Spring Cleaning for Your Health
Now that you’re probably spending a bit more time at home, spring cleaning can be useful for multiple reasons. First, it’s something to do. Second, it’s nice to spend your time in a clean, organized environment. And third, your health (and your family’s) could depend on it. Here are some cleaning and maintenance tips to keep you sane and healthy this spring.
Let’s start from the top and move down.
Attic Insulation
This is more organizing than cleaning, but the season shift is a great time to pop up into your attic and check things out. Look for signs of roof leaks, and rake the insulation into place in case it has shifted. This simple 10 minute project can save you money all year long by increasing your home’s energy efficiency. And the spot check for water can prevent mold down the line, improving air quality in your home.
Main Living Area
Unlike all of those blogs where I warn you about having crawl space vents that are the equivalent of open windows and the danger that results from them - open up those windows upstairs. It’s been a long winter. Everything probably smells at least a little like kids, or dog, or just stale air.
While you’re airing out the house, check those seals! Look for light around windows and doors as a sign of leaky seals. There are plenty of things you can do yourself, from using sealant to installing weatherstripping, to get everything in tip to shape.
It’s also time to get that dust under control. Dust from the top down (ceilings and ceiling fans before baseboards) to prevent re-cleaning over and over. If you notice your house is dustier than usual, as well as staticky, consider using a humidifier - excess dust is a side effect of too low of humidity. Remember - this is only for above ground living area!
While you’re walking around cleaning, take your shoes off and take note of spots on the floor that are colder or warmer than the rest of the floor. This is a sign of issues in your basement or crawl space - we’ll get to that next.
Down Below
You might not think about cleaning your basement, whether it’s finished or not. But taking some time down here even once or twice a year can have a huge impact on your health. First off, do the same mold check you did in the attic; look for mold on support beams, in the fiberglass insulation if you have it (which you shouldn’t), and even on cardboard boxes or wooden furniture. All mold needs to grow is moisture, which almost every basement has at least some of, and organic material like wood or paper.
If you notice mold, a musty smell, or even a damp feeling, it’s time for a dehumidifier. By controlling the moisture in the air, you can render existing mold dormant and prevent new growth, which improves air quality throughout your home.
Next, check those filters! If you can’t remember the last time you changed your HVAC filter, now’s the time. If your HVAC system is in your basement, the air down there eventually gets circulated into your home. So if that air is moldy and dusty, and/or it moves through a dirty, old filter, you’re setting yourself up to breathe dirty air.
The above also applies if you have a crawl space. While it might not be as easy to get down there and clean - which can be futile considering many crawl spaces have dirt floors - the air in your crawl space travels through your entire home and can majorly exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.
Cleaning isn’t fun, but it’s a relatively short time commitment with big results for your comfort, health, and safety. Start with the items above and breathe easier this spring. And if you find standing water or excessive moisture in your basement or crawl space, call us for help.
