No one wants a home that is unhealthy to live in. If you find yourself asking “how healthy is my home?”, chances are you’ve already got a problem. From poor ventilation to mold growth, you need to get answers—fast. That’s why a home evaluation, followed by remediation and home performance solutions, is critical. Today we’ll talk about the first step, getting a home evaluation, and how that can lead to a healthier home.
Why a Home Evaluation is Better Than an Energy Audit
When it comes to home performance, you may be familiar with an energy audit. However, these types of inspections generally focus on energy efficiency and comfort (temperature loss, heating and cooling, etc.) and not on home health. A home evaluation includes an energy audit, but it also expands with additional testing, including air quality testing, which can identify local issues with air pollution that visual inspections can miss.
Learn more in our article, The Difference Between an Energy Audit and a Home Evaluation.
Potential Factors for an Unhealthy Home
No one wants an unhealthy home, but some factors can turn any home into one that can make you and your family sick. A major focus is on air quality, as high pollution can impact your family’s health, especially children.
- Conditions for Mold Growth: Mold needs two things to grow: humidity in the air and temperature changes that cause it to condense and pool, leading to the conditions where mold can flourish.
- Ventilation System in Need of Cleaning: Your AC and HVAC systems, their filters, and your vents all can become less effective as they fill with dust and other particulates. Inspection and cleaning may be needed.
- Sources of Air Pollution: Besides mold, there can be other sources of air pollution, from household chemicals letting off fumes due to a lack of proper ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens.
How Home Performance Fixes Sick House Syndrome
While home performance can do many things to improve your life, from lower utility bills to greater comfort, the health improvements to your home are one of the most important. Two of the key focuses on home health performance are ventilation and air quality monitoring. Together with a home evaluation and any needed remediation, these can both reverse the issues that lead to sick and stinky house syndrome and make sure they don’t come back.
Some of these home health changes will also come from the decisions you make from now on, from house burping to help better exchange your indoor air with the outside to better choices on the products you use in your home.
Your St. Louis Air Quality and Home Ventilation Specialists
It’s never too late to have a healthier home for you and your family to live in. You just have to reach out to the experts. If you’re in the St. Louis area, contact us at Greenmark Home Performance today. We will come out to your home for a full home evaluation, including air quality testing, and build a plan with you to tackle any ventilation and other home performance issues. Schedule an appointment online or call us at 314-845-9144 to get started.
