Do you feel it? That tickle at the back of your throat? An itch on your forearm? The first signs of a stuffy nose? You know what that means: winter is officially here!!

In a world where people spend 90% of their time indoors, and even more time at home during the colder months of the year, doctors and engineers have been noticing a common theme. Despite our best efforts, some people’s homes just might be contributing to why they get so sick each winter. The good news is that there’s plenty that can be done to create a healthier environment at home. Here are five ways to get started.

1. Build Tight and Ventilate Right

In the building science industry, we refer to the passage of air inside and outside homes as ventilation. You might recall hearing the advice to open your windows on occasion so that you promote a healthy cycle of outdoor air and indoor air through your home, and there is some truth to that old advice! Homes that don’t have an easy pathway for stale indoor air to escape only expose their inhabitants more to toxic buildup like radon, VOCs from cleaning supplies, and many other harmful air particles.

In case you aren’t aware, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoke, and regular household cleaners can subject entire families to toxic aerosols for months. Regardless of the types of pollutants that your home might be contending with, it’s crucial to have a good ventilation system that cycles old air outside and filters outdoor air in (while leaving outdoor pollution behind).

A tight building envelope was more important than anything else in older home construction philosophies, but now we know that this design technique leads to its own problems. Today, building science experts agree that homes need solutions like Energy  Recovery Ventilation (ERV) systems to keep their indoor air quality high.

In short, if your home has a great ventilation system in place, then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about! However, if your home is a bit older, you may need to open your windows every once in a while to promote circulation until you find a more long-term solution.

2. Battle Dryness (But Not Too Much!)

Of course there is a reason why simply leaving windows open during the winter isn’t the best idea. Winter air isn’t just cold, it’s also extremely dry which leads to itchy, uncomfortable skin, throat irritation, and respiratory illness. For leaky homes, heat loss is a constant issue, and heat loss also means a loss of humidity inside the home.

Humidifiers are the best counter for dry air in homes, with an ideal target of 40% to 60% humidity indoors. This target area is the best way to limit the growth of bacteria and viruses in the air, while also avoiding harmful mold growth indoors.

Along with cold and dry air, outdoor currents also carry harmful pollutants like smog, particulate matter, and other allergens. For these reasons, homeowners should make sure the weather stripping around all of their doors is in good shape, caulking is applied to all gaps around their windows, and sufficient insulation limits unwanted heat loss in their attics.

Order an energy audit to get a fuller picture on the state of your home’s insulation, ventilation, and energy consumption! A blower door test is particularly effective when it comes to locating air leaks which might be the cause of your abnormally large heating bills.

3. Dust, Sweep, and Clean

No one likes living in a dusty, dirty home, and in the winter dust can accumulate rapidly indoors. Dust isn’t just an eyesore, though. Dust particles are serious irritants that can kick off asthma attacks, provoke allergic reactions, and inflame breathing passages. Following the previous two steps will already cut back on dust in the house substantially since a lot of dust originates outdoors, but families should still watch what they track inside.

Doormats neatly placed at each entrance will instantly cut down on the debris tracked into homes, and families that remove their shoes at the door will further limit the spread of dirt. It’s also important to note that rugs, carpets, and other textiles throughout the home have a terrible habit of harboring dust particles. Hardwood flooring and tile give dirt and dust less room to hide, but if those aren’t an option, vacuuming a bit more often during the winter isn’t a bad idea!

Finally, the best way to get rid of dust in the home is to reduce the number of places where dirt can gather away from view. Cleaning out a junk drawer or a massively cluttered room not only reduces dust build-up, but it can work wonders for a homeowner’s mental health. Plus, clearing out cramped book shelves and smaller living areas will end up expanding usable space for the entire family.

Ultimately, kicking dust and dirt to the curb means getting a solid cleaning routine in place that’s repeatable throughout the winter!

4. Keep the Family Hydrated

Although drinking exactly 8 glasses of water a day isn’t a hard and fast rule for everyone (see more from Healthline’s article), anyone who wishes to lead a healthy lifestyle needs to stay hydrated. All water that originates from public water systems has to meet national drinking water standards, but treated tap water still has to contend with each home’s piping.

Corroded or rusted pipes diminish the quality of drinking water even before leaks occur, and lead is well known for its toxicity. Home inspectors can be called on to perform water quality testing, and sewer scope cameras give homeowners a much fuller understanding of the state of their plumbing. Intruding tree roots, freezing temperatures, and shifting movement in the earth can all cause leaks or breaks in plumbing lines. Keep an eye out for the telltale signs of a water leak!

Homes that rely on private wells also need to test and monitor their supply closely. Remember to drink plenty of water this winter for a healthier mind and body!

Keeping a healthy home will work wonders when it comes to keeping your family healthy throughout the year, but it’s also important to remember the basics: eat well, sleep well, and incorporate some exercise into your busy schedule. Be well this winter, and here’s to sunnier days!

For sewer scopes, water testing, maintenance inspections and everything in between – National Property Inspections has been leading the home inspection industry since 1987. Find your local NPI inspector and request a quote today!