Reducing Home Toxins Part 4: Let Your Home Breathe

Another reason why there are so many toxins in our homes is that once they are in, they have no way out. New homes are made to be tightly sealed to keep out the hot and cold air, which leads to energy savings, which is good. But when we keep our homes so tightly sealed, our homes cannot let the bad stuff out.

Here are a few easy ways to help get the toxins that are in, OUT!

1.  Open your windows and doors once a week for 5 minutes.

This helps fresh air to get inside your home and eliminate some of the toxins hanging out in your indoor air. Your furniture and items inside your home keep the warm air in them, so that the temperature doesn’t drop drastically in your home if it is cold outside. Take a look at the weather forcast for this week, pick the warmest day, and open those windows wide!

2. Change your furnace filter on time.

Find out how often your unit needs its filter changed, and mark it on your calendar. Also, have your furnace maintenance maintained to make sure it is working properly.

3. Consider having your vents cleaned.

We did this when we moved in to each of the two homes we have owned, and it was truly amazing (and disgusting) to see all that lived in those vents. Our current house is about 15 years old, and the company that cleaned them showed us what they collected from our vents. There were items in there from the construction of the home, along with crayons, pet hair (we don’t have any pets…), small toys, etc. It is kind of pricey to have this done, but most places offer specials and discounts. Knowing what we have found in the vents makes it worth it for me!

4. Invest in some house plants.

Strategically placed house plants can actually reduce the toxins in the air of your home! There are about 50 plants shown to reduce formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air. The top ten house plants that remove these toxins and are easy to care for are shown here at eartheasy.com.

 Reducing Home Toxins Part 5: Beware of Hidden Toxins