3 most overlooked ways to keep your home healthy

Having family members who seem to spend more time sick than healthy is a reality many families learn to deal with, but they may not have to. Illness can come from a number of external sources, but did you know your own home might also contribute to sickness?

Springtime increases dust and pollen in the air and if they make it into your home, sensitive family members can suffer. Secure windows and doors can help you control the air flow and exposure to outside allergens in your home.

Here are three simple ways of keeping your home, and everyone in it, happy and healthy. 

Increase natural light exposure

You might load your home with chandeliers, recessed lighting, dome lights and lamps, but they can never replace natural light streaming through your windows. If you’ve felt tired at home despite getting enough sleep or felt sluggish at work even with a full breakfast, natural light could help. According to windowstrong.com,

“Humans needs at least 1,000 lux of light to be fully alert but even the brightest indoor lights only provide 300 lux of light. This can lead to dullness, lack of energy, depression, and anxiety.”

Taking a walk in the morning each day can help wake you up by exposing you to those brain-boosting lumen. Adding more windows to your home or sitting closer to a window at the office could also improve your mood and energy levels.

Improve indoor air quality

The indoor air your family breathes on a daily basis might be more heavily polluted than that of a big city. The Environmental Protection Agency lists indoor air quality as one of its top five main health concerns.

“Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home,” the EPA says.

The solution could be as easy as cracking open a window. Especially during cold or hot months, the air in your house won’t circulate efficiently because doors and windows tend to remain closed. Open the windows once in a while to recycle stale indoor air that may be laden with moisture, pet hair and dander and to clean out chemicals, dust and other debris.

Decrease contact with dust

In Arizona, dust is no stranger.  When people are exposed to too much dust, it can damage their lungs and increase the risk of allergic reactions, colds and asthma symptoms.

Luckily, you can decrease your exposure.

There are a few obvious things you can do to prevent dust in the home, including washing bedding weekly, vacuuming frequently, replacing carpet with solid floors and dusting all flat surfaces. American Vision Windows of Mesa, Arizona, suggests installing windows with sufficient weather stripping. One package offered includes windows with “three strips of weather stripping strategically placed inside little fins built into the frame, making it extremely effective against the crazy Arizona dust storms.”

Check weather stripping around door frames for rips and tears. If you see daylight between your door or window and its frame or have noticed rips or worn areas, it’s time to replace weather stripping.

For more information on how to make your home clean and healthy, visit  americanvisionwindowsaz.com.

 American Vision Windows is a  family owned and operated business, beginning more than 15 years ago with the sole purpose of helping fellow homeowners save money by keeping their homes better insulated. Now, American Vision Windows is the largest window sales and installation company in California and Arizona. Visit us at AmericanVisionWindowsAZ.com to hear owners,  Bill and Kathleen’s story on why they started American Vision Windows.