Are you thinking of renovating your home? Before you make plans to bring in new furnishings and redo your house’s entire exterior, you must upgrade the more practical things. After all, if you neglect the basic functions that make your house as convenient as it is, your renovation investments might lose their value.
Moreover, you’ll want to make sure that the backbone of every home upgrade is your personal well-being. By taking care of these pressing concerns that directly impact your health, you can proceed with your other renovation ideas with more confidence.
Your Plumbing
Every home upgrade must always include your plumbing. Ensuring that every aspect of it is functioning well is a great investment towards your home’s structural integrity. It’s also a great way to ensure that your new wallpaper and freshly refitted bathroom won’t go to waste when leaks lead to damage.
Get a reputable contractor to check your plumbing and perform any replacement that could improve its durability and functionality. You’ll want to make sure that you’re not housing health hazards like molds and mildew, among others. This is especially important when you’re interested in remodeling your bathroom. Replacing old fixtures with new ones will improve your remodeling endeavors and make the investment more worthwhile.
Your Kitchen’s Cleanliness
It’s no secret that your kitchen is frequently exposed to all kinds of bacteria, thanks to the work that gets done in there. Unfortunately, many homeowners aren’t adept and equipped to clean and sanitize their kitchens the proper way. This leaves you with badly stained countertops, chipped tiles, and worn-looking appliances. These surfaces become breeding ground for diseases, and you can’t be confident that your home-cooked meals are safe and healthy.
Furthermore, poorly maintained kitchens and their appliances get thrown out and replaced prematurely. This leads you to wasting time driving around Essex to find bargains that will fit your budget. To avoid this mistake, invest in professional cleaning. Oven cleaning is a service that you’ll particularly want to get, as it’s essential in keeping your food safe and extending the lifespan of your appliance.
The cleaner the slate you work with, the wiser the decisions you’ll make when you renovate.
Your Paint
You can easily refresh a room and reduce its health risks by applying a fresh coat of paint. This is simple but important work, especially if your house was built before 1978. The paint on your walls may still contain lead and expose you to dust that could trigger certain health conditions.
If you’re not sure of the paint used and you don’t want to take risks, paint over them with the non-toxic variety. Walls in good condition can be painted over, but those that are chipped need more careful attention. You don’t want the latex and oil paints to create harmful gases that irritate your respiratory system. If you’re doing it yourself, look for Green Seal-certified products, or hire contractors who use only safe and eco-friendly brands.
This way, you can tackle a major health concern while giving your interior a brand-new look.
Your Floor
Believe it or not, your choice of flooring plays a significant role in how healthy your home is. Some materials are more likely to trap allergens and dust, therefore putting you at risk every time you ventilate your home or bring your shoes inside.
You can drastically change this by switching to materials like hardwood and laminate. These choices don’t have the usual nooks and crannies that trap dust. They are also easier to sweep and vacuum to ensure that they are thoroughly clean.
Similar to repainting your walls, updating your floor also changes the overall ambiance of your interior. You might not notice it now, but once you have new ones installed, you’ll see just how big a difference good flooring makes.
Your Windows
Here’s another frequently neglected aspect of the home. Owners tend to take windows for granted and miss the benefits they bring, both in terms of aesthetic and functionality. If you want to make an advantageous investment to your health and your curb appeal alike, then get your windows updated. Change the glass, the framing, or have more windows installed in your home.
Apart from supporting good ventilation, modern windows also give you better access to natural lighting. They’re a great means to improve your mood, cut back on the electric bill, and significantly improve your interior during the daytime.
Invest in Healthier Homes
Before you invest in a trendy home, invest in a healthy one first. You can start by focusing on these changes and building up your renovation plans from there.
Several years from now, when your new wallpaper still isn’t damaged by any leaks, you’ll be glad you took care of your plumbing first.
