The Importance of Allergen Free Flooring

According to recent figures put on WebMD.com 55% of Americans now test positive for one or more allergy. That is a frightening fact – over half the population now has an allergy of some description. Allergic reactions and asthma is now regarded as the fifth most serious chronic condition in the United States. And the problem can only get worse because allergies are passed down from generation to generation. A child with one parent suffering from an allergy has a 33% chance of developing an allergy and that figure goes up to 70% if both parents have an allergy.

Of all the allergies that one can have it is not food allergies which are the biggest problem. Food allergies only account for 2% of the total number of allergy sufferers. The most common types of allergic reaction are to pollen, mold, dust mite excretion and danders. People wrongly believe that it is pollen that is the main cause of their runny noses and streaming eyes. Pollen is just one cause. The fact that people in rural areas in developing countries who have greater exposure to pollen have a much lower incidence rate of hay fever throw into doubt the pollen theory.

Allergic reaction is primarily a developed world problem and it is interesting to note that in countries like America and Japan people spend 90% of lives indoors. Thus it stands to reason that it is improving indoor air quality that is key to preventing people from allergies suffering from inflammation of their upper respiratory tracts. Dust mites are microscopic animals that feed on dead human skin and their excrement causes many people to suffer allergy symptoms. Dust mites live in furniture, bedding and carpets. Obviously it is hard to survive without bedding and furniture, but carpets are completely superfluous to our needs.

So rip up your carpets and install an allergen free flooring type. Recommended is strand woven bamboo flooring which is not only allergen free but also anti-microbial. Strand woven bamboo flooring is made from bamboo which is a renewable resource. It is a strong and hard flooring type which can be easily self-installed. Strand woven bamboo flooring also is mold resistant which means that if you don’t have pets and install strand woven bamboo flooring you are eliminating all of the three major allergens from your interior space – danders (from animal hair), mold and dust mite excretion.