10 Smart Ideas for a Healthy Home

Dec. 31, 2008 -- As 2009 approaches, many people may be scrambling to make sure that all annual around-the-house undertakings are complete. But there may be a few simple tasks, such as replacing the batteries of a smoke detector or throwing out old food, that get swept under the carpet in the excitement of the final days.

While at times our last-minute to-dos may seem like unwanted chores, these tasks may be essential for a healthier life in the coming year, according to Allen Rathey, president of the Healthy House Institute.

Introducing or eliminating simple objects around the home can contribute to a cleaner home and for many, a cleaner home may contribute to a better self, he said.

"It's certainly a better quality of life to have a healthy home," said Rathey.

According to Rathey, the benefits of a healthy home can include more money in your wallet and fewer trips to your doctor.

"Having a healthy home will simplify your life and your costs," he said.

Here are 10 simple ways to create a healthier home in 2009.

Having a humidifier running can prevent dry skin and it can also help you breathe easier by loosening up the airways and clearing congestion. But according to May, a humidifier is only effective if it has a humidistat that will help to keep the moisture at the right level.

"The risk of too much moisture in the air may cause condensation to build up on walls, which can lead to mold," he said. "And too little moisture will keep the air dry."

Having a humidifier is also cost efficient, said May. Many people will turn the heat up if the air is dry. Often, humidity makes an area feel warmer, thus allowing you to turn the heater down and save on energy.

"Most people who slip and fall are pretty lucky and they end up with a bruise or maybe a small laceration," he said.

For fragile, older individuals, though, slipping and breaking a hip in the bathroom can cause their world to close in on them, Della Penna said. He notes that some of his patients tend to be less adventurous because of a real fear of falling.

"What we're really talking about is a threat to our independence," he said.

Della Penna recommends three slip-preventing tips to his patients: eliminate fall-provoking clutter around the house, wear proper footwear and clothing to help prevent tripping and eliminate or modify surfaces that are likely to cause slips such as scatter rugs or wet bathroom floors.

"You don't need expensive products, as long as you're cleaning on a continual basis," he said, adding that simply wiping surfaces with a damp cloth will do the trick.

However, May recommends investing in a high efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, vacuum. HEPA is a type of filter that traps the dust or mold spores that regular vacuums may circulate back into the air.

Dr. Michael Shannon, associate chief of the Pediatric Environmental Health Clinic at Children's Hospital Boston said cleaning products can have side effects including "headache, fatigue, nasal congestion, watery and itchy eyes, cough, sore throat and a worsening of asthma."

Shannon said ventilation is the most important aspect of cleaning.

"Try and not clean when children are in the house," he said.

Lerner recommended making homemade cleaners with everyday household products such as baking soda and vinegar. But if you're going to buy a commercial cleaner, she recommended looking at the label before throwing it in your shopping cart.

"Just like in food products, if there is a long name listed in the ingredients, be wary and find out what that chemical is before you use it," she said.

Eliminating the source of allergens, such as rugs or pets, will prevent allergens from spreading and should be the first step before getting an air filter, he said.

"It's a hopeless attempt to clean the air without removing the source that's going to continue the spores from spreading," said May.

And, contrary to what some may think, pricier air filters may not necessarily mean better quality or protection. In fact, May said some filters that cost less than $200 are more effective than some of the more expensive types.

According to Dr. Michael Aschner, professor of pediatrics and pharmacology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the major concerns related to excess smoke exposure.

"The best thing to do in fire is to lay low and reduce a little [of] the risk of inhaling carbon monoxide," Aschner said.

The U.S. Fire Administration recommends installing smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement and in between sleeping areas. They also recommend changing your smoke alarm batteries once a year.

"Many people think if they have the garage door open, the carbon monoxide will go outside," he said. "But the combustion of starting a car keeps some of the carbon monoxide in the garage even after you pull out of the garage."

After closing the garage door, carbon monoxide lingers and may even move into the home.

"The simplest way to avoid this is to run the car outside," he said.

Shannon said first aid kits can be broken down into different levels of complexity. The basic level consists of tape, Band-Aids, large gauze pads, an antiseptic and medications like Tylenol or Benadryl. The highest level kit would include things like Epi-pens, splints and slings, and a midlevel kit would include a combination of the two.

Regardless of what the first aid kit contains, accessibility to it is most important, he said.

"A first aid kit should be kept someplace where every family member knows of and can reach it," said Shannon.

According to May, some kitchen pantries that store dry foods may contain flour moths -- insects that spin silk tubes with eggs into dry food, but go unnoticed.

"If you look inside any package of crackers and see these light threads, it's an indication of flour moths," said May.

But that may not necessarily mean that it is time to throw the package away, said May. If the package does not look infested with flour moths, and only a few silk threads are seen, May said microwaving 30 seconds per half pound of the dry food will kill the eggs of flour moths.

Philip Jalbert, radon team leader for the Environmental Protection Agency, said testing for radon is simple.

"The most common and simplest test is the passive radon detector, which is easily available over the phone or on the Internet," said Jalbert. "Once the initial radon test is performed in your home, it should be done once every two years to make sure that the levels haven't changed."

Most of the kits available are either round tin cans, foil bag devices or small plastic vials, all of which typically contain charcoal. The charcoal absorbs radon gases and is later measured in the lab for concentration. Testing typically lasts anywhere from two to seven days, and results could be available in as little as three days, Jalbert said.

If radon levels are above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air, the EPA recommends a technique called "active soil depressurization." According to Jalbert, this is a pipe with a fan in it that increases ventilation beneath the slab of the house so the gas won't be able to enter the house.

January is National Radon Action Month and for more information on radon detection, visit the EPA Web site at www.epa.gov/radon.