Having a healthy environment is important for any family. You want to make sure that all family members are feeling well mentally, physically and emotionally at all times. Part of this means having a secure and stable home.
One thing that people sometimes neglect is the indoor air quality of their home. Dust, dirt, cigarette smoke, pollen, mold and bacteria can build up over time. These and other substances can cause breathing problems, allergies and other health issues.
A good way to improve the air quality in your home is by changing your air filters regularly. Most experts recommend changing them every month or two, depending on use. There are many different makes and models of air filters that you can buy. Check your heating and air conditioning system’s user manual to determine the right type of air filter for your needs.
Here are five ways to help secure a healthy environment for your family:
1. Learn about fire prevention
Having a fire extinguisher in your home is great, but it may not be enough. Knowing how to use appliances safely is important. It’s also a good idea to have an evacuation plan prepared in case a fire breaks out in your home. You can practice it regularly until everyone knows what they need to do and where they need to be. Hopefully, you’ll never need it, but it never hurts to be prepared.
2. Add an air purifier
A good air purifier can work well in conjunction with your home’s current air filters. There are many different types of air purifiers on the market. Some are perfect for kitchen counters, desks or counter tops. Other units can be wall mounted or have wheels installed to be moved easily from one room to another. They are usually relatively inexpensive, and can do a great job of removing gases and pollutants from your home.
3. Clean regularly
Another great way to make your home healthier is to clean on a regular basis. This includes scrubbing walls and floors, vacuuming, washing and changing bed sheets and pillow cases often and cleaning drapes and blinds. Mold, bacteria and dirt can build up over time, so making the time to clean a few times a month decreases the chances of these and other items from causing health problems for your family and pets.
4. Make your home safe
If you have young children or pets, you want them to avoid accidentally hurting themselves or others. Installing baby gates or other similar security measures can help keep them safe as they explore the environment around them. Check to see that they are properly secured, and that there are no loose pieces or anything that they could get their hands or feet caught in. Make sure that any hazardous chemicals are safely out of reach or locked away.
5. Maintain your HVAC system
One way to help keep cleaner air in your home is to have a good heating and cooling system that works efficiently. Take the time to clean out air vents and ducts at least once a year. It may be a good idea to schedule a regular maintenance check on your heating system to reduce potential problems such as carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, be sure to clean out your cooling system and make sure it is running smoothly. These preventative maintenance tips can help reduce the chances of having allergens or other air particles that could make you or other members of your family ill.
These are just some simple and easy ways to help make your home a healthier place to live. Your family is your most important commitment, and every family member plays an important role. Making your home safe is something that everyone can participate in. Having a healthy home can lead to a more relaxed environment that everyone can enjoy.
Different parts of the world are subject to different elements of the environment, which allows some parts to have certain benefits more than others. The southeast part of the United States is typically known for their southern charm and warm climate, making it one of the most ideal places for people to retire.
While the climate may be lovely, and while residents there may have an endless supply of citrus fruits, the southeast is not all oranges and sunshine. There is terrible air quality in the southeast of America, and it could be completely damaging to everyone in the area if changes aren’t soon made.
Why is the air quality in the southeast so poor?
There’s a reason why the air quality in the southeast is so poor, and scientists have done many tests in order to figure it out. Tiny particles in the air near the Smoky Mountains in the southeast help give it the purple haze that looks good in pictures; however, it’s those particles that are making the air quality poor.
According to a CIRES atmospheric scientist, “The southeast has the highest natural emissions in the nation, and also has high manmade emissions, humidity and cloudiness.“ This is contributing to the poor air quality. Because people continue to break into the Smoky Mountains and other areas in order to tap the natural resources, the air quality will only continue to get worse as time goes on.
Poor air quality isn’t good, in the southeast or anywhere else. According to a 2012 WHO report, 7 million people died in 2012 as a result of air pollution exposure. This doubles previous estimates and proves that air pollution is the world’s single largest environmental health risk.
If the rates of air pollution continue this way in the southeast, these numbers will only continue to rise. Regularly breathing in polluted air can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat, but it mostly has a negative impact on your lungs. Breathing in polluted air can harm the lining of your lungs, which can result in breathing trouble such as asthma, or it can result in something more serious, such as lung cancer. If changes aren’t made, there may be a rise in pollution-related deaths in the southeast.
What can be done to improve the air quality?
In order to improve the air quality in the southeast, people will have to stop tapping into the Smoky Mountains and other natural resources and allowing the particles to get into the air. More eco-friendly options need to be created in order to ensure that accessing these natural resources stops hurting the air quality. After all, if this isn’t done, then these particles and aerosols will only continue to get into the air, and the air quality will just continue to get worse.
Along with using eco-friendly options to access natural resources in the southeast, typical steps to reduce pollution can also be done to improve the air quality. For example, reducing the amount of gasses and other harmful chemicals and aerosols in to the air can help improve the air quality. Carpooling, taking public transportation, and even walking or riding a bike instead of driving yourself to and from work can help reduce the amount of harmful gases and pollutants entering the air. Reducing your use of aerosols can also help to improve the air quality, and refraining from burning harmful chemicals, such as plastics, can also help to improve the air quality.
You can also opt to improve the air quality in your own home in order to improve the air quality in the southeast. For example, investing in a home air purifier. According to Wave Home Solutions, “We spend as much as 90 percent of our time indoors. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor levels of air pollutants may be two to five times higher, and occasionally more than 100 times higher, than outdoor levels. A WAVE Air Purifier will let you breathe easier knowing the air you and your family are breathing inside your home is pure and clean.” This improvement will not only help your health, but it will also help to remove these harmful pollutants from the air, and this can improve the air quality in your neighborhood as well.
The terrible air quality in the southeast of America is a problem that needs to be immediately addressed. While the biggest way to remedy the situation requires eco-friendly processes and tools to be used for accessing natural resources, there are still some ways that you can help improve the air quality in the southeast on your own.
