5 TIPS TO MAKE YOUR HOME A HEALTHIER PLACE TO LIVE

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 It’s more important than ever to ensure your home is a safe and healthy environment for you and your family.

Explore five effective wellness design tips that can lead to an overall healthier home.

 You spend most of your time in your home, which is why it’s very important to make sure the air quality in your home is the best it can be. Sometimes, the air within a home can be far more polluted than the air outside. EPA studies show the level of indoor pollutants may be two to five times higher than outside air.1 

 Certain products commonly found in our homes may contain potentially harmful VOCs, or “volatile organic compounds,” which are gases emitted from products including paints, varnishes and cleaning supplies. Exposure to VOCs can lead to eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, and over time, can even cause organ damage, according to the EPA. However, “zero-VOC” and “low-VOC” options exist and selecting these alternatives will minimize the potential for these common pollutants to impact the air quality in your home, helping reduce health risks to you and your family. 

 Accumulated dust can irritate the eyes, lungs and skin and further aggravate the symptoms of people living with allergies. Sometimes attempts to free a home of dust only end up kicking up more debris. To avoid this, use wet dusting methods. When it’s time to empty vacuum bags and canisters, do so carefully — this is one task that may be best to perform outdoors. Finally, make maintaining a dust-free home easier by investing in an air purifier. Consider also selecting machine washable curtains, furniture covers and other fabrics. 

 Decorating your living spaces with plants is not only a beautiful design statement, but plants act as natural air purifiers, absorbing toxicants and converting indoor carbon dioxide into oxygen. 

Other ways to enhance air quality:

• When decorating, choose healthy products and install with care to limit the amount of toxicants and pollutants in the home.
• Choose low-emitting adhesives and ventilate carpet during installation to limit organic gas release.
• Ventilate draperies, paneling, pressed-wood furniture, and cabinetry during installation, as they may be treated with formaldehyde-based finishes.

One of the most effective ways for improving the interior environment and occupant health is by strengthening connections to the outside.

Sunlight naturally reduces mildew and mold growth while providing numerous health and wellness benefits: