Squirrels driving you nuts? If these enchanting little rodents have moved in overhead to shelter from winter weather, respond quickly. Your home’s healthiness and safety may be at stake. Squirrel problems are nothing to take lightly. Those cute little critters can chew through shingles, roof tiles, and wooden support beams. Also, they cause serious damage […]
Common Scents: Artificial Seasonal Aromas May Worsen Indoor Air Quality
Nothing says holiday like the scents of the season, don’t you think? But too often, today’s seasonal aromas are not those found in nature. Instead, they’re made up of chemically derived ingredients that can be harmful to indoor air quality and our health. We all love the comforting, warming aromas of pumpkin spice, apple pie. […]
Four Easy Ways to Get Lice Out of Your Family’s House – Fast!
As school rings in across western North Carolina, teachers, students and families look forward to a host of new, shared experiences. With the coming of fall, furry caps and wooly coats comes the inevitable gift of togetherness: head lice. Oh, my! My skin starts to crawl just thinking about head lice. Doubtless, an itch or […]
Got Sick House Questions? Ask the Right Ones When Working With An Environmental Home Health Pro
Ever feel trapped under an avalanche of well-meaning, but not particularly helpful, information and advice about your sick house? You are not alone. Almost every person who reaches out to A Healthier Home sorts through mountains of information. They are in the process of trying to dig out from under the mounds of advice from […]
How Do I Monitor My Indoor Air Quality?
Folks are always asking, “What do you think of this IAQ or indoor air quality device?” Like many common questions, there’s more than one answer. When the response is, “It depends,” I’m not avoiding an answer. There’s no simple response to the question of how to achieve acceptable indoor air quality, also known as IAQ. […]
Breathe Easy Indoors When the Pollen Count Rises
Springtime in the beautiful Southern Appalachians of western North Carolina is a wonder to behold, particularly viewed from any of our area’s exceptional hiking trails or waterfalls. Unfortunately, for those of us with allergies or asthma, there’s also nothing like a high pollen count to drive us indoors. From early April to mid-May, pollen counts […]
Top 3 Subtle Ways Your House Could Be Making You Sick
Your house looks clean. So why do you feel sick and tired at home? Chances are, you’re dealing with one of the top 3 subtle ways your house could be making you sick. Let’s take a look at the role dust, humidity and mold play in creating an unhealthy home environment. Then, learn more about […]
Hitchhiker’s Guide: How Germs Travel From Public to Private Spaces
We call them “germs.” How must they see us? Perhaps, as hitchhikers, they see us as a ride, a way to get from here to there. Or maybe, like us, they don’t know we’re there. Found in the grimy, sticky, damp, sweaty deposits that abound on a multitude of surfaces, we come in contact with […]
Are you kicking up the dust way too much this spring?
We’ve been cooped-up in our cozy cubbies all season. Sure, this winter wasn’t a “bear” when it comes to the cold, but with each sunny springtime day we begin to exhibit post-hibernation behavior: We begin to dig; but we’re not digging for grubs and roots. We’re digging into boxes and stored away papers. Digging in […]
When Mice Look At Your Home, What Do They See? Get The Mouse Control Checklist
When mice look at your home, what do they see? When you fail to consider what makes your home attractive to a mouse, it’s like putting out the welcome mat. “Come on over to our house,” they hear. “Make yourselves at home.” If you build it, they will come. Bringing with them the dirty, smelly […]