Is Your Home Making Your Family Sick?

Is your home making your family sick? Discover hidden contaminants that could impact your health and well-being.

Is Your Home Making Your Family Sick?

It’s not a nice thought to think that your living environment is making you and your family sick. But the reality is that for many people, living accommodation is doing exactly that. And that’s not to say that your home isn’t fit for habitation, far from it. Just that your living environment can accumulate contaminants that impact your health, and if you’re not aware of what these are, then you can’t fix the problem.

If you’re noticing recurring illnesses or symptoms, it’s worth investigating if it’s your home that is making you sick and how. Let’s take a look at a few more common symptoms and the potential causes behind them.

Ongoing Headaches and Fatigue

Occasional headaches are to be expected. But if multiple family members are getting recurring headaches at an increased frequency with no medical cause, then it might be your indoor air quality contributing to this issue.

Poor ventilation means carbon dioxide can build up, especially in rooms where windows aren’t opened regularly.

Or it could be an accumulation of VOCs from cleaning products, painting new furniture, or synthetic carpets.

These aren’t dramatic exposures, but they can be easy to miss. Air purifiers help here, as does opening windows, having a deep clean of soft furnishings, and switching to products that don’t contain contaminants that people in your household might be more sensitive to.

Persistent Allergy Symptoms

When you have allergy sufferers at home, life can be pretty miserable if they are constantly exposed to triggers.

Seasonal allergies are a big culprit here. And if they’re not getting any relief indoors, then it’s likely your home environment is either contributing to the problem or is the source of the allergen entirely. Mold is a common allergen impacting air quality and can trigger a response similar to seasonal allergies within the home. Or it can be dander from pets or an allergy to dust, making things worse. 

This is where air purifiers can be extremely beneficial. But honestly, are air purifiers worth it? Using purifiers with HEPA filters means you can filter out almost all allergens easily and help sufferers breathe easier and relax at home.

Poor Sleep

There are numerous reasons why people don’t sleep well at home. From an uncomfortable mattress and pillow to the wrong temperature in the room, sound issues, or even health problems. But if you have eliminated all other causes and the problem persists, then it can be down to your air quality.

Elevated CO2 levels in a room can reduce sleep quality, and allergens in the air can irritate nasal passages, disrupting breathing when sleeping. Even low levels of mold in the bedroom can be disruptive if you’re sensitive to it.

It’s worth checking the air quality in your bedroom and opening windows or ensuring vents are clean and clear so air can circulate properly, and you can introduce fresh air to the room to help you improve your sleep quality.

Skin or Eye Irritation

Anyone suffering from hayfever or other seasonal allergies will know how uncomfortable skin and eye irritation are from allergens. If this is happening at home, it might be that your home is experiencing low humidity, which is drying out your skin or eyes. It might be mold exposure or dust spores that are triggering sensitive skin, resulting in eczema flare-ups or even conjunctivitis. If you’ve ruled out anything else as the cause, then your air quality is the next thing you should be looking at.