7/2/2009
Rebecca Morley, executive director of the National Center for Healthy Housing in Columbia, MD, lists the principles of healthy homes: keeping them dry, clean, pest-free, safe, contaminant-free, ventilated, and maintained. The organization began as a resource center to get lead paint out of homes and housing developments. Morley gets questions from home renovators and parents about creating safe environments for their children.
“General de-cluttering and creating a livable space is the first step to having a healthy home,” Morley says. “With tidy rooms, walking areas are clear, minimizing trips and falls. A clean home keeps bugs and other pests away.”
She says it makes sense to change filters regularly, clean dryer vents, and make sure kitchen and bathroom fans are ventilated to the outside. Condensation pans in older refrigerators need to be cleaned regularly. Tests for smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and radon gas should be administered. Replace any damaged electrical cords.
"Lead-based paint is a concern for anyone living in a home built before 1978. Having your home inspected for lead is a worthwhile investment, partly because lead may only be on a few surfaces. You know where it is and where it isn’t and can manage it accordingly.”
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