Sep
29
Breathe easier with smart tips for an allergy-free home
September 29, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – Stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes — having fall allergies can be miserable. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), more than 60 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergies, and nearly 70 percent of U.S. households are affected by indoor allergens.
While you can’t control Mother Nature, you can help control the indoor environment. On average, Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, where the concentrations of some pollutants are two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.
Your home should be a haven for you and your family, not a trigger for allergies and asthma. To help everyone breathe easier and increase indoor air quality, consider these smart and simple ideas:
Be smart with bedding
To ensure you sleep well and can breathe easy all night long, invest in allergen-barrier bedding and pillow covers. Wash all sheets, blankets, pillowcases and bedcovers in hot water that is at least 130 F to kill dust mites and remove allergens, recommends the Mayo Clinic. For items that can’t be washed (e.g., some children’s stuffed toys), place in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 F.
Buy confident and seek certification
From vacuums to cleaning products, flooring to humidifiers, look for the asthma & allergy friendly(R) Certification Program seal of approval. The program, administered by AAFA in partnership with the international research organization Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), is an independent program created to scientifically test and identify products that are better for people with asthma and allergies.
Install a whole-home air cleaner
Home air cleaners work with your existing duct work to filter out nearly all allergens. For example, CleanEffects(TM) whole home air cleaner from Trane(R) removes up to 99.98 percent of allergens like household dust , mold spores and certain bacteria and viruses so you don’t have to worry about breathing in harmful bacteria or allergy triggers. What’s more, it’s the first whole home air cleaner to receive the asthma & allergy(R) Certification.
Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum often
No matter the type of flooring in your home, vacuum regularly with a HEPA-filtered vacuum to remove the maximum amount of allergens possible. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends vacuuming daily in high-traffic or pet areas, vacuuming twice weekly in medium-traffic areas and vacuuming weekly in light-traffic areas, using attachments at carpet edges.
Hire professional carpet cleaners
Many people with allergies choose to remove carpets and replace them with hardwood or tile flooring that doesn’t collect allergens as quickly. However, this is not always possible, so if you have carpet in your home, regularly hire professional carpet cleaners to deeply clean carpet to remove embedded particles and other allergy triggers lurking within.
Choose VOC-free paints
Craving a new wall color? When buying paint, look for VOC-free options. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds and these can trigger allergies. To ensure nobody in your family gets itchy eyes or a runny nose when they spend time in your remodeled space, shop smart and always choose VOC-free paints.
These simple tips should dramatically impact your indoor air quality. That means every time your family is at home, everyone can breathe deep and feel their best.
Sep
29
Real-mom life hacks for an imperfectly perfect life
September 29, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – Your house is spotless, your children are well behaved, and every night there’s a beautiful home-cooked meal on the table. Just how do you do it?The answer: You don’t. From 1960s how-to guides portraying the perfect mother to today’s Pinterest-…
Sep
29
Top tips to reap the fullest experience from fall TV
September 29, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – With long nights and chilly temperatures, it’s always good to find an excuse to stay home. Here’s a classic excuse that’s gone from lame to legitimate in a short time: I have to catch up on my favorite TV show.So fix your favorite snack and pul…
Sep
29
Real-mom life hacks for an imperfectly perfect life
September 29, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – Your house is spotless, your children are well behaved, and every night there’s a beautiful home-cooked meal on the table. Just how do you do it?The answer: You don’t. From 1960s how-to guides portraying the perfect mother to today’s Pint…
Sep
29
Breathe easier with smart tips for an allergy-free home
September 29, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – Stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes — having fall allergies can be miserable. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), more than 60 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergies, and nearly 70 percent of U.S. households are affected by indoor allergens.
While you can’t control Mother Nature, you can help control the indoor environment. On average, Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, where the concentrations of some pollutants are two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.
Your home should be a haven for you and your family, not a trigger for allergies and asthma. To help everyone breathe easier and increase indoor air quality, consider these smart and simple ideas:
Be smart with bedding
To ensure you sleep well and can breathe easy all night long, invest in allergen-barrier bedding and pillow covers. Wash all sheets, blankets, pillowcases and bedcovers in hot water that is at least 130 F to kill dust mites and remove allergens, recommends the Mayo Clinic. For items that can’t be washed (e.g., some children’s stuffed toys), place in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 F.
