Mites, ozone, mercury or mold – these and other pollutants can affect the quality of living and thus also the health, sometimes significantly.
Humidity
Through breathing and sweating, but also bathing, showering or cooking, we produce steam. A four-person household produces about 10 liters per day! The water is invisible in the apartment as water vapor. A hygrometer can be used to check the relative humidity of the room. It should be between 30 and 65 percent. If the moisture settles on cold walls, there is a risk of mold. The only thing that helps here is regular airing, several times a day. Airing ensures that not only temperature equalization takes place, but above all that suspended dust, pollutants and moisture are removed from the apartment.
Airing the rooms
Every person consumes oxygen and releases carbon dioxide, water vapor and heat into the environment. If several people stay in one room the air is used up very quickly. However, used air reduces concentration, triggers headaches, leads to allergies. Ventilation removes pollutants and carries moisture outside. Dry, cool fresh air can absorb newly formed moisture. It is best to cross-ventilate 3-4 times a day: open one window and one opposite, for 1-5 minutes.
Night storage heater
Devices until year of construction 1976 contain in many cases asbestos-containing components. In intact devices, a health risk from operation can be ruled out, since the core supports and insulation – which used to be made of materials containing asbestos – usually have no connection to the ventilation duct. If unsure: find out the serial number, year of manufacture and type designation and ask the manufacturer.
Ozone
Ozone is a compound consisting of three oxygen atoms (“normal” molecular oxygen – O2 – is diatomic). Its chemical formula is O3. Ozone is not only formed on hot summer days. Ozone can also be formed by electrical discharge at laser printers and copiers. It irritates mucous membranes and impairs performance. Ventilate well; do not place devices in poorly ventilated niches.
Cleaning products
Do not immediately pull out the chemical club – scrubbing helps in many cases and is more environmentally friendly and healthier. If it should be necessary nevertheless once, caution: Never use different cleaning agents at the same time or mix. The active ingredients of the cleaning agents can react very violently with each other or even deadly substances can be produced. Hazard symbols and safety instructions can be found on the label of many everyday cleaning agents. They are intended to alert the user to the potential hazards that may arise when using the product. Keep cleaning products safe for children!
Renovations
Do-it-yourselfers are most likely to injure themselves with sharp or pointed objects (44%); in one in five accidents, they collide with objects (21%). Falling accidents come in third at 17 percent. Tips: Wear sturdy shoes, take off rings, tie up hair and put on gloves. Where dust and chips fly: put on safety glasses. A dust mask protects against dust from wood, paint, plaster, cement. Important: observe safety measures when handling machinery as well as processing instructions for building materials and carry out all work in peace.
Molds
The spores of molds are common causes of indoor (e.g., apartment) allergenic reactions. Molds thrive on all organic materials in the home. This includes wood and walls as well as plastics. Molds need a certain climate to thrive. They prefer it warm and humid. If walls, ceilings and window frames are damp, fungal spores swirling around will take hold. Building defects, condensation and incorrect living space behavior, such as incorrect heating and ventilation, can be the cause of a mold infestation. Removing mold: Mold must be removed. Never scrape it off, this would swirl the spores throughout the room. Ventilate frequently, insulate thermal bridges and replace contaminated materials. In case of minor infestation, rubbing the surface with 80-percent alcohol or methylated spirits helps, as alcohol removes moisture from the fungus. In the case of larger infestations, a knowledgeable specialist company should always be consulted.
Wallpaper
Plasticizers can leak not only from carpets, but also from wallpaper. Recommended are wallpapers made of cellulose base materials, unprinted, single-layered and without coating.Nature is not always healthy either: wallpapers made of natural fibers such as wool, jute, sisal, cotton are laminated with polyethylene; this worsens the vapor permeability of the wall. Problematic for allergy sufferers: a particularly large amount of dust settles on natural fibers.
Eco-label
The Blue Angel, the best-known environmental label, indicates environmentally friendly and low-pollutant products. They also have no or only a minor adverse health effect when used properly.
Volatile Organic Compounds – VOC
VOC stands for “volatile organic compounds” – they can be found in every home today. VOCs are various natural and synthetic-based substances that outgas from furniture, products or interior furnishings even at room temperature. For example, varnishes, adhesives in carpets, vinyl wallpaper, but also lemon fragrance as a natural component of some types of wood. In contrast, SVOCs are low-volatile organic substances that outgas over a longer period of time. It is often difficult to determine whether there is a health risk associated with the individual compounds – especially since there are quite a number of such substances in the individual rooms. For renovation work or new purchases of furniture, it therefore makes sense to use products that are low in pollutants and emissions.
Water
The quality of drinking water in Germany is generally exceptionally good. However, one factor that still affects the quality of water today are the pipe systems of individual homes. Great care must be taken with pipe systems made of lead, as lead is highly toxic. Always run water first until it flows evenly cool and clear from the tap.
Room paints
It is good to choose low-emission paints and varnishes. If low-emission wall paints are declared with the “Blue Angel,” they emit no or hardly any substances hazardous to health, such as hardly any volatile or low-volatile organic compounds, into the room air during and after processing. The preservative-free dispersion-based interior paint is suitable for allergy sufferers. Casein paints are water-based dispersion paints, contain milk protein (casein) as a binder. The natural paint is suitable for interior and exterior, can be disposed of without problems, is even compostable. Painting work is best done in the summer months, so that the paint can dry well. After painting, always ventilate well and leave the room first.
