How Seasonal Flooding Affects Indoor Air Quality
Seasonal flooding can have a significant impact on the indoor air quality in your home. Poor indoor air quality can have a significant impact on your health as well as the overall condition of your property. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways that indoor air quality impacts your quality of life and what you can do to protect yourself and your home after flooding.
Poor Air Quality Can Exacerbate Existing Health Conditions
Mold thrives in the damp conditions often seen after flooding. Exposure to mold can result in sneezing, red eyes or an itchy throat. It may also trigger asthma attacks or other breathing problems in those who have the condition.
Long-term exposure to mold can cause serious health issues in those who were healthy prior to the exposure. Therefore, it’s critical to remove mold as soon as possible regardless of the severity of the flooding or how long your home was exposed to water.
Mold can easily get into the air and find its way into vents or air ducts. It can also make its way to interior walls or other spaces that you don’t have easy access to. In some cases, you may need to completely remove ducts or drywall to get rid of it.
In addition to mold, you may be exposed to dust, pollen or sewage that is brought in from outside. These can also cause respiratory issues in addition to illness if sewage is inhaled or consumed in any manner.
How Poor Indoor Air Quality Can Damage Your Home
Poor indoor air quality can wreak havoc on HVAC components in a couple of different ways. First, mold, pollen and other debris brought into your home by flooding can coat a furnace or air conditioner with a hefty layer of particles. The extra weight can make it harder for these items to work as intended as they will need to use more energy to heat or cool your home.
As the furnace or air conditioner works harder, it will create excess heat, which will be difficult to dissipate. The heat can result in blown fuses, melted wires or other issues that can lead to significant hazards to your home and your own health.
Ducts can also be weighed down by a layer of mold or other debris brought in by flood waters. You should also be concerned that water can actually remain in ducts, and water can help to attract pests, rodents or other creatures that want to make your home their own.
Ultimately, this can result in significant damage to ducts that can cost thousands to repair. Rodent feces, hair and saliva can also be transported through your home through the ducts and vents, which can make it harder and more hazardous to breathe.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality After Flooding
There are a number of steps that you can take after flooding to ensure adequate indoor air quality. First, you should be sure to get rid of the water as quickly as possible either on your own or with the help of a professional.
In most cases, mold has a musty smell to it, which will alert you to its presence even if you can’t see it. If you see or smell mold, it’s critical to have it removed immediately by a professional who has the equipment and experience to do so safely.
Another step you can take is to have air purifiers installed in your house. You can choose between those that operate in specific spaces and those that will help kill mold, bacteria and viruses throughout your entire home.
A dehumidifier can also work to improve indoor air quality by removing excess moisture from the basement, attic or other areas that tend to be moist. This can be an ideal tool to have because water remediation service providers generally can’t do anything about moist air. Therefore, you run the risk of having your hard work negated because water in the air simply settles back on floors, walls or other surfaces.
If you are in need of heating or cooling system service after a flood, contact Birmingham One Hour today. You can feel good knowing that you won’t pay a dime if we are not on time. Therefore, all you need to do is worry about getting your property back into ideal condition after it has been ravaged by a natural disaster.