Buy confident and seek certification
From vacuums to cleaning products, flooring to humidifiers, look for the asthma & allergy friendly(R) Certification Program seal of approval. The program, administered by AAFA in partnership with the international research organization Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), is an independent program created to scientifically test and identify products that are better for people with asthma and allergies.
Install a whole-home air cleaner
Home air cleaners work with your existing duct work to filter out nearly all allergens. For example, CleanEffects(TM) whole home air cleaner from Trane(R) removes up to 99.98 percent of allergens like household dust , mold spores and certain bacteria and viruses so you don’t have to worry about breathing in harmful bacteria or allergy triggers. What’s more, it’s the first whole home air cleaner to receive the asthma & allergy(R) Certification.
Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum often
No matter the type of flooring in your home, vacuum regularly with a HEPA-filtered vacuum to remove the maximum amount of allergens possible. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends vacuuming daily in high-traffic or pet areas, vacuuming twice weekly in medium-traffic areas and vacuuming weekly in light-traffic areas, using attachments at carpet edges.
Hire professional carpet cleaners
Many people with allergies choose to remove carpets and replace them with hardwood or tile flooring that doesn’t collect allergens as quickly. However, this is not always possible, so if you have carpet in your home, regularly hire professional carpet cleaners to deeply clean carpet to remove embedded particles and other allergy triggers lurking within.
Choose VOC-free paints
Craving a new wall color? When buying paint, look for VOC-free options. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds and these can trigger allergies. To ensure nobody in your family gets itchy eyes or a runny nose when they spend time in your remodeled space, shop smart and always choose VOC-free paints.
These simple tips should dramatically impact your indoor air quality. That means every time your family is at home, everyone can breathe deep and feel their best.
Sep
27
5 Effortless DIY Projects to Prep Your Home for Fall — and Beyond
September 27, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – The telltale signs are all there. Maybe it’s football season, the changing color of the trees right outside your door, or the crisp morning air that’s suddenly taken on a chill. Yes, there’s no denying it, fall is here and winter is quickly following behind.
No matter where you live in the country, the colder months are synonymous with the indoor months. Your home becomes your refuge as well as your sanctuary. But as you prepare for the cold yourself, you may not realize your home needs some preparation as well. Now’s the perfect opportunity to begin those projects before fall gives way entirely to winter.
Below are five DIY projects you can tackle in a single Saturday with minimal expense and experience needed, each of which will make the upcoming seasons cozier for you and your family.
* Winterize your AC/water lines. Your air conditioner and your outdoor faucets are mainstays all summer, but as cooler temperatures set in, it’s time to retire them for the year. Start by draining your hoses and air conditioner pipes to remove excess water. Next, be sure all exterior water faucets are tightly sealed and your AC system is turned off — if your unit has such a switch.
* Seal up those hidden gaps and cracks. Small cracks along the borders of your windows or doors are easy to go unnoticed, but you’ll feel their presence on your monthly energy bills. Don’t let warm air escape your home through these openings. Seal them by applying GREAT STUFF(TM) Window & Door Insulating Foam Sealant. These easy-to-use foam sealants can tackle any small opening in your windows or doors to help keep your home energy efficient and prevent those costly air leaks.
* Keep your furnace and its surrounding area clean. Changing your furnace filter regularly (cleaning schedule dependent on your type of furnace) keeps your furnace running efficiently and protects your home’s air quality. However, it’s also one of the most easily forgotten chores. To avoid missing this task, set a date you’ll remember — such as the first of the month — and follow it rigidly. In addition, be sure the area around your furnace is clear of clutter so you don’t accidentally create a potential fire hazard.
* Block out unwanted guests. We’re not talking about your in-laws here. As temperatures drop, the warmth of your home becomes even more appealing for unwanted pests. Use GREAT STUFF(TM) Pestblock Insulating Foam Sealant to seal the areas around bathroom plumbing and any outdoor openings that pests may use to enter your home.
* Insulate your pipes. If you live in a part of the country where your pipes are in danger of freezing during winter, insulating them can protect against pipe rupture. Wrap exterior pipes in a versatile, moisture-resistant, high-compressive foam to ward against pipe freezing and ensure your pipes come into spring in the same shape you left them in the fall.
Our homes are only growing increasingly vulnerable with the changing of the seasons. So, what are you waiting for? Tackling any of these projects will have a dramatic effect on your home’s cold weather preparedness — and the energy bill savings will be great on your wallet, too.