our opinions: ADVICE FROM AN EXPERT
In The
Comfort
Zone
Have a Healthier Home in
the New Year
Brett Hobson
BY BRETT HOBSON
Happy New Year everyone!
This is a great time of year to start think-
ing about both your home and your
health as the days are cooler and we are
spending more time indoors. Here are
seven smart ideas for a healthier home:
1. Keep Cold Out, Warm In
Keep cold air out of your home by insulating your attic
and crawlspace, if you have one. But, do it the smart way
by choosing insulation material s like cellulose that don’t
put off gas-volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which
may be harmful to your family’s health. Consider blown-in
insulation or batting with the highest thermal resistance or
R-value — the higher the R-value, the greater the insu-
lating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type
of insulation, its thickness, and its density. Dollars spent
on insulation will equate to dollars saved on your heating
and cooling bills.
2. Schedule a system checkup
Make sure your home heating system is running efficiently
and safely. It’s best to call a Comfort Expert for a tune-up
and any necessary repairs.
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3. Change your HVAC System’s Filter
Keep your furnace running efficiently to make sure you
and your family can breathe easier knowing you having
a fresh filter in place. You may consider having a perma-
nent filter installed. Then just clean the filter once a month
throughout the season of heavy furnace use. If you suffer
from allergies, wear a breathing mask while you tackle
this chore. If you have more than one system in your
home, each system has a separate filter.
4. Have Your Ductwork Cleaned
Having dust, pet hair, and mold removed from your duct-
work is always a good idea, especially just before the
harshest months of winter. This keeps your HVAC system
from circulating unhealthy contaminants.
5. Maintain Your Chimney
Clean your flue of debris, like creosote, before you start
using your fireplace or wood stove this winter. It’s healthi-
er and safer (think fire hazards) and it helps safeguard your
indoor air quality. When you’re not using the chimney,
stop icy drafts with any one of the devices like a chimney
sheep that blocks the flue and keeps out cold air.
6. Improve your indoor air quality.
With your home sealed up tight in winter, indoor air qual-
ity is likely to suffer, unless you take measures to ventilate
your home. A heat recovery ventilation system can be
a very practical tool to winterize your home in colder
climates; it is designed to admit fresh air and exhaust stale
indoor air without wasting heat.
7. Install a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm.
These simple, but affordable items are must-have safety for
any home, especially in winter. If you already have them
installed, good for you. If you have a gas heating system,
there is no excuse not to have a C02 detector and alarm.
Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and you won’t
know you have a problem until it’s too late. Don’t forget
to check the batteries regularly, or choose a system that is
hard-wired into your electrical system.
These are just a few of the ways to get your home winter
ready, and keep your family healthy and safe.
Best wishes to all for a safe, happy and successful 2018
from all of us at the Comfort Experts.
Brett Hobson