Healthy Real Estate, Healthy Home
A Healthy Home and You
According to HUD-Gov a healthy home is one that is constructed, maintained and rehabilitated in a manner that is conducive to the occupants’ good health. Keeping a home healthy involves keeping it dry, clean, safe, well ventilated, pest free, contaminant free and temperature controlled. Fall is an ideal time of year to take a walk around your home for a semi-annual check-up.
- Keeping your home dry is number one in priorities. Water can get in through roofing systems, poor drainage for rain water or snow melt, as well as leaky pipes through-out the home. Make sure your rain gutters are cleaned and draining away from the home. Faulty rain gutters will allow rain water into your home and, left untreated, will cause serious foundation issues. Seal cracks in foundation to prevent water and pests from getting in.
- Keeping it clean and safe means controlling dust & contaminates. Reduce clutter, keeping surface free of germs and clutter, using appropriate cleaning methods.
- A Safe home means keeping poisons out of reach of children, securing loose rugs and keeping areas clear of sharp surfaces. In addition, install fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Ventilate bathrooms and kitchen, use whole house fan to supply fresh air, reducing the concentration of contaminants in the home, see above.
- House pests such as roaches, termites, mice and bats look for food, water, and shelter. Store food in pest free containers. Seal cracks around the foundation to prevent rodents and bats from entering. Also, see above.
- Keep it contaminant-free means reducing lead related hazards by repairing chipped and pealing paint. Test your home for radon, installing a radon removal system if levels are above EPA levels.
- By inspecting and repairing your home in the spring and fall you can keep your home well maintained. Maintaining your real estate will keep minor repairs from becoming costly problems.
Keeping your home healthy will keep you healthy. Maintaining and caring for your home will add value and equity to your real estate dollars.
www.hud.gov/healthyhomes
https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/HH8TIPS.PDF
