As if you weren’t spending enough time at home, winter is coming. That means more time indoors without so much as afternoon tea in the backyard to console you.
So how do you stay healthy with less time outdoors? The answer is simple: make sure your indoor air conditions are just right. Here are five ways to do it.
TUNE UP YOUR FURNACE
Keeping your indoor temperature warm enough throughout your house means tuning up your furnace. Even if you’re not left out in the cold with a catastrophic failure, your furnace can chug along underperforming for weeks and months. Temperature fluctuations and a continuous chill can make you sick with all that extra indoor time. Make it a priority to get your furnace working right before the temperature drops.
CLEAN DUCTWORK
Clear out dust, pet dander and other allergens to keep your air flowing clean throughout your house. Particles can accumulate in your ductwork and before you know it, you’re dealing with asthma and sniffles that won’t go away. Have a professional clear your ductwork so your extra time indoors isn’t messing with your lungs.
BOOST VENTILATION
Regardless of how clean your ductwork is, you still need fresh outdoor air inside your home. Reduce buildup of carbon dioxide and moist air with exhaust fans. Bring in outdoor air with an energy recovery ventilator and improve your home’s indoor air quality. If you can’t spend enough time outdoors, bring the outside air in.
CONTROL HUMIDITY
Winter is known for low humidity indoors that can cause “winter skin” with its painful cracking and flaking dryness. Just imagine what’s happening inside your nose, throat and lungs. Dry mucous membranes reduce your ability to fight nasty colds (and another nasty virus whose name we shall not call – starts with a “c”). Boost your health with a humidifier as you spend hours inside your house.
FILTER YOUR AIR
Remove dust and other particles from your home’s air system with the right filter in your furnace. A supplemental air purifier would improve the air you breathe even more. For all the time you spend in your home during colder months, keep your air clean so your health doesn’t suffer.
Keep your sanity with walks in the snow and bundle up for time outdoors where possible. For the rest of it, let us help you keep your home’s indoor conditions just right for the time you’ll be spending there as the weather cools down.
