How to Improve Your Health with Home Renovations
A lot of our time is spent at home, which is why we should pay extra attention to how the environment affects our health. The layout and features in your home can affect your mental and physical health in ways you may not have realized. If you’re planning any renovations in the future, consider how the following projects can improve your health and well-being at home.
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Address VOCs
If you’ve ever felt like your home was making you feel off, you might be right. FreshHome explains that sick building syndrome or SBS is a real thing, and it can affect you at work, school or even at home. SBS is thought to be caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemicals emitted from any number of materials found in the home.
While it might sound scary to be surrounded by VOCs at home, there are a variety of ways you can limit your exposure. One of the best ways is to just clean on a regular basis, including your air ducts and hard-to-reach areas that collect a lot of dust.
Having a good-quality ladder is crucial for safely reaching top shelves and other features when you clean. A standard ladder might work, but you shouldn’t settle for one when there are better options. Telescoping models, for example, are lightweight, fold down for better storage and adjust to different heights as needed.
To take indoor air quality a step further, you can install better ventilation in problem areas, such as the kitchen or bathroom. If the fan above your stove doesn’t vent outside, you might want to consider replacing it with one that does. This project can require extensive ductwork through the attic, so it’s usually something you’ll want to hire a professional to do for you.
Bathroom fans are similar, but they are required to vent outside, whereas this is usually optional for kitchen fans. Even so, you may want to consider assessing your current bathroom fan to see if it needs any repairs or just a good cleaning.
Install Hard Flooring
Compared to carpeting, hardwood floors usually emit lower VOC levels. Some flooring choices are more sustainable and healthy than others, such as natural hardwood and zero-VOC engineered wood. Even most laminate flooring today is manufactured to be low-VOC. No matter what you choose, hard floors are generally easier to clean and collect fewer particles.
If you prefer carpeting, make sure that it is cleaned regularly to reduce dust and particles. Hire the skilled carpet cleaners at Riley’s Carpet Cleaning to help!
Control the Noise
Exposure to noise pollution is annoying, but it also has some very real effects on your mental and physical health, according to VeryWellMind. Noise pollution amps up your body’s stress hormones, while also disrupting sleep and lowering your immune response.
Soundproofing your home is a good way to address noise pollution. It can be as easy as hanging heavy curtains or fixing leaks in your doors and windows. Replacing weather stripping or a door sweep might just do the trick. However, if you have windows or doors that just aren’t cutting it, you may find it’s better to replace them altogether with the help of a professional.
Let the Light Shine In
Natural light has numerous health benefits, such as keeping depression away and even helping your body process nutrients better. Installing a skylight is a great way to increase the amount of natural light in your home. It can be expensive to put in skylights, but it’s worth the investment. If you’re living on a tighter budget, projects such as painting your walls a lighter color can help.
Ways to Save Money
Before you start purchasing a ton of supplies and tools to begin your home renovations, look for practical ways to save money. For example, there are many cashback websites and coupon apps you can use. You can apply those handy coupons to the things you need to really get your home renovation project started on the right foot.
There are many ways you can renovate to improve the health of your home. Many projects allow you to take the DIY route, but others might require the help of a pro. Even small renovations can have a significant impact on your overall health at home.