Suffering from sick house syndrome? How to recognise and eliminate the symptoms
An unhealthy environment can have a major negative impact on the health of those who are in daily contact with the affected area. Poisoning caused by toxic particles suspended in the air occurs slowly and is latent. It often takes years before the consequences of a life spent breathing dirty air become apparent. Below we describe some of the causes and effects of an environment polluted by harmful bacteria and microorganisms.
Mould and fungus
Mould and fungus proliferate in very humid and poorly ventilated environments. The impact on human health can range from a simple cold to acute conjunctivitis and chronic cough. In some cases, even asthma and permanent rhinitis can occur. Since such symptoms can be the result of any number of causes, the presence of mould in an environment might not be immediately suspected. Doctors and industry experts report the presence of mould as a factor that can seriously compromise your health and that of you family – especially children, whose immune system is quite weak until they reach adolescence. Humidity should be between 40% and 60%. If it falls below 40%, the environment becomes too dry.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas produced by the oxidation of carbon-containing compounds. If a defective gas stove, malfunctioning boiler or clogged chimney is allowed to operate indoors, then the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is very high. Kitchens are most at risk from CO pollution: in homes, this is primarily due to old or defective appliances, while in hotels and restaurants, it is typically due to an inadequate ventilation system.
Microbes
Microbes are invisible airborne bacteria that thrive on excessive humidity. Think about it: swamps are the ideal breeding ground for insects and microbes, which thrive near the water. To a lesser extent, a humid environment in the home can cause harmful microorganisms to proliferate and propagate. One recent study showed that chronic asthma in children is caused by an overly humid home environment.
These are just some of the dangers threatening your health and that of your family in an unhealthy environment.
The solution to these problems is Prana’s innovative dMVHR (decentralised Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) technology, which can efficiently and effectively reclaim the home environment by deploying a combination of humidity, atmospheric, CO2 and temperature sensors to monitor the air and then bring in the required amount of clean, ionised oxygen via a copper heat exchanger featuring antiseptic properties. This process combats the formation and proliferation of mould and fungus spores and eliminates humidity.
Prana recuperator/ventilation units utilise an innovative system of sensors to monitor, correct and control the airflow in any indoor environment. These sensors are capable of detecting changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature, air quality, CO2 build-up and humidity, enabling Prana to easily outperform rival systems on the market.