Homeowners can prioritize creating a safer and healthier home for their family by implementing several preventive practices. These practices include learning about home fire prevention, the safe use of gas appliances, swimming pool safety and healthy cleaning methods. Things like homeowner’s insurance and a home warranty protect your home from damages and repair costs. You may be wondering, “Home warranty, what is covered?” It is a common question among homeowners. Educating yourself helps you gain knowledge of how to protect your investment. In addition, there are many other things inside your home that you can do to keep it safe and clean for your family.
Poor housing conditions are linked to a range of illnesses and injuries. These include asthma, lead poisoning and unintentional injuries.
- Keep it Clean
A healthy home is one that’s free of toxins, pests, and contaminants that can threaten people’s health. These problems may have natural causes or come from materials that contain harmful chemicals or volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
One of the most important steps to take to ensure a safe and healthy home is keeping it clean. Dirty homes can attract rodents and other pests that carry diseases, mold and mildew that can grow on food scraps, and bacteria that can spread through unclean dishes or food.
It’s recommended that families make cleaning a group effort by assigning age appropriate tasks and requiring everyone to participate regularly. Doing so not only makes the job easier but also teaches children the value of cleanliness and responsibility. Also, it’s important to regularly dust and vacuum your home to eliminate allergens like dander, pollen, and pet hair.
- Keep it Pest-Free
A healthy home environment is one that is dry, clean and free of pests. Pests like cockroaches, rodents and insects spread germs that can cause illness, especially in children. They also damage property and irritate allergies and asthma.
All pests are looking for food, water and shelter. A cluttered house provides places for them to hide and breed. Keep garbage bins closed, remove overly ripe fruits and vegetables that attract fruit flies and other bugs, and store all foods in pest-resistant containers.
All pests can enter a house through cracks as small as 1/64 of an inch. Seal all cracks and openings, including those around pipes and wires. In addition, make sure there is no stagnant water anywhere outside the house as mosquitoes breed in it.
- Keep it Temperature-Controlled
Whether you have a medical condition such as allergies or asthma, or you’re simply looking to protect your family from common household dangers like smoke, chemicals and mold, making simple changes to your home can significantly improve the overall health of your family. GHHI’s whole-house approach to creating a safe and healthy environment helps families consume less energy, reduce the amount of
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in their homes and make sure their housing is free of safety hazards such as mold and leaking water.
Learn about home fire prevention, swimming pool safety, healthy cleaning practices and more. For an additional layer of protection, contact your American Family Insurance agent to see if updating your homeowners policy will help with these and other small shifts to a healthier home.
- Keep it Safe
Home accidents kill one person every 16 minutes and injure another every four seconds. Installing carbon monoxide detectors and having a fire escape plan are essential to keep your family safe.
Make sure all medications, cleaning products, and choking hazards are kept out of the reach of children. Always read warning labels and storage directions. Store poisonous products like ammonia and bleach separately to prevent accidental container contamination.
Teach your kids to listen to that little voice inside that tells them something feels wrong. They should know that they are to never leave the house with a stranger, and if someone makes them feel uncomfortable, they should say something immediately. It is also important to teach your children not to share personal information online or to give out their location to creepers and criminals.
- Keep it Relaxing
Your home should be a place where your family can feel safe and relaxed. However, the busyness of family life can quickly overtake your space and leave you and your loved ones feeling frazzled and stressed.
To keep your home relaxing and healthy, focus on all of your senses. It’s not just about how your home looks, but also what it smells like, feels like, sounds like, and even tastes.
Designate a calm corner in your home and customize it to your favorite relaxation activity. Whether that’s reading, meditation, yoga, or prayer. It can be as simple as a comfy chair and a blanket you love to snuggle up with. It’s also important to keep on top of household chores to avoid stress build-up.
