Last week’s heavy rain and floods in the southeastern part of the United States should be a reminder to all homeowners how devastating floods are. Imagine a flooded basement with ruined items, to only then find out that you’re homeowner’s insurance policy or perhaps, an existing flood insurance policy is ineffective. A recent article from the Detroit News reminds homeowners to know exactly what their homeowners insurance covers.

A recent stat by the World Health Organization is quite alarming when concerning the harmful effects of poor indoor air quality within a home. According to the Organization, indoor air pollution kills 1.5 million people annually, compared to 800,000 people killed annually by outdoor pollution or 1.2 million people killed each year by traffic accidents.

Eye irritation, blocked nose, headaches, sore throat, chronic bronchitis and various skin irritations are all problems caused by bacteria, viruses, funguses, mildews and other biological containments. Another deadly component is radon gas infiltration. These various instances are problems that can emanate from a home’s basement or crawl space, subsequently making up 50% of the air throughout the home.

Prevention is a necessity. Proper ventilation throughout the home is a great start, as well as being selective when choosing cleaning materials for the home. We at Emecole also recognize the added note that the home’s poor air also circulates from the basement and crawl space. Controlling the indoor air quality from the basement and crawl space will impact the entire home, while eliminating the annoyance of musty smells, excessive moisture and mildew. Basement waterproofing contractors have the potential to offer added long-term services to their customers by offering indoor air quality solutions.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month. This awareness campaign was signed by the governors of Florida, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Nevada and Michigan and runs through October 5th.

Much of the message promoted by this awareness is similar to that of Emecole’s – controlling moisture within the home is critical towards preventing mold growth. Water seepage through cracked foundation walls and floors is another source of added moisture, as are uninsulated crawl spaces. General waterproofing and insulating/sealing foundation walls are one of the ways a homeowner can be proactive towards implementing indoor air quality control.

Indoor air quality isn’t only about ridding the basement or crawl space of musty smells or water seepage. The air circulating through the lower level of the home eventually will make its way up the stairs. Such poor air quality as a result of mold or radon gas infiltration can trigger allergies, asthma and other health problems. Louis Cole, the president of Emecole, has written an informational article about the continued necessity of building awareness towards indoor air quality control.

While the average consumer may not be aware of the importance of indoor air quality, it doesn’t mean we won’t stop spreading it’s importance. And more importantly, basement waterproofing contractors should strongly consider implementing indoor air quality control services to their existing businesses. Many indoor air quality services are directly related to waterproofing, giving the waterproofing contractors the product line necessary to better serve their customers.