A healthier home environment is entirely possible without breaking your budget. And with a healthier home environment, you can extend those steps and drive to creating a healthier world. If we all work together, a healthier earth is achievable. With thanks to OBRIST C-Transformer for sponsoring this conversation, we are also happy to share 23 tips for how to create a healthier home environment and a healthier world.
A healthy home environment is more than one that is germ free. It actually embraces everything, from the air quality in your home to safety and security. From maintaining your furnace to ensuring that you’re using toxin-free products, creating a healthy home environment encompasses many systems.
Key Components of a Healthy Home
The systems that help create a healthy home environment include:
Water
Is your home dry? Leaks in the foundation, roof, and even around the sinks and toilets can cause mold, rotting, mildew and damage to your home’s foundation. It’s vitally important that your home stay dry as mold and mildew can cause respiratory and immunological problems for both children and adults. If you find any sort of leak, call in a professional plumber or professionals like https://www.theroofdoctors.net/ to put problems right!
Air Quality
There are actually a few components to help improve the quality of air inside your home. The first is your ventilation system. Your vents should be clean and free from blockages. Your heating and cooling systems should be efficient and effective. This can be improved by regular maintenance.
When you have a well-ventilated home, you remove pollutants including toxins, allergens, and dangerous gases from your home’s air. Simply opening the windows is one way to help improve the indoor air quality. However, proper ventilation helps prevent any potential problems.
Contaminants and Toxins
Your home likely contains many different types of contaminants and toxins. Most homes are actually built with these toxins. For example, homes built before 1978 have lead in the paint and older homes often have asbestos in the insulation around plumbing and in the walls.
Many of these contaminants that are built into your home aren’t too difficult to remove. They can be taken out and replaced with safer materials. However, you do have to take precautions to avoid causing further health problems. Removing asbestos on your own has its risks, so it’s much smarter to use a professional service to do it for you. They will find any materials that contain asbestos and safely remove them, wearing protective equipment and ensuring good ventilation. If you try to remove it on your own, you could risk inhaling asbestos fibers. While one exposure to asbestos might not lead to health problems, once those fibers are in your lungs, they can’t be removed.
Other household contaminants are found in synthetic materials like carpet, adhesives, paint, and even your furniture. Did you know that fiber board and foam both give off formaldehyde gases for up to five years after they’re manufactured? Pesticides can be tracked into your home on shoes, and residue can be left on kitchen counters from non-organic foods.
Other household contaminants are found in synthetic materials like carpet, adhesives, paint, and even your furniture. Did you know that fiber board and foam both give off formaldehyde gases for up to five years after they’re manufactured? Pesticides can be tracked into your home on shoes, and residue can be left on kitchen counters from non-organic foods.
And we haven’t even talked about the contaminants found in many household cleaners and bath and body products. A clean home is a home that is free from these toxins and that’s where many people spend a good amount of their time and energy.
Free from Pests
A healthy home is also a home that is free from pests. Bugs like cockroaches and mites or bedbugs can cause disease. Infants and young children are particularly susceptible to diseases and irritation from these pests.
You’ll want to protect your home from mice and critters too. They can transmit disease and bring bugs and allergens in with them. However, rather than using toxins and harsh chemicals to prevent or rid your home of pests, it’s important to take safe preventative measures.
Safety
Finally, a healthy home is a safe home. It’s a home with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and where people are safe from falls, drowning, burns and injury.
Tips, Steps, and Ideas to Create a Healthy Home Environment
Water
* Install water filtration systems in your kitchen so you always get the best quality water possible. Look for systems that remove lead, sediment, chlorine, and other chemicals from your family’s drinking water.
* Install low flow toilets in your home to conserve water.
* Add a rain barrel to your yard to water your garden, trees, plants, and lawn.
* Take shorter showers to conserve water.
* Use cold water to wash your clothing. It helps them last longer and reduces energy consumption. Dry on a line if possible.
* Have your water heater checked annually.
Air Quality
* Install insulated windows and doors.
* Have your heating and cooling systems maintained annually.
* Install a programmable thermostat to conserve energy.
* Use low- or no-VOC paint when painting walls.
* Open windows when possible.
* Keep air-cleaning plants inside the home.
* Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.
* Don’t smoke inside the home. And if you burn candles, make sure they’re made from soy or beeswax. Make sure they have natural fragrances and that the wick isn’t made from lead.
* Install a HEPA filter in your furnace to remove allergens, dust, and debris from your home’s air system.
Contaminants and Toxins
* Use fragrance free bath and body products or products fragranced with essential oils.
* Use products without dioxin and formaldehyde in them. You might not believe it but formaldehyde can actually be found in a number of products, including baby shampoo. Read the labels or make your own products.
* Look for mineral-based cosmetics.
* Buy home cleaning products that are made from natural ingredients or…
* Make your own cleaning products with white vinegar, essential oils, castile soap and more.
* Don’t use air fresheners. They’re known to cause neurological problems in people and animals. Instead, make your own with essential oils or natural elements.
* Buy only hardwood furniture that doesn’t contain formaldehyde.
* Buy organic cotton linens, mattresses, and cushions and upholstery when possible.
How to Create a Healthier Environment
When everyone starts to do their part, a healthier environment is possible. And what if I told you that there was a way to reverse or stop climate change? I know it may sound impossible, but it is happening. When scientists and every day people like you and me work together; big changes are possible.
The OBRIST C-Transformer is happening. And with a simple $1 donation, YOU can be a part of climate change. The concept is there, the scientific proof is there. The next step is getting everyone on board.
Kori
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