From Guest Blogger Lana Hawkins: Five Ways to Make Your Green Home Healthier

You can have a green and eco-friendly home that’s great for the environment, but not so much for the home’s inhabitants. A green and healthy home is the one that provides a safe and sanitary space for the homeowners that will prevent disease and ensure they have a healthy and happy life. If you also want to make your green home healthier, here are five easy ways you can do that.

Keep it clean

An average human spends a whopping 90% of their day indoors, and almost two-thirds of that time is spent at home. That’s a lot of time and a lot of opportunities for the dirty environment to affect your health. Even if your home seams clean at first sight, it probably contains a variety of dirt particles and allergens that can cause allergies and other ailments. This especially refers to floors and rugs. An average home contains plenty of dust, pollen, insect and pest fragments, pesticides and other contaminants. So, if you want to keep your home dirt-free, the best thing is to remove shoes when you enter your home or put up good doormats and easily cleaned runner rugs for your entrance hallways. Also, set some time aside every week to do a thorough cleaning of your home that involves vacuuming (preferably with hypo-allergenic vacuums), scrubbing floors and dusting.

Watch out for water quality

Water is the source of all life, but contaminated water can have a serious effect on people’s health. Many factors can affect the water quality in your home, from the faulty distribution system to your old household plumbing. However, water filtration systems can remove contaminants from your water and greatly improve the taste and smell. Consult with experts who will help you choose the best system for your home and deal with regular maintenance.

Efficient cooling and heating

Achieving the optimal temperature in your home is crucial for many reasons.
Efficient cooling and heating will conserve energy and protect our environment, while also lowering your bill and saving you some money. However, achieving the right temperature at home is also beneficial to your health. The temperature that feels the most natural and pleasant to people is 68 degrees F or 20 degrees C, especially in the bedroom. If the temperature gets too low or too high, your body will struggle to achieve the optimal conditions for sleeping, causing you to wake up. On the other hand, the right temperature will guarantee you a good night’s sleep that’s crucial for your physical and mental health.

Achieve optimal air quality levels

Even though we never stop breathing, we often overlook the quality of the air we breathe, especially at home. So, it’s important to invest in no-VOC or low-VOC paints and other materials that are not hazardous to our health. Also, when cleaning, make sure to buy natural cleaning products or, even better, switch to home-made cleaners that have a very low impact on our health and the health of our environment. Of course, installing an air filter that will remove pollutants and allergens from your home is always a good idea. Check out some reliable air purifier ratings and choose the one that fits your needs best.

Keep your home dry and mold-free

When moisture enters your home, it usually brings mold and pests with it. Mould is one of the most common allergies and it can cause different respiratory problems in people, especially babies and younger kids. So, in order to keep your home mold-free, make sure to fix all water leaks, maintain optimal humidity levels in your home, provide a proper drainage, seal your doors and windows and allow proper ventilation. Additionally, mold can also cause structural damage to your property that can result in unforeseen expenses, remodels and additional pollution to the environment.

So, if you want your green home to be equally friendly to you as it is to the environment, make sure to follow the tips stated above. Your home will be eco-friendly and ensure you and your family are healthy and happy.