Ten Things You Can Do Today To Make Your Home Healthier

A healthy home is central to overall well being so it's imperative to eliminate toxins, pollutants and health risks. Some of the simplest ways to make your home healthier are to change your behavior. These steps can be done immediately and cost nothing. Other changes require a phone call or two and a little investment but all of these ideas will make your home a healthier and safer place to live.

Leave Pollutants at the Door

It doesn’t matter where you live, you walk through pollutants at every stop in your busy day. At the gas station, the convenience store, at work, even between your car and your front door. Oil, gasoline, pesticides and cleaning chemicals are just a few of the nasties that your shoes pick up and these are better left outside.

Make it a habit to take your shoes off as soon as you walk in the door of your home. Facilitate this behavior in yourself and your family however you can. Create a catch for shoes with a shelf or basket, place a chair or bench near the door or hang up a sign as a reminder. Taking shoes off at the door will help keep out harmful chemicals and will cut down the amount of dirt, dust and allergens in your home.

Detoxify Supplies: A Greener Clean

Have you ever cleaned your bathroom and been overwhelmed by the smell of your cleaning supplies? The chemicals that produce those strong odors are often carcinogens and they stick around on surfaces after they are dry. You may not smell them but they are still present.

Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen found in many cleaning products. Hydrochloric acid found in toilet bowl cleaners can burn eyes and skin. Other chemicals found in conventional cleaning products can cause damage to the nervous system, kidneys, liver and may cause birth defects.

For every toxic household cleaner in your supply closet a healthier version exists and these are often more versatile. Just about every grocery chain carries a nontoxic cleaning product line. More variety can be found at health food stores or online. Better yet, you can make your own from everyday ingredients found in your pantry.

Once you try cleaning with nontoxic cleaners you’ll find it hard to believe you ever used harsh chemicals. Not only do they work just as well, they smell better, don’t make you dizzy and don’t pose a health risk.

A Vacuum a Day

I’ll admit I am a bit of a clean freak because it makes me feel healthy to live in a clean home. Whenever I’m teased I have the U.S. EPA to back me up. The EPA recommends cleaning regularly to reduce toxins, dust, pollens and animal dander all of which can trigger allergies and asthma.

Make it easy on yourself. Get rid of clutter including newspaper and magazine piles. Avoid furnishings that trap dust like bedskirts and Venetian blinds. Wash curtains and slip covers regularly in hot water. Purchase a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter to remove dust particles from the air, get a vacuum with a HEPA filter and use both frequently. If you are building a new house consider a central vacuum system that vents outside. The idea is to remove dust and debris without kicking it into the air inside your home.

Let it breathe

Ample oxygen is essential to good indoor air quality. Our bodies use it up and don’t replace it so indoor air gets oxygen-depleted. Ventilation is the key to keeping indoor air filled with the element we need most. Ventilation also helps exhaust indoor pollutants and odors emitted from building materials, furnishings, people and animals. A properly ventilated home will also help release humidity that may build up, condense and cause bacteria, dust mites and mold.

Natural ventilation is easy - just open a window to allow old air out and fresh air in. This works year round in moderate climates. In colder or humid months, mechanical ventilation can help keep indoor air fresh, dry and comfortable so, after you’ve gotten some fresh air, sit down and do some research on how to optimize the ventilation of your home.

It’s especially important to ventilate areas of the home which may have increased air pollutants such as the basement, laundry room or workshop. Glues, paints, solvents, laundry detergents and even just dirty clothes can all cause unwanted air pollution. Keep all of these stored properly and well ventilated. Also, no matter how well ventilated your home is, tobacco smoking should be done outdoors only.

Unscented Makes Sense

I don’t know about you but I can’t shop in candle stores without feeling like my respiratory system is under attack. The truth is scented candles produce more than “spring breeze” or “lavender fields”. Research has shown that scented candles produce more pollutants (like formaldehyde) and soot than unscented candles.

It’s important to be more than just scent smart when it comes to candles. In addition to choosing unscented, opt for natural materials like beeswax and cotton. Avoid lead core wicks. Although candles made in the U.S. haven’t used lead wicks for over thirty years, imported candles don’t have the same regulations.

If it burns black it’s polluting your home and not worth the short-lived ambience. Candles are a luxury so since you’re splurging anyway opt for a healthy choice. Buy only from a reputable store or check online, there is an entire industry of healthy candle makers, even vegan varieties.

The Grass is Always Green

A few years ago I was shocked to learn that my neighbor, a cancer survivor who had chosen the area based on air and water quality, was using pesticides on her lawn. It hadn’t occurred to her that the chemicals could seep into her well and drinking water.

Despite widespread use, pesticides are hazardous to humans and pets. The chemicals can cause long-term health problems such as birth defects, organ damage and cancer including childhood leukemia. It is possible to have a beautiful yard and pest free home without pesticides so do some research to find alternatives that meet your needs. Another tip: buy organically grown flowers.

What Are You Drinking?

From a science geek perspective, the hydrologic cycle is fascinating. As a homeowner, it can be a little scary to think of all the pollutants and chemicals that water carries as it travels through the atmosphere and makes its way into the drinking water supply. In other words: do you know where your water has been?

If your water comes from a municipal supply it is tested regularly by the water authority. Information about these tests can be obtained from your local water company. If your home is on a private well you can call the County Health Department or State Environmental Protection Agency to find out about groundwater quality and possible contaminants in your area.

The EPA sets maximum limits on about 90 contaminants that are commonly found in drinking water. Local health departments and private labs offer varying degrees of tests. A basic test for coliform bacteria will run about $50. A more comprehensive test package like those used in new homes can run $2-300 but can include testing for lead, arsenic, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a wide range of other possible contaminants.

Get to Know Your CO

Every year, hundreds of people and pets are poisoned or killed by dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that is produced whenever fuel is burned. If allowed to build up in an enclosed space, carbon monoxide can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, coma and respiratory failure. The results can be fatal, especially if the exposure happens while you and your family are sleeping.

The best way to safeguard against carbon monoxide poisoning is to prevent leaks from carbon monoxide sources in the home. Check all fuel-burning appliances including water heaters, furnaces, ranges, ovens, stoves, dryers, fireplaces and wood stoves. Be sure they are installed, operated and maintained properly. All ventilation should be checked as well, including chimneys and flues. If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, hire a contractor or a building inspector to check them for you. Perform this carbon monoxide safety check at least once a year, preferably just before the heating season.

When you’ve taken steps to prevent carbon monoxide exposure, purchase and install a CO detector. These are easily found, relatively inexpensive and some can be installed by simply being plugged into an electrical outlet. Performance varies between brands and models so do a little consumer research before heading to the store. Be sure to by a detector that has a battery backup and check the batteries twice a year.

Is There Something Creepy In Your Basement?

You can’t see it, smell it or taste it but it might be lurking in your home. It’s radon, a radioactive gas that occurs naturally as uranium in soil, rock and water breaks down. It is found throughout the United States and can seep into homes through air and water posing a health risk. Radon causes lung cancer. In fact, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and causes more deaths annually than drunk-driving accidents.

You can reduce your risk of lung cancer from radon exposure by testing and treating your home’s radon level. The good news is it’s easy and inexpensive to test for radon, you can even do it yourself with the proper kit. If the level of radon in your home is high, a properly installed radon mitigation system can reduce the gas to an acceptable level. You can also test your well water and fix this too.

*Note: The information in this article is general advice and not meant as a substitute for personal guidance from a financial advisor, real estate professional, home improvement contractor or legal counsel. Although the author is a licensed realtor, the advice given in this article does not constitute any client contract or agreement between the author and the user. The author is not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your decisions.