In Western North Carolina, humidity is up. If you’re also experiencing ongoing summertime allergies or chronic rhinitis (runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing or coughing), you may want to consider whether it’s possible the humble dust mite has a big impact on your health. You can lead a dust mite to water, but you can’t make […]
Indoor Air Quality Update 2012-2019: Beyond the Energy Efficient Home
Since the Stone Age, the evolution of our dwellings has taken us from caves then huts, cabins and houses. By the early 20th century, the changes of indoor plumbing and electricity revolutionize the way we live. By the 1950s, home heating moved from coal, to oil, to gas.The children of this era, growing up in […]
The 2019 A Healthier Home Survey Results
A recent Harvard University survey of homeowners interested in healthy housing found that indoor concerns topped the list of respondents. In fact, 69% expressed concern about indoor air quality. Other areas of significant concern included water quality, harmful materials or chemicals, safety, comfort, accessibility, safety issues, and indoor light or noise. This data set, together […]
Clutter Trouble! Is Your Mess Trying to Tell You Something?
“Clutter,” I muttered. “Clutter, clutter, clutter.” I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs before taking a good look around. On the wellness spectrum, clutter is really a big deal. At best, dust gathers. When it’s out of control, confirming home healthiness becomes impossible. Clutter is between you and the health and safety of […]
Healthy & Happy in the Southern Appalachians
As 2018 comes to a close, we pause after sharing Yuletide moments with family and friends. We here at A Healthier Home considered what we could possibly offer that would create more health and happiness for our clients in the days ahead. For nearly a decade, educating our clients about their home’s healthiness is often a source […]
Think Like A Mouse
Ready to Rid Your Healthy Home of Those Pesky Rodents Before the Holiday Guests Arrive? Take ‘Paws’ and Go Exploring With Fresh Eyes, A Wee Nose, and Whiskers Oh, rats!?! They’re no joke. In autumn, as temperatures drop and the rain saturates the leaf cover, rats, mice and squirrels begin to look for warm, dry […]
Focus on Environmental Home Healthiness During October’s Critical Illness Awareness Month
After being diagnosed with a critical illness, patients may develop a compromised immune system. When that happens, their home must meet certain healthiness standards to place a priority on their well-being. Prioritizing home healthiness optimizes symptom management and ensures optimum quality of life. In western North Carolina, with a rapidly aging population, it’s not unusual […]
Is Mold a Factor in Your Family’s Fall Illness? What You Need to Know
In the Southern Appalachians and Western North Carolina, mold is a health and wellness issue that’s unfortunately common. When you add desperation to chronic illness, what you often get is a homeowner who’s highly motivated to spend dollars to make the problem go away. An unbiased, non-sales approach to a home with a suspected mold […]
Brownfields Forever? Look at old buildings with fresh eyes and make a plan
In Asheville, a healthy dose of idealism is the hot sauce on the wings of invention. That’s just my colorful way of saying that folks at the heart of western North Carolina understand a thing or two about putting the art in life. Think about the River Arts District or Main Street Hendersonville. Hardly a […]
Think Secondhand Doesn’t Matter? Think Again!
The advertisement for a secondhand item on Etsy reads “comes from a home with secondhand smoke.” Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke exhaled by smokers and that given off by lighted tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars. The box of vintage microscope slides one of my colleagues is considering as a gift for […]