Tips for a Healthy Home in 2020

You probably don’t think about mold in your home. Most homeowners don’t think mold until the house is on the market and the buyer does an inspection related to purchasing the house as part of the sales contract. For others homeowners, mold isn’t even a consideration until damage to the home occurs and a mold issue reveals itself. Getting a mold check can help your family breathe easier in the house.

Most people living in older homes know they should check whether they have adequate insulation in the walls and attic. But, did you know that the insulation you do have may be unhealthy? If you’re not sure about your insulation, have the pros check it out first. In the case of asbestos or any other hazardous material, you don’t want to be digging around in the walls on your own. This is a two-fer tip! Make sure that the insulation that you have is healthy and then boost whatever insulation is there by adding more.

Better insulation in my home is one of my goals for the year. My family room is directly over the garage and the garage has no insulation! My goal is to add insulation to the ceiling of my garage – such a simple task. Once the ceiling is insulated properly, I know that the family room will be instantly warmer!

Is a new coat of paint on your to do list this year? Whether it is to go with the trendy grey tones so popular right now or to get rid of some peeling paint, you need to pick the right paint for the job. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paint, wood stain and other varieties of coatings account for about 9 percent of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the country every year. For a healthy home, look for low-VOC paint. It’s water-based, low or no odor and non-toxic. Strosnider’s will be able to help you with picking out the right low VOC paint.

Live plants make any room look prettier – but did you know that

they can actually make your home healthier? This is one of those tips for a healthy home that is easy and inexpensive! Lilies, spider plants and aloe vera remove formaldehyde from the air. English ivy, bamboo plants and asparagus ferns clean the air too. Whatever you choose though – make sure that it can’t harm your four legged friends! Stay away from holly, mistletoe and poinsettias if you have a dog who chews frequently on plants and other tempting things.

When you think about where your shoes go every day, do you really want to bring that into your home? This is particularly important when you have small children just starting to crawl or walk and they are spending most of the time – face it- where your shoes have been. YUCK! So, as part of your new year resolutions, train yourself to take your shoes off at the front door. Leave all that dirt outside and you will feel healthier and your floors will be cleaner.

Now that we have cleaned your floors, the last task is to clean your air ducts, microwave filter, chimney flue and dryer vent. Think about all the dirty air, grease and lint that gets trapped in those devices. Then the air just circulates through and over the same dirty places. Start your year out with fresh clean air ducts. Clean your dryer vent at least every other year. So many house fires start in clogged dryer vents. Make sure that your chimney flue is clean and in good condition! You will breathe easier – literally and figuratively. This is the last of our tips for a healthy home in 2020. What are your plans?

Just give us a call at 240-401-5577 and ask for any other tips for a healthy home. We love to be of service and save you time and money by putting you in touch with the best service providers who can clean your home and get it into a healthy condition.