​As we learned in our last blog, biological pollutants are found in pretty much every home. These have also become associated with different types of ailments. The symptoms often experienced by people suffering from biological pollutants, however, are very similar to those of other illnesses so, are there some ways to determine whether your symptoms are related to your indoor home environment or not? What should you ask yourself?
 
Are you or any members of your household experiencing any of the following, dizziness or tiredness, fevers, frequent headaches, dry throat, stuffy nose, wheezing, or difficulty breathing? If the answer is yes, do these symptoms go away when you spend time out of doors?
 
Did you move into a new home recently? Or have you had some remodeling done such as the installation of storm windows, insulation, weather stripping, or another type of energy conservation work? If so, did your symptoms appear during or after this work or the move?
 
Is there any musty-smelling or moldy types of odors in your home that would indicate problems with moisture intrusion?
 
Have your air conditioners or humidifiers been cleaned recently, or has it been some time since they were done?
 
Do you notice moisture seems to collect on hard surfaces like windows, walls, and ceilings? Does the air inside the home feel very humid?
 
Have you been experiencing problems with unwanted pests such as cockroaches or rodents?
 
If you can answer yes to a few or all of these questions, then it is very possible that biological pollutants are affecting the quality of your home's indoor air, which may, in turn, cause some of your symptoms. It should be noted that it is important to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis, however, they may find this information helpful when making that diagnosis.

​Everyone would agree that breathing in good clean air is essential to our health and wellbeing. A lot of effort and money is spent each year trying to improve levels of pollution in our outside air, but how good is the air we are breathing indoors? Are there any pollutants inside our homes that might be affecting our health? These are some good questions to ask ourselves, especially as so many of us are spending a great deal more time at home these days. In this blog we are going to briefly consider the types of biological pollutants found indoors.
 
Biological pollutants are generally living organisms or parts of living organisms. They are usually invisible and travel through the air. Some of the more common types of biological pollutants found in the home are animal dander, dust mites, cockroach parts, pollen, and bacteria and viruses. While this is probably a very unpleasant thought, the fact is that these substances are found in all homes so you will not be able to remove them completely.
 
Some conditions, however, support the growth of these biological pollutants, making them a lot worse. These are moisture and nutrients. You will often find these conditions in humid areas such as bathrooms and damp basements, also appliances like air conditioners and humidifiers. Modern construction methods and their materials can also become a contributing factor when it comes to biological pollutants in the home. The reason is that these are designed to prevent a lot of outside air from entering the home which can result in higher levels of moisture inside.
 
After reading this brief article you may be wondering how to determine whether or not biological pollutants are causing some of your health issues. We will consider this question in the following article.