All of us want to learn how to stay healthy at home. After all, home is where you should always feel and perform at your highest levels. But the truth is that some aspects of your home might be getting in the way of your health and wellness.
If you haven’t been feeling your best, or your family members have constantly complained of sickness or discomfort, consider these possible causes. If you find that one of them is the culprit, you can fix the problem and reverse the situation.
Ready to find out how to stay healthy at home? Read on to hear more about the often hidden causes behind why people sometimes don’t feel so good, even in their own houses.
Undetected or Unrepaired Roof Problems
Have you suspected that your house has a leaking roof for a long time? It can be easy to ignore the constant dripping, but your body and lungs won’t be able to ignore any mold that builds up in the ceiling or walls.
Mold and mildew growth have been linked to a variety of ailments. These include migraines, low-level headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, allergies, asthma attacks, runny noses, and even fatigue. For instance, have you noticed that your kids don’t seem to be as active as they once were? Though only a third of youngsters are active every day, yours may have always been energetic before. If they suddenly complain of feeling tired all the time and you’ve noticed the telltale smell of mold, it’s time to call a roof repair specialist.
Here’s the good news, though: You might not need to replace your entire roof, which is ultimately costly. If the problem is a few shingles or a section of the roof, a roofer can replace that area with lookalike shingles. Make sure that if you do discover any type of mold that you either take care of it yourself or hire a mold remediation specialist. It’s one of the best investments you can make toward learning how to stay healthy at home.
Of course, you might smell mold and discover that it’s not coming from above, but from below. In that case, consider having someone over to discuss sealing up your basement cracks. Wherever you have high moisture levels, you’re more prone to mold. To help mold at bay in high humidity places such as crawl spaces, garages, and lower levels, set up a dehumidifier that will continuously run. Keeping your home at less than 60% humidity should help you implement the basics of how to stay healthy at home through mold and mildew reduction.
Give Pests in Your Home the Boot
Are little ants threatening to take over your kitchen? Do bats constantly get in your house by cracks in the chimney? Do your kids hate going outside on your porch because of a nest of yellow jackets nearby? These are all good reasons to contact your local pest control service.
As part of understanding how to stay healthy at home, you have to admit that sharing your home with insects and critters just isn’t wise. Not only can bugs and rodents make your life crazy, but they can destroy your home. It doesn’t take long for termites to eat through wood or for mice to chew up drywall and carpeting.
Not sure which pest control services to choose? Let Google help you. Look at reviews and consider what your problems are. Are people satisfied that the pests have been removed? Do they feel the company has lived up to its promises? Invite your best bets to the house for a thorough once-over. Most pest control providers will happily give you a free estimate, potentially over the phone if you have a very common and specific issue like bed bugs.
Want to know how to stay healthy at home after the first pest control service visit? Invite them back. In fact, get them on your calendar soon. Some pest control places offer seasonal appointments to ensure that you never have to deal with yucky creatures again.
Fix Your HVAC Problems With Repairs or Replacements
No guide featuring how to stay healthy at home would be complete without a section devoted to HVAC. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s shorthand for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. In other words, it relates to your home’s furnace, air conditioning unit, and any ductwork.
It goes without saying that you should be having a professional come to your house at least twice yearly to give your HVAC equipment a once-over. The professional will likely take apart certain parts of your machinery and equipment so they can be cleaned, examined, and if needed, repaired. Those maintenance visits are extremely important because they usually indicate if anything’s amiss long before your furnace breaks down or your air conditioning conks out on the hottest day of the year.
Many homeowners neglect their AC maintenance, especially if the unit seems to be working year after year. As long as they feel a breeze of fresh, cold air, they feel satisfied that their HVAC is working a-okay. But a huge aspect of knowing how to stay healthy at home is understanding that just because equipment works doesn’t mean it’s working efficiently. Your AC unit could be in dire need of an overhaul, but you won’t know it until you get a technician to your house for some TLC.
In addition to your air conditioning and furnace repairs, consider air duct replacement or cleaning. After a long time, air ducts stop working at maximum capacity. They might come loose or even get too clogged up to work properly. Improving your indoor air quality is a huge part of knowing how to stay healthy at home. But your indoor air quality won’t be strong until and unless your ductwork is as clean as possible. Yes, it costs money to have someone come in and suck the debris out of your air ducts, but you’ll smell the difference almost immediately. Additionally, you and the rest of your family members may experience fewer respiratory issues.
