03 August 2020
A warm, dry home doesn’t just feel comfortable, it’s a lot better for your health as well. Here are 10 simple tips for creating a healthier home that will also save you money and energy.
Inside your home
- Dry washing outdoors rather than indoors whenever possible. If using the dryer, make sure it’s vented to the outside.
- Outside-vented extraction fans in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry are cheap to run and help reduce moisture.
- Air your home regularly by opening doors and windows to create a cross draught and leave wardrobes slightly open for ventilation.
- Use lids on pots when cooking to reduce moisture and save energy.
- Install a shower dome to stop steam escaping into your bathroom.
- Avoid unflued gas heaters as they release large amounts of moisture and toxic gases into your house.
- Keep furniture 10cm away from external walls (especially uninsulated walls) to avoid mould growing in winter.
Outside your home
- Check for blocked or leaking downpipes and gutters and ensure downpipes connect to storm water drains.
- Check that there are vents on all sides of the house in the subfloor walls and uncover any vents blocked by plants, soil or pest barriers.
- A ground moisture barrier (thick polythene sheeting) under your house keeps the moisture in the ground and stops the air under the floor from getting damp.
