6 Steps to a Healthy Home
A lot of people underestimate the house environment, in terms of their health. Following are the six most common dangers that hide behind your door. Some require a considerable investment and effort to deal with, while others simply need a movement to execute. However, easy or hard, if some of these apply to you, for the safety of you and your family, we recommend to take care of them with great perseverance.
1. Asbestos and Lead
Asbestos used to be a common building material in the 19th century. It’s a cheap material and highly resistant to thermal, electrical or chemical damage. Also, it absorbs sound fairly good. Because of these properties, the material was widely used in electrical and building insulation. The cancer-inducing element was banned from use later on due its deadliness. Turns out when you inhale the element, you get health complications which lead to an early grave.
Lead is not all that different — same story. Manufacturers of paint and plumbing parts used it a lot. Lead poisoning has an effect on every internal organ. Long term exposure leads to health deterioration and eventually, death. If your property is old and hasn’t gone through renovation, seek a building specialist. Have them investigate and look for traces of both. DO NOT try to deal with this yourself, especially in the case of asbestos.
2. Mould Fungus and Rot
Mould reproduces by spores which are light and float in the air. Inhalation can cause an allergic reaction, dizziness and headaches. Although it’s not fatal, mould can compromise your health. The combination of moisture and poor ventilation makes for the best environment for mould.
You want to thoroughly check all water sources in the house and maintain them dry and clean. Repair any cracks or missing tiles in bathroom. Mould likes to grow behind the walls, so use sealant to isolate them from any water.
Often condensation from windows results in mould around and under the frame. This might be a problem in the windows themselves, but it can as well be faulty construction. Repaint and insulate if needed.
The attic and basement hide their own dangers. Often fungus and rot set in the wooden supports. If those fail, it can result in a substantial damage to the property, so it’s wise to invest in repairs. The wooden floor, especially if it’s an old one, is usually a breeding ground for all kinds of nasties which hurt your health. Most of the time, it needs to be taken out completely to sanitise underneath. Professional move out cleaners in London often share gruesome stories of their discoveries inside properties.
3. Germs, Bacteria and Micro-organisms
Everything that touches food becomes a desirable environment for reproduction of viruses and bacteria. Those can hurt your immune system or even be the cause of sicknesses. You want to thoroughly clean areas like the oven and fridge as often as possible. Also, try to sterilise kitchen wear and utilities. Keep the tableware inside containers and not in the open air. Scrub all cavities in the house, because that is were micro-organisms set camp.
4. Chemicals
Avoid harsh cleaning fluids that contain ammonia or chlorine. Those irritate the skin, burn the lungs or even develop asthma. A good habit is to not buy products that burn the skin, or require a mask on. There are good DIY solutions to sanitise like a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. While it’s good to take care of insect or vermin infestations, be wary of poisonous products and aerosols. Most of the time they are also poisonous to you too.
5. Keep the Water Fresh
Most water sources contain some amount of chlorine. In general, it’s not that dangerous, but you certainly want to avoid it, if you can. Install individual water filters on the sinks and showers. Or have your water system reworked with a general filter that takes care of the whole house. When you store water, never use plastic bottles or tubes. They let in unhealthy particles and stale the water. Use glass ones instead.
6. Ventilation
Stale air is a no-no. While it’s probably the least dangerous of all, it affects your overall well-being. It can induce headaches, sleepiness, tiredness and general discomfort. Open your windows every day as much as possible to let fresh air in. If you can afford it, install a ventilation system. While it circulates the air, it both takes the bad out of your house and lets fresh one in. It will also help an enormous deal with eradicating humidity. Get some green inside. Plants will reprocess a considerable amount of the air inside the house. They will consume the carbon dioxide and enrich the air with oxygen.