Room by Room

Is your house making you sick?

3 easy fixes for a healthier home.

Having a healthier, safer, happier home is more than just adding beautiful home decorations and accent pieces- its about cleaniless and conservation as well.

We assume that when we come home, lock the door, and sit and relax, we are safe from all the bad things because our home is clean and safe. But unfortunately, that is not the case. Many dangers lurk inside our home.  According to the EPA, the air inside our homes carry levels 2-5 times higher than outside of about  a dozen common chemical pollutants .  Since our houses are so much better insulated than they used to be, this is a double edged sword.  It’s good for conserving energy, but bad because indoor pollutants can’t escape.

Indoor pollution can cause headaches, flu-like symptoms and in some rare yet serious cases- neurological problems.  Scientists have even begun to suspect that the increasing rates of asthma and other various respiratory problems we have been experiencing may be caused by this increased risk of indoor pollution.  You can lower your family’s risk by doing a few of the simple fixes outlined below.  None involved buying expensive products or air purifiers, some of the best fixes are the most basic.  Three of the easiest are below.  I will add to the list periodically.


1.  Remove your shoes! 
Our shoe bottoms are just covered with layers of dirt, bacteria, chemicals and mold that can be tracked in throughout the entire house.  The dirt and dust then settles onto floors and in the carpeting where ordinary household activity stirs it up, and you or your loved ones can then breathe in the pollutants.  An easy fix is to have a shoe rack or basket of some sort in your entryway allowing members of the family and guests to remove their shoes all while keeping things organized along the way.


2.  Try Ventilation!
Indoor pollution becomes a bigger issue in the winter due to our windows being closed during the cold months.  Cooking also produces fumes and gas stoves do release some trace amounts of carbon monoxide and even nitrogen oxide too.  To reduce your exposure, use your stove’s exhaust fan. The exhaust fan is there to remove the smoke and other various gas and chemicals that may be released during.


3.  Tweak your cleaning!
Dust is known to cause fair-ups in allergies and asthma and even coughing spells in adults. So what can we do they keep dust at bay? Tweak your cleaning routine.  One easy fix is to vacuum more often.  Ideally you should vacuum twice a week to get rid of the excess dust, mold, lead, and pet dander that may be in or own your carpets.


We know that some of the fixes seem too small to be effective, but it is as easy as leaving your dirty shoes at the door- but every little change helps you and your family live in a healthier, cleaner, safer home with fewer chemicals,  less dirt, dust and smoke.  How much more can you ask!