You might believe your home is a sanctuary free from safety and health hazards, but a closer inspection may prove otherwise. As a homeowner, your abode can be in deteriorating shape and laden with toxic chemicals found in common household items that can easily go unsuspected.
In fact, according to a report by the Center for American Progress (CAP), thirty million U.S. homes have serious safety and health hazards, such as poor heating, damaged plumbing, and gas leaks, while six million have structural problems and traces of lead paint.
For states like Alabama, where the harsh climate and natural disasters pose even greater threats to homeowners, a residence’s optimal structural, exterior, and interior health becomes primal.
To combat health and safety hazards in the home, residents of the Yellowhammer State should keep the following tips and precautions in mind:
Maintaining a Healthy Home: 8 Tips
Prevent Leaks and Stagnant Water
Whether it’s a leaking roof, faulty plumbing system, or stagnant water in the bathrooms or garden, the unnecessary presence of water in your home can wreak havoc. Not only do leaks and standing water structurally weaken a property in the long run, but they also serve as breeding grounds for mold, mildew, and pests.
Due to the high risk of floods in the state, affecting 17% of all housing, mold and water issues in properties are common in Alabama. These issues, if left unfixed, can cause severe health and safety concerns for homeowners.
Therefore, promptly tending to water damage by repairing leaks in drainage and plumbing systems is essential. Moreover, if signs of mold are apparent, it’s best to hire mold remediation experts.
Ventilation Is Key
Believe it or not, your home’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) may be worse than outdoor air pollution. While homes back in the day were built keeping ventilation requirements in mind, this is not the case anymore, as modern homes often rely on ventilation systems to carry out this task.
In light of this, it is necessary that homeowners keep their HVAC systems up-to-date and regularly change their filters. Installing dehumidifiers or exhaust fans in bathrooms is an additional step that can be taken to keep them from staying damp and facilitating the spread of mold and mildew.
With proper ventilation, the passage of clean and fresh air throughout the house shall promote better health and wellness for all inhabitants.
Conduct Deep-Cleaning
Having a safe and clean home requires much more than surface-level cleaning and sanitization. Thoroughly cleaning your abode from the inside out is necessary to declutter the space, target problem areas, and disinfect every nook and cranny.
Dedicate a day each month to deep cleaning, and start by getting rid of unwanted items lying around the house. Following this, assemble your best cleaning supplies and get to scrubbing and scrapping the interior, including furniture, storage compartments, and appliances. Finish off with sanitizing countertops and surfaces.
Add Safety Equipment
In an emergency, having the right safety equipment and devices in your home can save you and your family from a tragic outcome.
By installing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and a fire hose in your residence, you can adequately equip your home to face any danger in the form of a short-circuit, gas leak, or fire outbreak.
If your Alabama home currently lacks safety devices, get them installed at the earliest to add a layer of necessary protection.
Get Rid Of Toxic Household Products
Everyday household items tucked within your home may pose the risk of serious damage to your health and well-being. The most commonly found toxic chemicals in American homes are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), bisphenol-A (BPA) And bisphenol-S (BPS), formaldehyde, and ammonia, to name a few.
These chemicals are used in the manufacturing of cleaning supplies, plastic goods, and cookware. Their prolonged exposure has been linked to a plethora of health issues, ranging from obesity to infertility and much more in between.
By going through the content lists of products in your home, you can easily detect which ones contain toxic chemicals and get rid of them for a safer home.
Identify and Remove Contaminants
Contaminants in the home mostly come from building materials or the outdoors. The increased use of asbestos in construction and lead in paints was put an end to in the late 1970s, but statistics show that 20.4% of housing in Alabama was constructed before the ban.
Since the effects of asbestos and lead exposure are seriously harmful, identifying and removing these contaminants from your home is imperative for a safe home environment.
Radon and dust are further contaminants that make their way into homes from the outdoors through cracks and open spaces and adversely affect the health of homeowners.
Watch Out For Infestations
Hidden behind walls and furniture may be colonies of pests and rodents eating away at your home. Pests multiply quickly and eat through concrete, wood, and similar building materials, making them a force to be reckoned with.
Upon contact with pests, health issues such as vector-borne diseases, asthma, and allergies can occur in humans. Due to their sheer force and population, over-the-counter pesticides cannot adequately remove infestations.
Instead, you need to consult professionals to eliminate the infestations from their core and prevent them from reoccurring.
Make Use of Indoor and Outdoor Plants
A final step homeowners can take to keep their homes in good health is planting indoor and outdoor plants. For outdoor plants, lavender, golden pothos, orchids, and aloe vera are great options that purify the air of toxins, enhance the natural environment, and promote relaxation.
Where indoor plants are concerned, oxygen-rich flora that is also easy to maintain, such as spider plants and snake plants, are wonderful additions to bring a greener and fresher look to the home while enjoying their health benefits!
Conclusion
A clean and healthy home environment depends on various factors, ranging from the building materials used in its foundation to the everyday items housed within it.
Homeowners in Alabama can use the tips mentioned above to keep their abodes in great health as they enjoy their coastal life. Just remember that a clean and healthy home today means a better tomorrow for you and your loved ones!
