Are radiators your saviour for drying washing? Doctors advise you are damaging your health!

How to keep the air in your home clean, safe and breathable

It's a scary fact, but in modern society our indoor air quality can be even worse than outside! We try to keep our buildings air-tight and energy efficient, but poor ventilation is making our homes stagnant and filled with pollutants, excess moisture and mould. Do you dry your clothes indoors or hang a few on the radiator to dry them a bit faster? Of course you do, we all do it. Sadly, this simply and profoundly innocent task can lead to a serious health risk. Drying your washing indoors, as much as it is convenient sometimes it isn’t convenient for your health and it can cause moisture levels to rise indoors by a massive 30%. With rising moisture levels also comes rising mould spores because the ideal breeding ground for mould spores to grow has been achieved. Experts are mostly concerned about Aspergillus fumigatus spores because there has been a rising number of patients admitted which have required treatment after inhaling them. Spores can cause you harm, mostly in the form of nasty lung infections such as pulmonary aspergillosis which can unfortunately cause irreparable and fatal damage to your lungs and sinuses. Many people actually suffer from this without being aware why. Doctors are now advising people to dry their wet washing outside or in a tumble drier to ensure they stop the moisture levels in their home from rising to high. You have three lines of defence when it comes to tackling humidity in your home – hygrometers and dehumidifiers, and air purifiers.

Hygrometers – DEFENCE 1

A good hygrometer is a convenient piece of equipment that measures both the temperature and the humidity/ moisture in the air. You should use your hygrometers to measure the humidity level in your home to ensure is at a comfortable level. If your home is excessively humid, the air may smell a little bit musty, and mould can begin to flourish in its ideal setting. As we discussed above it is this mould problem in your home which can cause a number of health problems such as allergic reactions and respiratory ailments, moreover mould can also damage your home and furnishings. If the air in your house is too humid, it can often feel stuffy and breathing can feel somewhat uncomfortable. When the air is too dry in your home it can cause you to have dry skin and lips which can be very noticeable. The recommended relative humidity level in a home is usually between 30 and 50 percent. Our favourite hygrometer is the Beurer HM16 Thermo Hygrometer. The clever little device measures the humidity and the temperature in your home and indicates what level your home is and whether it’s in the ideal level.

Dehumidifiers – DEFENCE 2

As we know a damp house can lead to serious health conditions, not to mention those unpleasant musty smells and furniture damage. A hygrometer will let you know what’s what whereas the dehumidifier will fix the problem for you. Using a dehumidifier in your home will bring the level of moisture in the air down quickly and quietly, so you can breathe easy and minimise your chances of developing respiratory problems and heightening your allergies. Electric dehumidifiers work by filtering out the excess water in the air which mould spores love, making it safer and more pleasant to breathe in. If you have respiratory problems, why not try a compact dehumidifier that you can easily move to wherever it’s needed? Free yourself from damp, mould and ill health with our range of dehumidifiers.

FitAir to cover your bathrooms too – DEFENCE 3

We know that the bathroom can be a breeding ground for mould and allergies due to the constant damp and different smells and sprays. Air fresheners pollute your air and leaving the doors open can make more moisture circulate through your home. With FitAir Oxy your bathroom can smell clean and fresh without pumping chemicals into it and having to refill expensive and polluting canisters. Also you can avoid those embarrassing toilet odours too; did you know that with every flush you create a bacterial and viral aerosol which remains airborne for at least two hours? This means germs are able to float around as a microscopic mist which can be inhaled and lead to coughs and colds and other nasty things!  

Enter our competition to win your own hygrometer!

There's simply too much at risk for you to not take care of the air you breathe from your very own home. What's more is that we have  FANTASTIC competition for you to win your first line of defence - A Beurer HM16 Thermo Hygrometer.

TO WIN!

1. Like and share our Facebook page
2. Following us on Twitter and tweet @stressnomoreuk #defence1
3. Leaving us a comment on this blog – go on, tell us why you’d love to win this amazing hygrometer

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