Show Me the Ozarks August 2022

Keep It Dry Water in all its forms can seriously negatively impact homes and buildings. Excess moisture can have a negative impact on the quality of indoor air. High moisture can cause structural damage such as rotting. Rotting, of course, invites termites and their damage. Excess moisture can lead to mold, dust mites and a variety of pests, including rats. Keep It Maintained A well-maintained home includes keeping trash removed from the house. It is a good idea to develop a schedule for checking heating and cooling systems, as well as all ventilation systems. Your maintenance schedule should also include periodic inspections of roof shingles and exterior siding. Keep It Pest Free Use an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to control pests. IPM is a method for controlling pests that focuses on learning about pest behavior and their preferred environments. By knowing the attractants, you will know what to eliminate that can attract pests. Pests such as cockroaches, bedbugs, flies, fleas, dust mites, mice and rats all pose serious threats to a healthy home. Keep It Safe Did you know one-third of all injuries that occur in the United States each year happen at home? Home injuries cause more deaths than any other factor except car related injuries. The top five causes of home injury deaths are poisoning, falls, drowning, fires/burns and choking/ suffocation. The top five leading causes of fatal injuries for children under age 15 are drowning, poisoning, firearms, fires/burns and choking/suffocation. Keep It Well Ventilated Pollutants in the air inside our homes are 10 to 100 times higher than in outdoor air. The obvious best method for reducing pollutant levels in your home is to control the source. However, proper ventilation is also important. Proper ventilation can reduce concentrations of the following indoor contaminants: biological pollutants, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. Follow these seven tips for a healthy home. For more tips for your home, visit the University of Missouri Extension’s website at www.extension.missouri.edu.

7 Steps to a

Healthy Home

By Gary Stubblefiel The Stubblefiel Home Team of Keller Williams Realty

A healthy home is a happy home. It should be everyone’s goal to make their home as healthy as possible to protect your family. This month’s seven tips for a healthy home come from the University of Missouri’s Extension Council. Their website is a great resource on a variety of topics, including a variety of home-related topics. Keep It Clean Houses that are kept clean will help reduce family members’ exposure to many indoor pollutants such as bacteria and lead, and allergens like dust mites. A clean house is less likely to attract mice, rats and other pests. Finally, a clean house is a safe house. Items left on floors can create tripping hazards, especially on stairs. Keep It Contaminant Free The average home can be host to a variety of contaminants. Potential contaminants include biological pollutants, carbon monoxide and environmental tobacco smoke. Other culprits to be aware of include formaldehyde, lead pesticides and radon. Volatile Organic Chemical Compounds (VOC) are another source of contaminants. Volatile organic compounds are compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals and refrigerants.

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