The winter months put your household at high risks. Indeed, during a handful of months, low temperatures and dark nights can dramatically affect the health of your family and the overall environment at home.
More often than not, winter is a season that is commonly associated with colds. However, it’s important to note that viruses are not more numerous during the colder months of the year.
In fact, it is the way your household prepares for winter that increases the risk of poor health and discomfort. If you want to stay healthy, you need to keep your eyes open for issues and flaws in the way you respond to the change of weather and temperatures at home. Below, you’ll find the four most common causes of illnesses in winter:
Hate being cold? Protect your home
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Against the cold
Your home provides natural protection against the cold weather. However, it’s fair to say that without the appropriate heating strategy, you’ll struggle to stay warm indoors. While being cold doesn’t cause any disease, it can provide the right environment for fatigue to develop and your immune system to weaken gradually, meaning that you’ll be more likely to catch viruses. If you’re struggling to maintain a cozy temperature, you might want to check with furnace and home AC repair specialists if your home is equipped to protect you from the freezing temperatures. Don’t delay repair works if you want to stay healthy this winter.
Against freezing
If you leave in a region that regularly encounters low temperatures and snow, you need to pay close attention to your roof. Indeed, something as mundane as your gutters could hold the keep to a warm and healthy household. When your gutters are clogged up, water can’t escape through the typical path. Consequently, it might lead to a buildup, which could infiltrate through the roof. Additionally, if the water freezes in the gutters, the structure might crack, leading to high repair costs.
Against sinus infections
Sometimes, even a warm and cozy home can be the source of health issues. Indeed, more and more individuals turn up the heater in winter to the extent of drying out the indoor air. As a rule of the thumb, the air requires to maintain a healthy level of humidity – between 30 and 40% is a good range to aim for. If your indoor air gets too dry, you are at risk of developing sinus complaints. Indeed, dry air causes respiratory problems. Additionally, it can also damage the mucus membranes inside your nose and cause chronic sinusitis.
Against the winter slump
When it’s dark and cold outside, the only thing you might be craving for is a sweet treat to cheer you up. Unfortunately, creamy hot chocolate and sweet pies do very little to keep your active and healthy. On the contrary, you need to fuel your body with natural vitamins from seasonal vegetables and fruits to keep your metabolism ticking. Otherwise, you’ll soon develop a lazy and passive behavior which can open the door to further issues such as SAD.
Is your home winter ready? Don’t be shy to admit it’s not adequately equipped to keep your healthy and sane this winter. Most homeowners forget to winterproof their properties besides the straightforward heating checks.