Creating A Healthy Environment For Families

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Creating A Healthy Environment For Families (NAPSA)—Creating an asthma- and allergy-free home may be easier than you think. The first step is to identify the triggers, which are found in many homes. According to the American Lung Association, the most com- mon triggers are house dust, feathers, mold andpets. A good way to reduce these triggers is to improve theair qual- ity of your home. Using air purifiers and allergy filters in your AC/heater unit to reduce the amount of airborne allergens are the easiest changes to make. Avoid smoking if you suffer from asthma and don’t smoke around a family member with this condi- tion. Many people are not actually allergic to tobacco, but the second- hand smoke is a high respiratory irritant and can lead to the onset of an asthmaattack. Secondly, assess the surfaces in your home. Up to 100,000 house dust mites live in one square foot of carpet alone. Carpet also har- bors dirt, pet dander, mold and chemicals in the fibers and padding. Studies show the removal of carpets can cut aller- gens in the hometo 10 percent. When removing the carpet from your home, the best allergyfriendly flooring options to consider are wood, tile or resilient products that offer low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and easy maintenance. For example, Nafco by Tarkett PermasStone can be cleaned with a damp mop and offers a variety of design choices that deliver style and elegance. Dust reduction within your homeis definitely an important x Flooring that can be cleaned with a damp mop is the best option for homes in which family members have allergies or asthma. factor for decreasing the amountof asthmatriggers. Unclutter the liv- ing space by limiting knick-knacks and use storage bins for toys and blankets to keep dust from collecting. Also, when covering windows, choose smooth shades that roll up and window treatments that can be washed regularly. Asthmaandallergies affect 104 out of 1,000 Americans annually (NCHS). By changing a few elements in the home and maintaining a cleaning regimen, people suffering from asthma and aller- gies may be able to enjoy a healthler environment. For more information on how Nafco by Tarkett PermaStone can help improve conditions in your home, log onto www.tarkett.com.

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