Electrovac is your ideal choice for quality water damage remediation of carpets, so what in the world does this have to do with allergies and asthma? A lot, actually. The thing is, allergies and asthma are two pretty broad terms. What triggers the allergies of one may differ wildly for another, and asthma is similar in this regard

Wet, soggy carpets from a storm or backed up water pose serious hazards for those with allergies or asthma, and if you don’t suffer from these then at the very least they can still lead to serious respiratory problems.

Allergies & Carpets

According to Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, one in three Australians suffers from some sort of allergies. Naturally, this enormously high rate aggregates all allergies together. Allergies to specific foods, latex, sinusitis, medications, and more are but simple examples.

Dust mite allergies (a subset of environmental allergies) are a major contributing cause to allergic reactions inside the house. Wherever dust mites accumulate, there’s a chance of triggering symptoms of allergic reactions such as sneezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or other perhaps more severe symptoms.

There is no cure for this type of allergy, so the best recommendation is to speak with an allergist if it is a major concern for you and to desensitise yourself by keeping your home clean and tidy, including keeping your carpets cleaned and free of bacteria and dust.

Asthma in Australia

Although less common in Australia, asthma is nevertheless a serious chronic respiratory illness that has no known cure. 1 in 9 Australians suffers from asthma. Asthmatics can, however, take action to improve their own health and wellbeing by minimising triggers for their asthma and by taking the appropriate medication as directed (inhalers).

Quite often, asthma attacks are triggered by allergic reactions. Pet dander, for example, can cause an allergic reaction which then triggers shortness of breath and the need for a quick hit from a nearby inhaler.

In cases where asthma is triggered by flood & mould, as listed on Asthma Australia’s website, there are two main actions that must be undertaken. Firstly, provide yourself with acute respiratory care such as by taking your medication (salbutamol, Ventolin, etc.) as prescribed. The second step is to remediate the cause of the mould and/or flooding.

How to Improve Air Quality Indoors

For both allergies and asthma, it’s critical that your home is conducive to plenty of healthy, fresh air that isn’t too humid. This can be controlled to some extent by opening windows frequently to let fresh air in. After a thunderstorm or during the hot summer months, however, a dehumidifier can be used to control humidity in the home.

If your carpets have been flooded, the best thing to do is to take action immediately. Flooded carpets are a breeding ground for mould and bacteria, which can severely affect your allergies or asthma and even lead to respiratory illnesses for those who suffer from neither.

By acting sooner rather than later, sections of carpet may be salvageable, but at least you can get a professional opinion on which sections must absolutely be removed for your own safety and replaced with clean, new carpet.

Electrovac

Promote healthy living and clean air in your home with Electrovac’s flood remediation services for carpets.