Five Tips for a Healthy Home

Our home is our source of comfort, security, and well being. It's where we go to recharge and rejuvenate. Sometimes it's where we hide from the rest of the world.

A home can't be the safe house we need unless it provides a healthy environment. But keeping your home healthy is easy with these five steps.

1. Control moisture.

Moisture and humidity attracts mold and insects. Both are dangerous to your health. Relative humidity in your home should be between 40 and 60 percent. To maintain that level, use exhaust fans in your bathrooms and kitchen. Provide proper exhaust for your clothes dryer. Keep your roof, walls, doors, windows and plumbing in good repair. Provide adequate ventilation to keep problem areas such as closets, and exterior walls dry.

2. Provide adequate ventilation

Fresh air controls heat and humidity. It also clears the environment of allergens and pollutants. For optimal affect, filter the air that you bring into your home.

3. Keep it free of chemicals

These days it's nearly impossible to clear all the chemicals from our environment. However, by replacing cleaning products, aerosols, and pesticides with natural alternatives, we can significantly reduce the chemicals in our homes.

4. Keep it clean

The battle against dirt, dust and clutter is ongoing. However, the cleaner your home, the fewer allergens, pests, and molds you will have spreading disease and germs to your family members. Simplify to win the battle. Reduce clutter. Store it away in enclosed containers.

5. Keep it free of pests

Pests can spread allergens and germs. To keep your home pest-free, seal cracks and openings. When necessary, use natural alternatives to chemical pesticides.

As you can see, each of these steps overlaps with another. To expedite your efforts to make your home safe, make a plan. Identify your problem areas and select a solution. And finally, develop a program to maintain your home's health.

photo by Jason Boutsayaphat