Now that our weather is getting cooler, we are spending more time indoors and it’s more important than ever to have a healthy home. Therefore, I have a few simple tips to make your home a healthy environment for your family.
Toxins
Painting indoors is ideal in the fall. However, keep in mind when selecting your paint to purchase low or no volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). In many interior paints and finishes, VOCs are a big threat to your indoor air quality and they have a variety of chemicals that can be hazardous to your health with short and long term effects. Some houseplants such as gerbera daisies and ivy can help to reduce or remove VOCs.
Air
Millions of people suffer from allergies that seem to get worse in the fall from ragweed and pollen, but the worst triggers are often inside the home. Having a whole house air filtration system will help to remove indoor allergens, such as dust, mildew, pet dander and pollen. Your indoors can be crisp and clean with a good air filtration system.
Mold
In the winter months, people tend to seal up their homes to keep out cold air and this traps moisture and humidity inside the home. Both of these are contributors to indoor mold growth. To maintain a healthy level of humidity, you should vent bathrooms, clothes dryers and stove vents.
Carbon Monoxide
A carbon monoxide detector is a must for every home if you want to keep your family safe. Your home’s furnace, heat pump, vents and chimney should be inspected and serviced by a professional to insure your family’s safety on an annual basis. Before lighting the fireplace, open the damper to prevent build up of potentially poisonous gases inside the house.
Routines
Next on the tip list is the smoke alarm. Most homeowners know it’s important to test their alarms monthly and often they don’t change the batteries regularly. One way to keep track of maintenance is to change batteries when time changes in the fall and again in the spring. Every time you reset the clocks, change the batteries to your smoke alarm and your carbon monoxide detector.
By using these tips you will create a safer and healthier home.