Over the past few years energy efficiency within homes has been greatly improved upon. The modern approach to home design goes another step further by also greatly improving indoor air quality. By following a few simple tips and guidelines, you can work to better your family's repertory health. Here's a room-by-room checklist for homeowners looking to achieve optimal health at home.

Let's start on the lower level. Basements are prone to water leakage. Once the walls or floors have become moistened, mold can begin to grow in the drywall or carpet making you or your family sick. According to Dan Vandervort of HomeTips.com, gutters are an easy solution to routing water runoff away from the home. You can also easily regulate humidity levels with a dehumidifier or air conditioner.

In the basement you'll also find the heating system. Furnaces can easily be inspected to make sure they're not leaking dangerous gasses. And keep in mind that newer units usually have far fewer problems than older ones.

In the garage, it's essential to install a weatherproof door between the garage and the rest of the home to keep gasoline and other odors at bay. The American Lung Association (ALA) also warns that you should never leave a car or lawn mower running in an attached garage or shed.

Let's now move to the kitchen. The ALA recommends that if you have a gas range, you should fit the range with a hood fan that exhausts outdoor air. Using the fan or opening a door or window when cooking will also serve to remove gas fumes. Have all fuel burning appliances professionally inspected yearly to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Throughout the home, you can encourage proper ventilation by leaving doors between rooms open most of the time for better air circulation. It's also nice to occasionally open windows to air out and refresh the home. One of the simplest ways to ensure a safe and healthy environment for your family is by declaring your home a smoke-free zone. You can politely let your guests and family know of the new rule by purchasing signs and labels at www.no-smoke.org.

In your family and living areas, it's critical to keep clutter to a minimum. By properly storing toys, books, and other items in closets or designated storage areas, you can eliminate the amount of dust that accumulates in the home.

Next let's travel upstairs to the bedrooms and bathrooms. It should go without saying that cleaning regularly will greatly improve the air quality in your home. Dust mites and other allergens can be greatly reduced by washing bedding materials in hot water. The Healthy House Institute (HHI) also proposes replacing carpet with area rugs that can be easily washed.

In the bathrooms, where we tend to use a lot of harsh chemicals, ventilation is key. Exhaust fans in bathrooms serve to remove moisture and chemicals from the house. And when choosing cleaning products, be sure to check them for pesticides or other toxic ingredients. You can read a review of several green bathroom cleaning products at www.grist.org.

Finally, let's head on up to the attic where the air conditioner is located. The HHI advocates inspecting the ductwork, especially if it runs through an uninsulated attic because humid air can condense causing mold and rust. The quick fix to this issue is to insulate the ductwork.

With as much time as we all spend inside our homes indoor air quality needs to be more than just an afterthought. Healthy homes make for happy homes, and these easy and cost-effective ideas should help guarantee just that.

Published: October 22, 2008

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Tara Darby is a head anchor for Realty Times. She began her career in television soon after her reign as Miss Alabama USA 2004. She also landed in the Top Ten lineup at The Miss USA Pageant and participated in a special Miss USA Fear Factor on NBC. Obviously fear was not a factor for her since she won the competition! Later, she appeared as a special guest on Larry King Live to share her experiences. After that the media opportunities grew and so did her love of the camera, and thus her career began. Since then she has hosted several shows including two national series, and a new home builder show.