Your home is the place you and your family spend the most time, so you would want to make sure you are breathing clean, fresh air. But stealthy pests could be wreaking havoc on the air you and your family rely on, day in and day out. Whether it is tiny dust mites or dangerous bacteria, these unwanted guests form invisible threats to your respiratory health and overall livelihood.
Your indoor air is constantly being contaminated by them, with their droppings, shed skin, saliva, and decomposing bodies. Airborne particles that traverse your ventilation system and distribute themselves all over your interior living space.
It is also not a connection that most homeowners even think about when their home is experiencing a pest problem. The symptoms are usually similar to hay fever or the common cold, so the underlying cause can be hard to pin down. Chronic coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes may be the result of pest-induced air pollution rather than an outdoor allergen problem.
If you are tired of constantly fighting pest problems alone, we have got you covered. Try this website to speak to a professional who will take a closer look and guide you the right way.
Do Pests Affect Your Home’s Air Quality? How?
Yes, pests can affect the air quality of your home. Here is how:
Allergen Production and Distribution
Pests are an abundant source of airborne allergens that affect indoor air. Cockroaches spread allergens through saliva, droppings, and the skin they shed, proteins that become potent allergens when they dry up and are reduced to dust. They are tiny and can easily get kicked up in the air, through normal activities in your house, such as walking, vacuuming, and opening doors.
Dust mites, nearly invisible to the naked eye, excrete waste and drop body parts that are among the most common of indoor allergens. Their feces carry digestive enzymes that cause extreme allergic reactions in everyone. They are so lightweight that they hang in the air for hours following disturbance.
Bacterial and Viral Contamination
Bacteria, viruses, and parasites are directly introduced by rodents and insects as vectors into indoor air. They drag diseases around with them and spread them via their urine droplets, which can become airborne and inhaled. Their nesting materials collect unhealthy microorganisms that release spores into the air around them.
Flies are the main culprits when it comes to transferring bacteria from soiled surfaces to food and the air. They vomit out digestive fluids and poop often, spreading pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli into the atmosphere of your home.
Decomposition and Organic Matter
Decomposition decay from dead insects and their waste generates more indoor air quality issues. Additionally, when the bodies of pests decompose inside wall voids, attics, or other protected areas, the release of volatile organic compounds designed to attract secondary pests that are not controlled by the insecticide can occur. This leads to a vicious cycle of contamination, driving air quality further down.
What Can You Do About This?
Begin with a good clean and eliminate all pest attractants. Get rid of attractants by putting food away in sealed containers and wiping up crumbs promptly. Many pests thrive in areas with moisture problems, including leaky pipes, poor ventilation, and standing water.
Furthermore, upgrade your home’s air filtration system with HEPA filters that can pick up smaller particles, such as those from pests. HEPA vacuuming on a regular basis keeps allergens away from carpets, furnishings, and flooring before they are kicked up into the air.
Also, you should close gaps around pipes and in walls, and seal any openings in and around your house, and at the edges and under doors. It blocks all the new ones from coming in and cuts air leaks through which they could enter your home.
Think about using air purifiers in hard-hit spaces such as bedrooms and living spaces, where you spend most of your time. Such devices can aid in controlling the presence of airborne allergens, also helping to make the air generally healthier as you take care of the pest.
