How do I know if my house is making me sick?

The “immediate” symptoms of poor indoor air quality can often resemble a cold or allergies. You can feel fatigue or dizziness and may frequently get headaches and experience eye, nose, or throat irritation.

How do you know if your house is toxic?

What's making me sick in my house?

Combustion gases. These gases include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. They can cause flu-like symptoms, respiratory illnesses, or even death. Don't use unvented combustion appliances (such as portable kerosene heaters) indoors.

How do you test for sick building syndrome?

Diagnosing SBS involves a process of elimination. Your doctor will rule out other conditions that could mimic sick building symptoms, such as a cold, asthma, or allergies. They will also ask you about your work and home environment. You may consider keeping a journal to record your symptoms.

Can my house be making me ill?

Can your home make you sick? If you are regularly experiencing cold or flu symptoms, seemingly only when you're at home, it could be from sick building syndrome. Sick building syndrome is when mold, water damage, poor indoor air quality or other issues in your home are constantly making you sick.

Is my house making me sick: Indoor air quality problems, Simple steps to improve indoor air quality

How can I reduce the toxins in my home?

What is a sick building syndrome?

The sick building syndrome (SBS) is used to describe a situation in which the occupants of a building experience acute health- or comfort-related effects that seem to be linked directly to the time spent in the building. No specific illness or cause can be identified.

What are 4 causes of sick building syndrome?

There are many theories as to what causes sick building syndrome. Commonly cited causes are inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants from indoor sources, and chemical contaminants from outdoor sources. Inadequate ventilation is one the most often cited reasons.

Can a stuffy room make you sick?

It can cause headaches, fatigue, dry skin and irritation of the respiratory and nasal tract, resulting in coughing and nasal and sinus congestion.

Why am I always stuffy in my house?

The most common indoor allergens include dust, cockroaches, mold, and cats and dogs. These allergens often lead to postnasal drip, runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, itchy skin, fatigue, and for some people, even difficulty breathing as well as wheezing.

Can a dusty house make you sick?

Dust allergies can cause wheezing, asthma attacks, bronchial infections, dermatitis and other allergy-related problems. Dust also contains chemical particles, including pesticides and other dangerous substances found in and around your home. Exposure to these may cause long-term health problems.

What are the three most common toxins for which homes are tested?

How do you test for toxic mold in your home?

To test for mold and mildew and how to tell if your house has mold, simply dab a few drops of household bleach on the blackened area. If it lightens after one to two minutes, you have mildew. If the area remains dark, you probably have dirt.

How do you test air quality in your home?

What are the symptoms of poor air quality?

How do you know if you have poor ventilation?

You might notice that your nose runs more often or that you get stopped up overnight. Itchy, watery eyes; sore throats; and skin rashes can all result from inadequate fresh air. These symptoms can have other causes, of course, which is why we recommend a professional inspection.

Can no fresh air make you sick?

Those suffering from low humidity levels due to poor circulation likely notice dry skin and eyes. In warm spaces, nausea, headaches, and nasal irritation are common. Respiratory system irritation due to poor circulation often causes coughing and congestion. It can also worsen said symptoms.

What are the symptoms of being exposed to black mold?

How long does it take to get sick from mold exposure?

These symptoms usually first appear 2 to 9 hours after exposure and last for 1 to 3 days. Other affected persons have progressive shortness of breath and cough, as well as weight loss. Work-relatedness may only become apparent over long holidays if symptoms resolve and then recur on return to work.

What are the symptoms of mold toxicity?

What should I test my home for?

What is the most toxic item in your home?

What are indoor toxins?

Biological pollutants can include bacteria, viruses, pet dander/saliva, dust, mites, and pollen. In buildings, these pollutants are commonly found near excessive moisture, like in humidifiers or an unvented bathroom, as excessive moisture can be a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria.

How do you test for dust mites?

Your doctor may suggest an allergy skin test to determine what you're allergic to. You may be referred to an allergy specialist (allergist) for this test. In this test, tiny amounts of purified allergen extracts — including an extract for dust mites — are pricked onto your skin's surface.