Excess moisture in the home, especially if left unattended, is quite attractive to moisture-loving pests such as cockroaches, ants, wood-boring beetles, rodents, wildlife, and termites. Moisture may be hiding in areas like the crawl space, attic, or basement.
Common Sources of Moisture in the home
- Damp basements and crawl spaces
- Plumbing, flashing, and roof leaks
- Cooking, showering, and indoor line drying of clothes
- Humidifiers
- Improperly vented combustion appliances and clothes dryers
- Flooding and sewer backups
- Poorly maintained gutters, downspouts and drains
- Landscaping and plants that block crawl space vents and drainage systems
Biological Pollutants’ Impact on Indoor Air Quality
When most people think about what pollutes the air in our homes and workspaces, we think of volatile organic compounds, asbestos, radon, fossil fuels and similar toxins. But did you know biological pollutants that travel through the air and are often invisible can be just as dangerous?
Common indoor biological pollutants:
- Excrement and body parts from insects
- Mold and fungal spores
- Bacteria and viruses
- Animal dander
- Dust mites
For people with asthma and respiratory problems, indoor air pollutants can aggravate these conditions and make them worse. In addition, depending upon the type of pollutants, the risks for diseases and illnesses can be greater.