets, as only such a system can provide sufficient drying power.
- Open your windows, and air out all your rooms.
- We recommend that you only use commercial low pile carpets in the basement, as they do not attract humidity.
- During summer seasons, make sure to use a dehumidifier. It is a must-have product for every basement.
- Check your drywall for any signs of dampness. Make sure you do not let your builder’s company to finish off the coating on the drywall, before it is completely dry.
Carpets, carpets all around!
Carpeting is one of the great American inventions of the 20th century. Convenient, comfortable, inexpensive. Most importantly, carpets are also great heat and sound insulators. Unfortunately, in some cases they may also serve as a home to various pests. Microscopic dust mites and tiny silverfish worms are just at the top of the list. Carpets contaminated with nutritious protein from dropped food, in such establishments as restaurants and sports clubs, create perfect breeding grounds for these disease carriers. Canadian and American Lung Associations recommend that carpets in restaurants are cleaned on a monthly basis, while household carpets should be cleaned at least once per year. Most importantly, to guarantee the best results and avoid damage, it is recommended that your carpets are cleaned only by professionals. Proper pressures and thermal treatment of your carpet is possible only with truck-mounted equipment. The choice of a correct disinfectant solution is also very important. Only after such a cleaning would you be able to breathe and sleep easy. Lastly, make sure not to purchase cheap, foreign-made wool carpets from department stores. On the reverse side of such carpets you should notice glued seams. Such heavy industrial glue is a potent allergen by itself.
Join us in our battle for cleaner air!
Here is a real-life example that I have recently encountered. A young family from Russia, who recently immigrated to Canada, settled into an old house in Rosedale neighborhood. Their 14-year old son was a perfectly healthy rising hockey star. Yet, upon moving into the house, he quite literally started to suffocate. The doctors prescribed the usual inhalators, which subdued the symptoms, but only for a short while. After some time and further consideration, the doctor finally recommended to clean out all of the potential sources of the allergens in the house: the air ducts, carpets and curtains. When we arrived at the house, the first thing we did is open up the ventilation filter. We could hardly believe our eyes! The entire ventilation system was filled with dog hair and the filter has not been changed for decades. Before proceeding any further, our technicians had to equip themselves with protective masks! It turned out that previous owners of the house were an elderly couple who owned a long-coated dog. Using our powerful truck-mounted equipment, we hauled out all of the junk from the ventilation system, cleaned and disinfected the now cross-contaminated carpets and ducts. Three days later, we have learned that the boys asthmatic symptoms have disappeared completely! The recovery was so quick and certain that it resembled a miracle!
Don’t let your house be an inspiration for a similar modern-day horror story! Change the filters of your ventilation systems on a regular basis! It is recommended that ventilation filters are changed every four month, while humidifier filters should be changed every autumn.
Here at Comfort Clean, we recommend filters from “3M Canada”. This filter has served us well over the years, and it is the only brand of filters that is recommended by Canadian Lung Association. The cost of these filters may range from $20 to $25, depending on the size. While electronic filters may provide a similar level of protection, they are more expensive, and require maintenance, and some technical savvy. Furthermore, don’t forget that your cars have air filters as well, which require regular exchange. Lastly, don’t be tempted to buy cheap used-furniture store sofas. Avoid them even if you are getting them for free. In most cases, they are teeming with allergens, and the damage to your health might end up more costly.
To summarise, a clean environment is the best way to prevent many respiratory illnesses. I hope that my suggestions will be helpful to you. Even if asthmatic symptoms of a single person are alleviated by my suggestions, I’ll consider my mission complete.