Could Your Home Be Making You Sick?

Sneezing, fatigue, runny nose, red eyes, headache, congestion, a general feeling of malaise. These are the symptoms of respiratory allergies, familiar to many of us given that allergies (also known as "hay fever" or "seasonal allergies") affect approximately 1 in 4 adults. Both allergies and asthma are most commonly triggered by a range of plant pollens and fungal (mold) spores. These allergens can commonly be found in the air inside our homes, where they can cause persistent health problems and reduce overall well-being.

Some of these allergens originate outside your home and some come from inside your home. For example, most plant pollens and some molds generally originate outdoors, but they can accumulate in your home and continue to trigger health problems for months. Likewise, certain molds can actually grow inside your home and release spores into the air over time, where they can be inhaled and trigger allergies and asthma in susceptible individuals. You may have a mold problem inside your home even without any visible signs of mold damage, as molds can reside in walls, carpeting, basements, and flooring, especially in humid locations or in places where water damage may have occurred in the past.

Boulder Blue tests let you know if you have an allergen problem in your home and what you can do about it. Specific information on the amounts and types of allergens in your home can help you identify the source of the problem and the best strategies to reduce it, so you don't continue to inhale airborne allergens. Since not everyone is sensitive to the same allergens, knowing what allergens might be in your home can be informative when consulting with allergists or other healthcare providers. Our approach uses direct air sampling and highly accurate DNA sequencing technologies to provide you with the knowledge you need to make your home a healthy space for you and your loved ones.