Stay on Top of Your Water Supply
Do you drink the water that comes from your faucet, whether it originates from a private well or municipal water supply? Have it checked for chemicals at least once annually. That way, you can be sure that you’re not ingesting something other than H2O.
Along the lines of your water supply, promptly address any issues you may have regarding pipes. Like leaking roofs, leaking pipes can lead to mold spores breeding in your house. The only way to stop the spread of mold is to remove the moisture source, which only a trusted and respected plumber can do.
Another water-related way that you can learn how to stay healthy at home is by making sure your water heater is serviced routinely. After about 10 or 12 years or so, most water heaters begin to malfunction. They may run very hot suddenly, or not heat the water at all. If they do run hot, you or a family member could get scalded.
If need be, purchase an updated water heater if your water heater services provider recommends that the time has come for an overhaul. Water heaters aren’t extremely expensive, and they do last for a relatively long time. Many of the newest water heater models are extremely energy efficient, so they help pay for themselves by lowering your utility bills.
Pay Attention to Faulty Electrical Work
It’s no joke: If you want to know how to stay healthy at home, you need to pay attention to what’s happening with your electric supply. Specifically, have an electrician come to your house if you suspect that anything could be wrong with your electric flow.
What are signs that your electricity could be on the fritz because of something serious like outdated or faulty wiring? Some indicators include lights that flicker for no reason, hot outlets, warm light switches, a strange odor when you turn on the lights, sparks coming from outlets, and odd sounds coming from the walls where the wiring is located. You may also simply know that your wiring is antiquated.
Don’t delay when it comes to improving your situation with the help of an electrician. Electrical fires can and do happen every year. The last thing you want is to have your home partially or completely burn down because you ignored red flags related to your electric work.
How much can you expect to spend on your electrical work? It really depends on what your core issue is. However, look at it this way: You want to know how to stay healthy at home. And faulty electric work is never going to give you the peace of mind you’re seeking. In other words, it’s worth repairing no matter the price tag.
Give Your Interior Paint a Fresh Coat of Color
So far, we’ve spoken mainly about the health-related reasons and ways to help you know how to stay healthy at home. However, it’s important to discuss something that’s just as important: Your emotional health.
If you walk in your front door every day and you just hate what you see, how mentally relaxed are you going to feel? Not very! On the other hand, what if your house seemed to be wholly inviting and pleasant? Wouldn’t you want to just chill out? Of course.
A fast way to upgrade your home involves removing all the junk and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Choose colors that not only look modern, but make you feel good. Take the time to really consider the different paint hues on the market, and try not to give in to tempting trends. A fire-red kitchen might look good in Pinterest images, but it probably isn’t going to make you feel great all the time. Usually, cooler, lighter tones work wonders in kitchens, especially if the kitchen is small. You can always save bold colors for accents.
Not sure you have the time to do a lot of interior painting? That’s what a handy person is for! A lot of people paint as part of their professional careers, or they paint as side gigs. You shouldn’t have difficulty finding someone ready and willing to help you spruce up your house with some color.
As a side note, if your home was built before 1980, it may contain paint that is lead-based. Never scrape or sand down paint that might contain lead. Instead, paint over it to seal over the potentially problematic older paint.
Fix Foundation Issues
Does it seem like the foundation of your home is sinking or otherwise compromised? This is a significant situation and can lead to moisture problems, cracks, and expensive repairs.
Think you have a big snag on your hands? Get help from a foundation engineer as part of your to-do checklist for how to stay healthy at home. A foundation engineer will give you the straight scoop on how best to make repairs for the overall health and value of your house.
Get Rid of Old Windows
We’ve finally come to our last suggestion how to stay healthy at home, and it’s one that’s crystal clear: Jettison your old windows. Not literally, of course, but be open to getting them replaced with newer, energy-efficient models.
Sure, your old windows may have character. But they’re probably costing you a lot of money in drafts. They might also have spider cracks, which makes them a safety issue if you have kiddos or pets. You don’t want anyone getting cut on an old window pane.
Look for seasonal specials on window installation from premium providers in your neck of the woods. Many window installers offer early spring and late autumn deals, such as two-for-one sales. Even if you don’t see a sale advertised, feel free to ask for unadvertised deals. Most places will work with you because they want projects. It’s a win-win for both of you because having new windows seals in your home, helps you get the most out of your HVAC equipment, and may even add some retail value — not to mention curb appeal — to your property.
At this point, you know how to stay healthy at home. Go ahead and do what you must to ensure that your house is truly a home sweet home.
