We all strive to take good care of ourselves and our families by eating healthy foods, visiting the doctor on a regular basis and doing what we can to avoid accidents and illness. But many of us may have hidden dangers in our own home that can affect our health. There are seven steps to maintaining a healthy home.
Step 1 – Control Moisture
Water and excessive humidity support the growth of mold, insects, rodents, and dust mites. Keeping a home dry helps control mold and pests, and it discourages dust mites. The three most important sources of moisture that require control are rainwater, groundwater, and plumbing. Repair leaking roofs, walls, doors or windows. Cover windows well if they leak.
Step 2 – Keep it Clean
A clean house is a healthier house. Clean your home often. Dust provides food for mold, insects, rodents, and dust mites. Keep the clutter down. Store your belongings in an enclosed area such as a chest, plastic box, or even a cardboard box rather than in piles or stacks. Clutter makes it difficult to clean, and in many cases, it may serve as food for pests.
Step 3 – Keep it Ventilated
Ventilation provides a way to remove pollutants and to control humidity. Windows that open and exhaust fans that run help control pollutants. When outdoor air is brought into the home, ideally it is filtered to remove pollens and other outdoor pollutants.
Step 4 – Keep it Free of Combustion By-Products
Combustion by-products such as carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and soot should not be in a healthy home. Furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces that burn fuel must vent to the outside. Stoves, ovens, and cook-tops that burn fuel must be used with fans that vent the combustion by-products to the outside.
Step 5 – Keep it Pest Free
Pests can lead to allergic reactions and to the use of pesticides. Food and water attract pests. Controlling food and water helps to minimize pests. Sealing the points where pests enter the home can also minimize pests. A clean house minimizes the number of pests that are attracted.
Step 6 – Keep it Free of Chemicals
No environment can be totally free of chemicals, but we can control our exposure. We can select household materials that don’t smell or release chemicals. We also can control the cleaning compounds, pesticides, oil or alkyd based paints and solvents that we use in our homes. It is best not to store these products inside the home.
Step 7 – Keep it Comfortable
A comfortable temperature and humidity level in a home allows for the windows to be closed if needed. Too hot or too cold is usually uncomfortable. When a home is uncomfortably humid, particularly in the summer and fall, it may require a dehumidifier or air conditioner. If the home is too dry, you can increase the humidity through normal household activities like cooking, showering, laundry, etc.