Every hectic day makes it easier for you to forget how to properly maintain your home. Aside from the occasional uncluttering, there are other things you need to remember to make sure that your home is safe to live in. You need to take a look at the indoor quality of your water and air, along with radiation tests now and then. Even though it may seem like an extra expense, investing in the scheduled maintenance of these will keep your and your household’s overall health.
Think about how the water and air quality in your home can affect your life. At the same time, consider the effects of increased levels of background radiation. Don’t take the risk of ignoring these crucial factors because you might regret it in the long run. The best thing for you and your household is to have a look at these aspects (in case you haven’t yet) to catch any problems early on.
Checking Your Water Quality
It is important to keep an eye on the water quality in your home, and where it goes. Keep an eye out for your local government’s standards to make sure that you’re up to code. The limitations on the number of suspended solids in the water, for example, are there to make sure that it’s safe for you to bathe in, drink, or use for cooking. You can either hire professionals or buy a DIY water quality kit to test what comes out of your taps.
You can check the number of dissolved solids in your water, and what they are. You can also check the acidity or the alkalinity of your water, usually called its pH. Staying vigilant about your water quality can reduce the chances of you falling ill just because something got in your water that wasn’t supposed to be there. The sooner you catch anomalies in your water, the sooner you’ll be able to report them. It’s a lot better than paying for a medical bill with your water bill.
Maintaining Air Quality
There are stringent guidelines on indoor air quality set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Make sure that your home’s air quality is up to par through regular professional air duct cleaning. The risks of not having them frequently cleaned include developing asthma, allergies, and other issues with breathing. That’s because an uncleaned system of vents and ducts can harbor dust that eventually ends up joining the air you breathe indoors. It will circulate and end up in your lungs.
At the same time, allowing dust to gather can be a fire hazard. Dust allows static electricity to create sparks in your home, and if it catches fire, it’ll be difficult to stop. So, again, make sure that you get your air quality checked.
You should also make sure that there aren’t any gas leaks in your home. Get a radon kit, along with a kit that alerts you if there’s a carbon monoxide leak. Radon will mutate cells and causes people to develop cancer. Meanwhile, carbon monoxide will suffocate people by reducing the amount of oxygen that their blood cells can carry. Similar to what was mentioned earlier, it’s better to get your air quality checked now, rather than pay a much heftier price later on.
DIY Checks For Radiation
Investing in a Geiger meter will allow you to check your background radiation now and then. If at any point you detect that it’s above a normal amount, you need to be alert. There might be instances where radiation is carried by air unto your environment from elsewhere, even if there haven’t been any reports of nuclear weapon testing or a reactor meltdown. Once you find something wrong, you can inform your local government about your concerns, and they’ll act accordingly. You’ll also be able to tell your neighbors about what you found.
These are just a few of the things you need to keep in mind to make sure that you and your household are safe. It’s a form of security that you can preemptively act upon, without waiting for the consequences to get to you first. If you’re always on the lookout for things to keep your household safe, these are good practices to develop.
By keeping these in mind, you can fund the maintenance of your home proactively. That way, you won’t need to dip in your emergency fund as often because you and your household won’t get sick too often. Always remember that prevention is better than paying for the cure.
