The Value of a Secret

Secrets are tricky things, aren't they? Depending on the subject (surprise party vs. hazardous waste) and who it is about (relative vs. major corporation), a secret can be a fun event bonding people together or it can go to the other extreme where a bit of information left untold has the potential to be dangerous to your health.

Everyone has secrets both big and small and we are no exception. Don’t be too alarmed. Our secret is not as scary as hazardous waste; and one thing is for sure… Whether we are referring to people or companies, the truth will come out eventually.

Why, then, do so many companies leave out information their customers need to know in order to make informed decisions? Money, of course, and maybe power and definitely a concern for their reputation.

We are just not interested in being a company with secrets. To learn more about a big secret the heating and air conditioning industry has been keeping, read “Have You Heard the Dark and Dirty Secret…about Your Home Comfort System?”

Invisible, Breathable Dangers

One type of indoor air pollution that you can actually see with your own eyes is smoke. I’m sure you’ve been witness to (or participated in) some type of cooking mishap that filled the kitchen with smoke. It doesn’t take a lot of scientific research to know that the smoke lingering in your home is getting breathed in by your family. That’s obvious, so you open a window or turn on an exhaust fan or do something to help clear the air.

But that’s for dangers that you see. Some indoor air pollution is not as easy to spot. For example, you may not notice the pollutants being produced by mold, dust, pet dander, household cleaners and more. Worse, carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, but very dangerous.

Well, we have a way to help you see what you’ve been breathing. Interested in learning more about our Indoor Air Analysis? Hope so. Just call or email, and let us hear from you.

Is a Clean House Bad for Your Health?

Keeping air pollution out of your home is not just a matter of cleanliness. Just think about it. You could scrub your floors and countertops, light a perfumed candle – even add a new coat of paint and new carpeting – and while the look will improve, your indoor air could actually be even more compromised.

Household cleaners, perfumes, paint, new carpeting, some types of furniture … any of these can contain chemicals known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that enter your air and, as a result, could soon enter your family’s respiratory system.

There are a number of other very ordinary, common sources of indoor air pollution. You’ll see more about them if you’ll take a moment to read this report, Sources of Air Pollution in Your Home.

You’ve Been Breathing WHAT?

Quick question: what’s the worst thing you’ll breathe today? Yeah, I know. It’s an odd thing to ask, but you might not be aware of the odd things that end up in your indoor air.

For example, have you ever heard of something called a Volatile Organic Compound? Well, whether you’ve heard of it or not, there’s a chance you just breathed one in. That’s right. Just while you were sitting there, you may have just breathed in a Volatile Organic Compound.

Believe me, this is something that’s very common. That’s because VOCs are gases that are emitted by a wide array of common products, including paints, varnishes, cleaning supplies, printers, glues, permanent markers and so forth. And the VOCs that fill our airtight homes are a part of what’s led to the declining quality of indoor air in recent years.

If you’d like to learn more (and I hope you do), take a look at this free report, Why Is Indoor Air So Much Worse than Outdoor Air?

Where Did Those Sniffles Come From?

So let’s conduct a brief survey – brief meaning one question and you’re the only one who has to answer. Here goes: When you get a sniffle of some type, are you likely to take full responsibility, or are you going to look with a suspicious eye toward your kids, spouse, co-workers or strangers in shops or restaurants?

Well, I know – we don’t invent germs and viruses. They had to come from somewhere. But these upper respiratory-type ailments don’t always come from “germs.” They actually could come from carpet, or furniture, or hair spray, or even that air freshener you plug in to “freshen” up the air.

The quality of your indoor air can be affected by many common household belongings. It can also be affected by many ordinary activities, including cooking, building a fire or enjoying a hobby. To learn more, take a look at this free report, Is that Sniffle from a Cold? Or from Your Indoor Air?

Not the End of Allergies?

One good thing about the end of springtime is the end of spring allergies. And now we have summertime, where the breathing’s easy… achoo!

Ah, yes, summertime sneezes. That can be quite a bit for all of your family’s noses to handle. And why is this happening, you ask?

Most folks think that spring allergies are worse than summer, thanks to pollen and new growth in lawns and gardens. But summertime also has active allergy issues, especially when staying cool means spending long periods of time inside tightly closed homes.

Indoor air can trap all sorts of pollutants that make respiratory issues worse and set off sneezing. Quite a number of our customers have had significant trouble with allergies and asthma, and we help them out by identifying the trouble spots we detect in the air in their home.

If you’d like to know more about what could be lurking in your indoor air, check out this free report, “Identifying Asthma and Allergy Triggers in Your Home.”

Cause and Effect

You're probably familiar with the concept of "cause and effect" and how it can lead to a whole bunch of trouble. (Not that I speak from experience. And not that I don't!) But this basically means that some things happen not just on their own but as part of a set of events.

As an example, let's say you’re walking into your home when your phone starts ringing. To answer your call, you quickly drop your high-priced prescription sunglasses on the couch. You sense that's not a good idea, but you tell yourself you'll pick them up when you finish the call. Then you forget. Can you imagine what "effect" is coming? Yes, someone, maybe even you, will probably be sitting on those glasses in the near future.

See the point (even if through crushed lenses)?

Now let me apply it to something more in my area. If the air inside your home is making respiratory issues like allergies and asthma worse, there could be several causes that are leading to these effects - and several strategies that can help your family breathe a little easier. A few of them are here in this report called, "Improving the Quality of Your Home’s Indoor Air."

Better Breathing

There’s something about spring… it’s sort of a “best of times, worst of times” season of the year. The crisp cool air can be quite nice after wintry mixes are done, and you feel that need to spend more time outdoors.

And yet, that nice, fresh air is also picking up a few particles from the lawn and garden that can make breathing a chore.

Inside, you’re not exactly safe either if the quality of your indoor air is affected by contaminants. High humidity, for example, can create a breeding ground for mold and dust mites that produce an unhealthy breathing ground for you and your family.

If you’d like to learn more about these issues, take a look at our free report, “Is the Air in Your Home Making Spring Allergies Worse?”