Living Healthy – Hidden Health Hazards in a Home and How to Manage Them

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Rich says that the single biggest mistake homeowners make in terms of the cleanliness upkeep of their homes is not to manage issues in a timely manner.  Whether it is the carpet, upholstery, drapes or grout lines and other hardline areas of the house – homeowners need to tend to these things before they get out of hand.  He says that by waiting too long the risk of not being able to get the carpets completely cleaned remains as well as the same for upholstery or any other area in the home where there is long term buildup.  The key is maintenance.  When these and other things in the home are maintained well, the result is that they last longer and they look better over a period of time but most importantly they do not end up having negative effects on members of the household.

What Types Of Services Does The Company Offer?

Most people are unaware of the amount of buildup that can and does occur in a home.  Healthy Home gets to the bottom of all areas in the home whether these are places that are openly evident like tile grout, mattresses, carpets and upholstery or more hidden areas like air ducts, dryer vents or the home’s crawl space.  The company also provides an extensive green cleaning offering – with further information available here.

Why is There a Need for This Type of Home Maintenance?

Beginning as far back as forty years ago, in the 1970s the Environmental Protection Agency started focusing more on air quality inside the home, among other indoor health hazards.  The findings of the EPA reported that indoor air is as much as five or ten times as unhealthy as outside air – leading many consumers and companies to work toward addressing this issue.

Bad air quality affects home occupants largely with the presence of flu-like symptoms, headaches and even stomachaches.  In addition to improperly cleaned and maintained high traffic areas in the home, there are factors that further contribute to the bad quality of indoor air.  Whether or not there is a smoker in the home, the presence of pets and also how the homeowners keep the space in terms of ventilation for both air and light – all are aspects that further affect air quality.  Many people are unaware of how much pet urine and other unhealthy hazards are present in the home.

The American Lung Association recommends that air ducts should be cleaned at least once every three years but this is a little known fact and many homeowners do not tend to their air ducts for almost double that time or more.  Similarly, the ALA suggests having mattresses professionally cleaned at least once in six months along with the purchase of a new pillow to replace the old one entirely.

When It Comes to Flooring, What is the Best Type for a Healthy Home?

Whether homeowners that concerned about high-traffic areas or investors that looking to have a floor surface that is both durable as well as conducive to easy maintenance while keeping the health factor in mind – the single best flooring type recommended by Rich is carpeting.  Contrary to popular belief, rather than acting as an allergen, carpet actually functions as an air filter.  Unlike hard floors, including wood/laminate or tile, carpet does not end up in many air pollutants as the result of movement and traffic on hard floor surfaces.

What is the Most Important Thing a Homeowner Should Remember Before Getting Their Home Cleaned?

Since this industry is not regulated by any governmental agency, there are a large number of companies out there that claim to offer professional cleaning services.  It is essential that before requesting a quote or having any work performed, particularly in the more common areas such as vents and air duct cleaning or carpet cleaning, that a homeowner fully investigate the scope and qualifications of the company.  Good companies, like Healthy Home, operate solely on client referrals, rather than cheap coupon cleaning deals that yield not-so-perfect results and the need for a re-clean very soon after the job was done.