How Can the Air in My Home Affect My Health?

There are a lot of things in your home that can affect your health and your home's structure. Some of those things are invisible to the human eye, like air. Yes, that’s right, I said air. Let me explain. 

Air acts as a carrier for these unseen issues like mold spores or moisture. Read more to find out how the passage of air through your home, from the basement or crawl space to the attic, can impact the health of your family. 

The air in your basement and crawl space contains water in the form of humidity. So even if you think your space is dry and there is no visible water, it is there. The area under your home is cooled by the ground around it and on a warm summer day, when it’s hot out, the warm air enters the home and is cooled down. The temperature change causes the relative humidity to increase, meaning the air can hold even more water. Mold thrives in environments that contain a lot of moisture and if it is left unchecked, the wood in the area can start to rot but the mold will also continue to grow releasing spores into the air. The air then carries the mold spores throughout the home, creating the phenomenon known as “the stack effect.” 

The stack effect is a process in which hot air enters your home through the lower levels and travels through to your attic. As it travels, a vacuum is created below, and new air is pulled upwards through the basement, crawl space, and lower levels. If you’re experiencing a runny nose, watery eyes, a scratchy throat, fatigue, or headaches when you’re at home but clear up when you leave the home, you might be experiencing the effects of mold allergens in the air.  

If you want to keep your family safe, you need to control the mold in your home which means you need to control the humidity. Don’t know where to start? We can help you by keeping your basement or crawl space dry and healthy!