Posted on June 14, 2021

4 Tips For A Healthy Home

The coronavirus pandemic has led us to spend more time at home than imagined, and many are rethinking what their ideal home is like or where they want to have it.

These changes result from the new circumstances in the way of work, leisure, and lifestyle that Covid-19 has brought with it and show the important influence of the home on human beings, which largely determines their comfort, well-being, and, in short, your health.

What factors define a healthy home?

Internal factors

If one takes into account internal factors of the house, it would be necessary to take into account the quality of the indoor air, what polluting elements circulate, the waste deposited in the garbage, the thermal comfort, the type of paint on the walls, the conditions lighting and acoustic and the presence or visualization of vegetation and plants. Therefore, those homes with humidity, lack of natural light, or thermal comfort represent the worst configuration of a healthy home.

External factors

The age and gender of the inhabitants also influence the configuration of interior spaces in different ways. Thus, for example, “the same priorities are not taken into account in the construction of a school or a residence for the elderly.

Likewise, the home’s location affects the health of its tenants, mainly due to the quality of the outdoor air, which also conditions the indoor environment of a house. For example, in urban areas, the presence of microparticles that cause a multitude of pathologies related to the respiratory, cardiovascular, or cancer systems is usually greater. Similarly, rural areas are not always synonymous with pure outdoor air. Many are affected by their proximity to large cities, industrial areas, or land or sea communication routes, with more toxic elements.

Guide to improve these conditions of the home in favor of the health of its tenants

  • Temperature: the home must be at a temperature of 21º in winter and 26º in summer, for which it is essential to have good thermal insulation. For example, living in cold temperatures affects blood pressure and raises the heart rate, and, with excess heat, increases dehydration, infections, or respiratory and skin problems, such as dry skin.
  • Humidity: the ideal humidity percentage should be around 40% – 60%. A dry environment, less than 40%, will produce dryness in the mucous membranes and orifices of the eyes, nose, or throat. At the same time, excessive humidity causes the proliferation of fungi and mites, which leads to respiratory difficulties and the appearance of allergies. Humidity is closely related to thermal insulation, but proper ventilation is also important to counteract it.
  • Noise: noise pollution in a home can affect physical and mental health, with hearing problems, stress, and alterations in the cardiovascular, endocrine, and digestive systems. Having good exterior insulation is the best solution, again, to protect against noise.
  • Light: a home with good sunlight input helps reduce eye strain and irritability, as well as helping to regulate metabolic systems.

Only in this way will we understand how to improve the housing conditions of our house and apply small tricks or reforms to live in a home that is, really, a space of optimal well-being for our physical and mental health.