Tips to remove common household odors

Get rid of bad smells and odors in your home.

Having a strange smell and not know why or where it’s coming from can drive homeowners crazy.

In fact, in their search to find the cause and eliminate household odors, they can spend a lot of money.

But while sometimes an IAQ specialist’s or a plumber’s help is needed, there are many things homeowners can do to prevent stinky odors.

Air out and maintain little-used rooms
Open the windows or doors to little-used guest rooms and other areas and run the water in little-used bathrooms once a week or more. If they are not used for a long time, the water in the pipes leading to the sewer evaporates and methane-sulfur gases may build up and enter through the drain into the room.

Inspect your rooftop vents
A steady breeze or wind can create positive pressure in rooftop vents, which are supposed to release sewer gas into the air, and force the gas back into the house. The solution is to make the vent pipe long enough to avoid these drafts and let the foul smells escape.

Clean the sink pipe
If you notice a sour smell coming from one drain, it may be due to an obstructed sink pipe (also called P-trap). It may be caused by hair, toothpaste, gel, dirt and other substances. You can either take off the P-trap and clean it out or treat the drain with an enzyme-based cleaner.

Check your water heater
If the water smells bad, it may because of a deteriorating anode rod. They should be replaced every six months to six years.

Ban indoor smoking and get rid of stale smoke odors
Smoke odors tend to cling to carpets, air ducts, walls, furniture etc, so a thorough cleaning may be needed, or you can simply use an air purifier for smoke from AllerAir.

Air out your washing machine
Front-load washers can start to smell musty if you keep the door locked all the time. That’s because water can’t evaporate and mold can grow. The easy solution is to leave the door open when the washer is not in use.

Remove irritating pet odors
Pet urine stains on carpets or floors may release odors if the house gets humid or if the carpet is cleaned. A professional cleaner may use an enzyme cleaner to actually remove the stains.

Source: rosieonthehouse.com

Air purifiers from AllerAir to
remove odors and chemicals.

Enjoy breathing cleaner, healthier air with AllerAir air purifiers for the home and office, air scrubbers for smoke, air cleaners for allergies and asthma, air purifiers for mold, and more.

Contact AllerAir for available options and a personalized recommendation based on your indoor air concern, your budget and your preferences.

Commercial air freshening products pollute indoor air

Scented candles may release
harmful chemicals.

Air fresheners come in many varieties, including aerosols, gels and scented candles.

While global sales of air fresheners are rising steadily, experts warn that many air-care products cause a false sense of freshness.

Instead of purifying the air, many air fresheners simply mask the odors with synthetic fragrances. Others may affect your ability to smell by coating your nasal passages with an oil film or by releasing a nerve-deadening agent, according to an article by the Healthy Child organization.

Certain air fresheners contain toxic chemicals that can affect human health and cause symptoms such as headaches, coughing, sneezing, rashes, dizziness and asthma attacks.

Some of the substances that can cause a reaction are camphor, phenol, ethanol and formaldehyde.
Some chemicals found in air fresheners have been linked to cancer or hormone disruption.

Many aerosol air fresheners contain toxic phthalates, which have been linked to birth defects and reproductive harm.

Reduce your exposure to toxins by following these recommendations:

1. Read labels and avoid air fresheners that contain “fragrance” since they can include phthalates.
2. Test before you buy. Often, a reaction may be immediate.
3. Try natural ways to provide your indoor environment with fresh air. Open your windows, grow a few indoor plants such as Peace Lily, Boston Fern, Gerbera Daisy and Bamboo Palm, which have been shown to absorb small amounts of airborne pollutants, opt for non-toxic products such as baking soda, white vinegar and essential oils
4. Remove many airborne chemicals, gases, odors and particles with an air purifier that features granular activated carbon and HEPA filters.

Source: Healthy Child,


 Don't 'freshen' the air - clean it!

AllerAir has designed air purifiers for the home and office that provide a complete air cleaning solution for those concerned about chemicals, particles and odors.  

AllerAir solutions include:

• Air cleaners for general purpose home and office use
• Air purifiers for allergies and asthma
• Air cleaners for mold
• Air purifiers for MCS
• Air filters for smoke
• Air cleaners for VOG/smog

Contact one of AllerAir's IAQ experts to find the right air purifier for your needs.

Classes Cancelled at Two Conception Bay South Schools Due to Mold: St. George’s Elementary and Frank Roberts Junior High Affected

St. George’s Elementary and Frank Roberts Junior High, in the Long Pond neighborhood of Conception Bay South, Newfoundland have been temporarily closed to rectify a mold problem that has caused poor air quality in the two schools.

Complaints of unusual smells led to the identification of mold around classroom windows.

Health Canada along with Indoor Air Quality Experts warn the potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures may include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints—- especially in school children.

“Mold is a serious problem requiring both carbon and HEPA filtration to filter live mold spores, dead decaying fragments of mold spores as well as the dangerous mycotoxin gases mold produce when under stress,” said Indoor Air Quality Expert, B.Chem. Eng. Karen Hand. “Activated carbon is the safest and most effective method for adsorbing these harmful pollutants.”

When handling mold situations, Hand recommends the incorporation of air purifiers—especially when dealing with schools, where air quality is critical to the health and success of school children. “The school board will need to contact Indoor Air Quality Experts to discuss a customized air purification plan for the affected schools,” said Hand.

For more information on air purifiers and mold in schools, contact AllerAir at 888-852-8247.