Between shelter in place orders and fears of spreading the coronavirus, the average American family spends more time in their homes than ever before. While it’s natural to assume that it’s safer than public crowded spaces, this isn’t always the case. As there are many obvious and hidden health risks present in the home, failure to maintain living spaces puts everyone’s physical and emotional well-being in harm’s way.
From allergy and asthma attacks to respiratory infections and cancer, an unhealthy home environment can lead to many medical issues. Since maintaining a strong immune system and managing existing health conditions is vital to reducing your chances of contracting the coronavirus, LA county residents are encouraged to keep their homes healthy. Here’s how:
Clean Up Regularly
One of the simplest ways to maintain a healthy home environment is to clean up regularly and limit your waste. Everything from dust and dirt to bacteria and germs is present in the home at all times. These contaminants and allergens remain on surfaces for a long time, making it easy for someone to get sick.
Completing everyday household chores like vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, dusting, cleaning, and sanitizing hard surfaces reduces health risks. You should also plan a deep clean and purge (steaming the carpet, cleaning upholsteries, getting rid of unwanted items) periodically to keep your living space in tip-top shape.
Replace Filters
Your heating and cooling systems have filters that help eliminate the hot or cold air of common allergens. Over time, however, the filters get clogged and stop being as effective. It not only causes your HVAC system to work harder (driving the energy bill up) but loses its ability to keep the air clean. A simple solution is making sure that you change the filters at least once every three months. You’ll be pleased to know that filters are very cheap and easy to replace so you won’t have to hire a professional.
Treat and Filter Your Water
Did you know that your home’s water supply could be harming your health? Believe it or not, there are contaminants and chemicals in the water that could result in problems ranging from dry, rough skin to cancer. Fortunately, solutions like water softeners and reverse osmosis systems can make your water supply healthier. By eliminating the contaminants present in the water, you can safely drink, groom, cook, or clean without any concerns.
Let The Fresh Air In
Your home’s indoor air quality plays a significant role in health and wellness. The longer you’re indoors, the more you’re breathing in that dust, dirt, dander, and other allergens. The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to open the windows and let the fresh air in. Proper air circulation allows good oxygenated air from outside to enter the home and allergens to escape. In cooler seasons, plugging in an air purifier is a practical alternative (just be sure to change the filter regularly).
Keep Up With Maintenance
Failure to keep up with plumbing, electrical, HVAC, water, and roofing systems puts your home’s integrity and your health on the line. For example, an undetected leak could cause property damage and mold. You must complete simple maintenance tasks on schedule and hire contractors to complete larger projects or repairs when necessary. Add home maintenance tasks to your calendar and budget to ensure that you can handle the matter when the time approaches.
With the coronavirus pandemic raging on, cold and flu season underway, and the cooler months upon us, staying indoors is likely the plan for most LA county residents for the next few months. While the home is the safest place to be this time of year, you must do what it takes to keep it that way. The idea of completing additional tasks might be a bit frustrating, but it’s best to develop healthy home practices now than to suffer the consequences later. So, do yourself a favor and develop a strategy to complete the tips provided above for a happier and healthier household.
