Your Home May Be the Reason Why You Are Getting Sick

Your home should be a place where you and your family seek refuge after a long week of work and school. Homes are where most people seek comfort and safety, but what if you are going home to a house that is making you sick? Hiring a professional home inspector to inspect your home for anything that can affect you and your family’s health and quality of living will help save your health from deteriorating as well as save money on repairs. If these two health and safety threats are found to be present in your home then it needs to be professionally resolved as soon as possible.

Mold

Between the heavy rains, hurricane winds, extreme heat, and humidity in Central Florida having mold in the home isn’t uncommon. When kids are outside playing in the pool or sprinkler then running in and out of the house they bring with them moisture. If your windows or roofs are old rainwater may seep through the cracks. If you had any plumbing leaks in your home you may need to double check that dampened area. Getting mold in your home isn’t that hard and when detected early it is easy to remove, but when left to grow and spread it will run havoc on your family’s health and cost you dearly in repairs. Mold in the bathroom or around the windows are noticeable and can be easily remedied, but many times mold can grow behind wallpaper, air ducts, or between walls. These areas are perfect breeding grounds for mold because they feed off the dust or drywall and requires a professional to detect.

The symptoms of mold exposure can include: coughing, wheezing, nosebleeds, sore/itchy throat, itchy/red eyes, headaches, lethargy, and asthma attacks. Babies, kids, elderly, asthmatics, and individuals with a weak immune system or have any health conditions are vulnerable to the effects of mold, especially black mold. Proper ventilation and cleaning should be maintained until the home inspector completes the inspection and provides his expert opinion and recommendation. If you smell a musty odor, had a past leak, or outside water seeped into your home then take immediate action before it gets worst.

Radon

Unlike mold that you may be able to see and smell, radon gas is not only invisible, but it’s also odorless which makes it even more dangerous. While radon gas levels are higher in the Midwest, Central Florida homes aren’t immune to it. Radon occurs from the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil, rock, and water. The difference of pressure between the inside your home and the soil around your home’s foundation may draw in radon gas through cracks, openings, or gaps. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and can be prevented if the proper caution and procedures are taken. There is an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year due to radon gas exposure. These numbers alone should be enough incentive to schedule a home inspection to see if your home is exposed to radon gas.

This radon gas inspection may be help contribute to you and your family’s lung health and overall life longevity. Radon exposure can cause symptoms such as: appetite loss, wheezing, chest pain, constant cough, lethargy, headaches, and frequent infections like bronchitis or pneumonia. In some cases, no symptoms of radon exposure is detected until the patient is diagnosed with lung cancer attributed from radon gas. Don’t wait or think it won’t happen to you. Schedule a radon gas inspection with an experienced home inspector in order to ensure your family’s health and safety. A professional radon test will be implemented to find out if your home is exposed to high levels in which case an effective radon mitigation should be implemented.