There are plenty of things that purportedly have some benefit to your health. However, even though managing your home’s structural integrity can definitely make you either more or less healthy, chances are you’ve never really thought about it. Maintaining a structurally sound home is an important part of staying safe and healthy. Here are a few ways that a healthier home can mean a healthier life.
Home Health Checklist Created By: JES
General Structure
The general structure of your home is an important thing to pay attention to when you start considering the health of your home. Here are a few of the health concerns that might arise if you have foundation concerns:
- Irreversible damage to your home
- Complete collapse of the floor or walls
- Collapsing ceiling tiles
- Tripping hazards
- Floods
These might not seem like health concerns at first glance, but they can all have very negative impacts on your health. Whether it’s the fear of a wall collapsing or a flood that causes moisture buildup in your home, they’re all significant. That’s why you need to pay attention to your home’s foundational structure as soon as you see a potential problem.
Quality masonry will breathe life into your Virginia Beach home. With Southside Masonry just a phone call away, you don’t need to wait any longer for that beautiful masonry project you’ve been dreaming of. So if there are any signs of masonry damage in your house, you should contact a professional masonry repair contractor for an inspection.
Basement
Many people have basements, and whether they’re furnished or unfurnished, it’s still your job to make these basements healthy. With a poorly-functioning basement, you may end up with a variety of health concerns, including the following:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Significant weather events
- Musty smells
- Mold and mildew
- Energy inefficiency
Moisture issues and mold are actually some of the leading causes of allergies and asthma flare-ups. If you notice that the people in your family regularly have allergies and issues with asthma, you may want to ask yourself if you’ve noticed any warning signs of basement concerns. You might have a significant amount of moisture build-up that you’ve just never noticed.
Crawl Space
Even in homes that don’t have a basement, a crawl space is often a requirement. However, because the crawl space is typically more inaccessible, many people don’t maintain them properly. These are a few of the health risks you may encounter with an unhealthy crawl space:
- Rodents
- Wood rot
- Mold
- Wet insulation
- Unpleasant odors
- Poor air quality
- Bug issues
- High indoor humidity
- Standing water
The persistent moisture that so often plagues crawl spaces can seriously affect your home’s structural integrity. Plus, similarly to basements, poor air quality can cause allergies and asthma in people living in the home, which can be a very serious concern. Crawl spaces also more frequently tend to have bug and rodent issues, leading to unique problems with pest-borne diseases.
Home Concrete
There are many areas in and around your home that may utilize concrete slabs. Despite what you may think, you can’t just stop thinking about concrete and expect it to be fine. Not maintaining these concrete slabs may lead to the following health issues:
- Falling and tripping
- Injuries
- Insurance liabilities
- Bugs
- Ongoing foundation problems
The concrete in and around your home, no matter where it is or how you’re utilizing it, needs maintenance just like any other portion of your house. It’s important to manage your home’s concrete the same way you would manage other elements of the home. If you don’t manage it now, it could easily end up developing into a more foundational concern.
Many homeowners don’t know what concrete garage floor repair involves and what they should do after. A garage floor coating is a protective layer of epoxy that’s added to your concrete slab. Typically made from a resin and a hardener with other additives, this mixture protects your garage floor from moisture, spills, and other types of damage while keeping it looking brand new.
Conclusion
Although you may not think about how a structurally sound home can have a positive impact on your health, the fact of the matter is that your health relies strongly on what’s around you. The structure you live in will then have a profound impact on your health. By putting time and effort into making sure your home is structurally sound, you’ll also be putting time and effort into making sure you’re healthy. Make sure you get in contact with an expert if you’re looking for ways to fix structural concerns in your home.
