Old houses have their own charm; however, they also have their own issues that can prove to be detrimental to the health of their residents.
This is why residents living in these houses need to exercise more caution than people living in new houses.
Problems With Living in an Older House One of the biggest problems that old houses have is lack of insulation.
On a hot day, heat tries to get inside the house and on a cold day, it tries to escape from inside the house.
A well-insulated structure prevents this from happening.
Older houses have poor insulation which means that they can be much colder than their newer counterparts.
A chilly winter season in an old house can, therefore, cause a lot of health problems for the residents.
Cold rooms can give rise to muscular tension and stiffness, especially around the neck and shoulders.
So, you will often be suffering from pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.
Cold houses also make you prone to colds and bronchial infections.
Proper insulation can help in combating this problem.
However, this will require some work on an old house.
Dampness is common particularly in the kitchen and bathroom areas, but can also be an issue in bedrooms, especially if the room is on the northern side of the house (in the northern hemisphere) where it doesn't get the sun.
Newer houses often have extractor fans installed in the kitchen and bathroom so the dampness and moisture can easily be controlled.
Older houses often don't have these fans which mean that the dampness continuously damages the structures of the house and causes health problems for the residents.
Dampness can sometimes be caused due to leaking pipes in old houses.
The best solution to deal with this problem is to replace the plumbing; however, this can often be costly.
High moisture levels increase your risk of getting various illnesses.
The poor quality of indoor air gives rise to molds and mildews which are harmful to your health.
Dust mites also love the high humidity levels in the house and will multiply causing allergies to the residents.
Young children and the elderly are particularly prone to asthma and flu.
Health Effects From Living in an Old House For those with poor circulation, a cold house can exacerbate symptoms.
It can contribute to skin lesions and chilblains, and aggravate arthritis.
Ironically, in a cold house, the residents tend to become more sedentary which further adds to the intensity of symptoms.
Controlling the dampness and the humidity is a very important step that you should take if you live in an older house.
You can do this by opening the windows and doors of the house during the day to allow proper air circulation, and closing them in the evening and at night.
Using a dehumidifier overnight can help regulate the amount of moisture in the air, though there is little point in using a dehumidifier if your windows and doors are open!
This is why residents living in these houses need to exercise more caution than people living in new houses.
Problems With Living in an Older House One of the biggest problems that old houses have is lack of insulation.
On a hot day, heat tries to get inside the house and on a cold day, it tries to escape from inside the house.
A well-insulated structure prevents this from happening.
Older houses have poor insulation which means that they can be much colder than their newer counterparts.
A chilly winter season in an old house can, therefore, cause a lot of health problems for the residents.
Cold rooms can give rise to muscular tension and stiffness, especially around the neck and shoulders.
So, you will often be suffering from pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.
Cold houses also make you prone to colds and bronchial infections.
Proper insulation can help in combating this problem.
However, this will require some work on an old house.
Dampness is common particularly in the kitchen and bathroom areas, but can also be an issue in bedrooms, especially if the room is on the northern side of the house (in the northern hemisphere) where it doesn't get the sun.
Newer houses often have extractor fans installed in the kitchen and bathroom so the dampness and moisture can easily be controlled.
Older houses often don't have these fans which mean that the dampness continuously damages the structures of the house and causes health problems for the residents.
Dampness can sometimes be caused due to leaking pipes in old houses.
The best solution to deal with this problem is to replace the plumbing; however, this can often be costly.
High moisture levels increase your risk of getting various illnesses.
The poor quality of indoor air gives rise to molds and mildews which are harmful to your health.
Dust mites also love the high humidity levels in the house and will multiply causing allergies to the residents.
Young children and the elderly are particularly prone to asthma and flu.
Health Effects From Living in an Old House For those with poor circulation, a cold house can exacerbate symptoms.
It can contribute to skin lesions and chilblains, and aggravate arthritis.
Ironically, in a cold house, the residents tend to become more sedentary which further adds to the intensity of symptoms.
Controlling the dampness and the humidity is a very important step that you should take if you live in an older house.
You can do this by opening the windows and doors of the house during the day to allow proper air circulation, and closing them in the evening and at night.
Using a dehumidifier overnight can help regulate the amount of moisture in the air, though there is little point in using a dehumidifier if your windows and doors are open!
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