If you are a homeowner, you want your house to be safe and comfortable for family and friends. With people spending more and more time at home, boost wellness in your household using these tips to make your home healthier.
Install a Water Filter to Make Your Home Healthier
Whether your water comes from a municipal source or from a well on your property, it’s important to have clean, fresh-tasting drinking water. Have your water tested or request a water-quality report from your local utility company.
Once you know the contaminants in the water, you can make an informed decision about the best type of purification system for your home. There are several options available ranging from inexpensive pitcher filters to more costly whole-house filtration systems.
Test for Radon Gas
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that can seep into your home through gaps or cracks in the foundation. Radon is dangerous because it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, second only to cigarette smoking. There are no symptoms of exposure and often the only way you realize radon is a problem in your home is with a diagnosis of lung cancer.
Hire an experienced home inspector to perform a test for this gas. If high levels are found in your home, hire a professional to design and install a mitigation system to make your home safer and healthier.
Update Your Lighting
The lighting in our home affects our health and our mood. Look at each room and determine how the lighting in the space could be better. Bright lighting that tends toward the blue end of the spectrum can be energizing. However, in the mornings or at the end of your day it’s better to use lights in the yellow or orange portion of the spectrum.
Updating your lighting is as simple as replacing bulbs. If you have the budget, you may want to boost your home’s appeal by installing new, more modern fixtures. Shop around and choose the best combination of energy-efficient LED and CFL light bulbs for your different living spaces.
Care for Plants
Whether you choose to purchase a few houseplants to bring a boost of greenery indoors or you decide to plant a vegetable garden in the backyard, get involved with gardening.
Gardening indoors or outdoors reduces stress and promotes focus and creativity. Choose houseplants like peace lily, Boston fern, and golden pothos to improve indoor air quality. In your outdoor garden, you can grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables depending on your local climate.
Control Humidity to Make Your Home Healthier
High humidity levels indoors can lead to mold growth and allergy or asthma-like symptoms. Mold can stain and damage materials in the home, causing them to deteriorate.
In a home where the humidity is too low, you might experience dry skin and hair and itchy eyes, or a scratchy throat. Purchase a moisture meter so you can monitor the humidity in your home. Depending on the climate, you might install a dehumidifier to remove moisture from your living spaces or use a humidifier to make the indoor environment more comfortable.
East Carolina Inspections provides home inspection services, including radon testing, to customers throughout eastern North Carolina. Contact us to schedule an appointment.