Keeping Your Home Healthy

Keeping your home healthy can be just as important as keeping yourself healthy.

Keep your home dry. Damp houses provide a nurturing environment for mites, roaches, rodents, and molds, all of which are associated with asthma. In addition, moisture can damage the building materials in your home. Typically, mice are looking for a place to retreat from the colder weather…so be ready!
Keep your home clean. A clean house helps reduce pest infestations and exposure to contaminants. Just wiping down surfaces with a damp cloth does a lot to remove dust and contaminants from the air.
Keep your home pest free. Exposure to pests such as roaches and rodents can trigger an asthma attack. Keep an eye on your pantry. Oftentimes we have flours, cereals and grains that have passed their expiration date. Examine those for pests before use.
Keep your home safe. Most injuries among children and seniors occur in the home. Falls are the most frequent cause of residential injuries to children, followed by injuries from objects in the home, burns, and poisonings. Eliminate fall-provoking clutter around the house, wear proper footwear and clothing to help prevent tripping, and eliminate or modify surfaces — such as scatter rugs or wet bathroom floors — that can cause falls.
Keep your home contaminant free. Chemical exposures include lead, radon, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and environmental tobacco smoke. Exposure to asbestos particles, radon gas, carbon monoxide, and second-hand smoke is higher indoors than outside.
Keep your home ventilated. Studies show that increasing the fresh air supply in a home improves respiratory health.
Keep your home maintained. Poorly maintained homes are at risk for moisture and pest problems. Deteriorated lead-based paint in older housing is the primary cause of lead poisoning, which affects some 240,000 U.S. children.
Keep your home temperature controlled. Extreme temperatures inside and outside of your home can impact the physical materials the home is built with and create a welcome environment for mold.

Install a carbon monoxide detector. Some states require carbon monoxide detectors in homes, but often tasks like yearly battery replacement, along with daily tasks to prevent the gas from entering the home, are neglected. In addition to regular maintenance of these detectors, you can also follow common-sense tips to reduce exposure to carbon monoxide. One of the most common mistakes is running a car in the garage during the winter. Many people think if they have the garage door open, the carbon monoxide will go outside, but the combustion of starting a car keeps some of the carbon monoxide in the garage even after you pull out of the garage. After closing the garage door, carbon monoxide lingers and may even move into the home. The simplest way to avoid this is to run the car outside.

But what if I don't have time to check all that?

Put each task on your list, and work through the list slowly. You CAN take 5 minutes to make your home healthier and safer using these quick tips:

Test your smoke alarm — Half of the fire deaths that occur each year in the U.S occur in the 5 percent of homes without smoke detectors, according to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Excess smoke exposure can lead to long-term health problems.
Wash your hands
Wipe down bathroom fixtures several times weekly
Keep the Poison Control phone number handy, especially if you have small children: 1-800-222-1222
Do a 3-minute "clean sweep"
Check your locks

Keep First-Aid Kits Handy

The American Red Cross Recommends keeping first aid kits in your home and car. Accessibility is key. Keep a kit where every family member can find and reach it.

Contact

Sherri Sanders
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
(501) 268-5394
ssanders@uada.edu

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