Most people will spend at least half of their lives at home. This is a lot of time for anyone. Making sure your home is clean and healthy can improve your life dramatically. The CDC suggests that one in ten homes has a water leak while one in four doesn’t have a working smoke alarm. Whether you own your home or rent, making sure your home is safe and healthy should be a top priority.
Keep It Dry – No Leaks
Leaks are a big problem in homes. Water leaks result in high costs for homeowners. If you suspect a leak make sure to check the basement, the garage, and your exterior walls for dampness or wetness.
Home leaks are often hard to detect and can lead to various problems. For example, a water leak might cause mold or mildew to grow in your home. This type of growth could also put your family members at risk for respiratory illness. To avoid this problem, you should contact a professional plumber if you notice any leaks in your pipes or around your house.
If you live in a rental property, the responsibility falls on the landlord to make sure their property is maintained correctly and doesn’t have any hidden dangers like leaks. You’ll want to know what type of renter insurance they offer before signing a lease.
Clear your Chimney Frequently
One of the most essential parts of a home that should be maintained is the chimney. Many homeowners don’t realize how much they’re risking by not maintaining their chimneys. A clogged chimney can cause fires, and it can also cause carbon monoxide leaks. A good rule of thumb is to check your chimney for signs of damage or obstruction every year; if not yourself, contact professionals such as https://www.jcs-homeservices.com/chimney-inspection-northern-va/ to inspect your chimney for you.
A clog in your chimney can lead to back-drafting, which will make your fireplace ineffective. It will also release dangerous gases into your home. One way to avoid this is by using a fireplace screen in front of your fireplace when you use it. This will prevent small particles from getting into the fireplace and reducing its efficiency as well as potentially clogging it up more than before. If you notice any sort of damage, you should contact a professional immediately to have the issue fixed.
At least once a year, you should have someone come out and sweep out the inside of your chimney while they inspect for damages or obstructions that could lead to fire or carbon monoxide leaks.
Have Working Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms are a great way to know if your home is on fire. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends having at least one smoke alarm in every bedroom and one on every level of the home. If you have a working smoke alarm, you’ll likely get out alive.
It’s smart to change the batteries once a year and replace the entire unit after 10 years. When you purchase a smoke alarm, make sure to buy one with an end-of-life beep that will sound when it needs to be replaced.
Maintain Good Ventilation
Maintaining good ventilation is an essential step to maintaining a healthy home. You can do this by opening windows during the day–particularly when cooking–and closing them at night. This will help your home stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Suppose the weather doesn’t allow you to open windows in your area. In that case, a fan or space heater is an excellent alternative.
Another way to maintain good ventilation is not cooking with your oven door open. Cooking with your oven door open creates a draft that pulls air out of your house and pushes it into your oven and stove vent, which could cause carbon monoxide to seep into your home’s air supply.
Keep It Pest Free
Pests are a significant problem for many people. If you’re a renter, check with your landlord or property manager to determine what pest control methods they use. If you’re a homeowner, remember that pest control is an essential part of keeping your home healthy. Pests like cockroaches and ants can cause health problems in your home and be a hazard to children and pets. To keep pests away from your home, it’s important to clean up food properly, remove standing water near the house, replace any damaged screens or doors, and make sure there aren’t any holes for animals to enter the home. If you need help with pests, consider hiring Terminix.
Using pesticides and other unhealthy chemicals can create an unsafe environment for your family to live in. To avoid this, use natural, non-toxic products to get rid of pests. Essential oils like peppermint oil and lavender oil are great for keeping insects away without using harmful chemicals.
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