How Toxic Is Your Home?

• 20th February 2015
• admin

You may think our home is spotlessly clean but look under the microscope and you may find all sorts of hidden dangers.

ITV’s This Morning recently ran a feature on Toxic Homes. They got under the surface of normal everyday living and uncovered lots of unsavoury residents who invisibly occupy your space and can contribute to making you feel ill.

That persistent cough and cold you thought was due to the cold weather months, could in actual fact be caused by your home. Recent research showed that over 15 million houses in the UK could be affected in one way or another.

Culprits include dust mites, and do a quick scan of everyday items at home. What’s really in that tea towel and in your children’s toys?

Laying down a fresh carpet is lovely, but they often need to settle and have chemicals attached to them. A fresh lick of paint brightens up a wall but remember to keep rooms well ventilated when redecorating.

Some hidden dangers can be fatal. This is why carbon monoxide is called the silent killer. High levels can kill but even low doses can contribute to persistent headaches and can just make you feel unwell. Carbon monoxide poisoning is difficult to diagnose or discover because once you’re outside your home, the symptoms will generally disappear and you may feel fine again.

We were delighted to see ITV’s This Morning and property expert Louisa Fletcher highlight the problems of toxic house syndrome, and include carbon monoxide in their report. We welcome anything that raises awareness of the deadly gas and its effects. Our innovative carbon monoxide detector even made an appearance on the show. If you look at the picture below – you can see it on the right hand side of the table, sitting in front of Philip Schofield.

Watch the programme again here:

http://www.itv.com/thismorning/home-garden/is-your-house-is-making-you-ill-toxic-home-syndrome