Sos Roofline Systems

You probably think you are well acquainted with everyone you live with – family, friends, housemates, maybe a pet. But almost every home in the UK has unwanted guests. They are ugly creepy crawlies, they look like bizarre alien creatures from a science fiction film, and they could be making their home in your bed right now. I’m talking about millions of dust mites, the secret invaders in the home, invisible to the eye but causing problems wherever they go.

Aside from the slightly disturbing knowledge that they could be living in your carpets and bedding, dust mites are also among the most common triggers of asthma, eczema and a whole host of other recurrent allergies. Technically it’s dust mites’ droppings rather than the actual mites that cause problems, as they contain an enzyme that is highly allergenic to over 20% of the population. Their food is the 50 million dead skin cells every human sheds each day, and it can be very tough to get rid of them completely. It’s tough, but not impossible. If you think there might be dust mites in your home, there are three important things to remember:

Keep it Clean – the most obvious way to get rid of dust mites is to remove the dust. They like to live in ‘dust bunnies’ and deep in the carpet pile so regular hoovering, every day if necessary, will not only suck many of them out of the carpet but cut off the food supply to those that are left behind. Leave windows open whenever the weather is good enough as they don’t like sunlight, and are so small that many of them will get blown away completely in a breeze!

Keep it Fresh –You might not think air quality would have much effect on dust mites considering they live in the carpet and furnishings, but in fact the right air conditioner could make all the difference. Even when you’re hoovering daily there is still time for skin cells and dust particles to settle and create new homes for mites. Installing an air filter or purifier with a HEPA filter literally removes all particles larger than 0.0003mm from the air before the dust can settle, meaning less food for mites.

Keep it Dry – Dust mites thrive in conditions where the air is moist with a relative humidity (RH) of 50% or higher. The ideal RH in the home varies depending on where you live and who you ask, but the most common recommendation is somewhere around 45%. If the normal humidity level in your home is anywhere above 50% trying to reduce it is a good idea as not only will this kill dust mites but can also improve the general health of the occupants. Basic things like keeping windows open when cooking or showering can make a difference but if the problem persists then using a de-humidifier is a quick and easy way to remove moisture from the air, maintaining the optimum RH and killing dust mites dead!