How to Improve Health Outcomes in Your Home (or a Rental Property)
There are many positive steps you can take to improve your health and feelings of wellness. You can change your nutritional intake, eating healthier foods in more reasonable portions. You can commit to more physical exercise, staving off obesity while keeping your body in better shape. But you can’t afford to neglect the impact of your physical environment—the conditions of your home.
If you own a rental property, you can use the same approach to make your property more enticing for new tenants, or decrease tenant turnover; it’s all based on the same principles. The idea is to make your home healthier and more comfortable, and you can do it without much cost or ongoing commitment.
Keep Your Home Clean (Preferably With Natural Products)
Your home isn’t just yours—it’s also home to millions of pathogens and allergens, which have the potential to infect you with illnesses, aggravate your allergies, or weaken your immune system. You can mitigate the impact of these microorganisms by keeping your home as clean as possible. Cleaning all the major surfaces of your home (especially in high-traffic areas like the bathroom and kitchen) should be on your weekly chore list, and you should commit to a deep cleaning at least once a month to get areas that might otherwise be neglected.
While you’re at it, try to limit your use of cleaning products that rely on harsh chemicals to disinfect your home. Overuse of these products can also result in allergic reactions in some people, or at minimum, could leave your home with an unpleasant artificial smell to it. You can also save money by making some of your own natural cleaning products.
Maintain Your HVAC System
It’s also a good idea to keep your HVAC system in order—and for more reasons than just health. Every three months or so, you should be replacing the filter on your heater and/or air conditioner. Every year, you should perform a thorough inspection of your entire system, taking note of any parts that seem to be worn out and in need of replacing and cleaning dirt and debris from your equipment. More periodically, you should also clean out the ductwork, allowing your equipment to work efficiently.
These steps will keep your furnace and air conditioner working efficiently, which means you’ll extend their lifespan and spend less on energy costs. More importantly, you’ll keep your air free of dirt and dust particles that might otherwise contaminate your environment.
Clean and Pay Attention to Your Pets’ Health
We love our pets, but often overlook how much of an impact they can have on our health and our environment. Dogs and cats that are allowed to roam outside can pick up pests and diseases, and even those who purely stay indoors can spread diseases easily from person to person. Make sure you keep them clean and wipe their paws when they come inside after an outdoor romp, and schedule veterinary appointments on a regular basis to keep them in good health.
Grow More House Plants
Indoor plants are important for more than just aesthetics; they can have a positive impact on your health as well. People tend to feel happier in spaces with some kind of natural scenery, like plants, and the right type of houseplants will provide more oxygen for your environment. On top of that, they may function as a kind of air filter, helping you breathe easier and feel more comfortable when you’re home.
Make Use of an Air Purifier
In addition to house plants, consider installing and regularly using an air purifier. Even a basic unit has the power to cleanse the air of particles that would otherwise make it harder to breathe or aggravate existing allergies. It’s a cheap investment that pays off considerably.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
Don’t underestimate the impact that natural light can have on your health. Getting exposure to enough natural light in a day can give you a steady supply of vitamin D, ward off seasonal depression in the winter months, and help you maintain a healthier sleep cycle. Ideally, you’ll have your house set up to maximize your intake of natural light. If that can’t happen, consider installing a natural light-simulating lamp to supplement your exposure.
These steps can make you and your family (or your tenants) healthier, without the need for a massive investment or time-consuming additions to your property. Once you make use of them, you’ll be at reduced risk for multiple ailments and maladies, and you’ll simply feel better on a daily basis. All that’s left is to keep up with ongoing maintenance tasks, so you can keep your home in healthy order for a longer period of time.
