Once a person has reached the Moment of Change, the next question is “what’s next?”
Several years ago, someone told me her house was making her sick.
Not in those exact words, but the meaning was clear.
When she left her home, she felt different in about an hour. When she returned, within an hour, she felt “off.” This pattern was clear. It got worse with seasons and temperature fluctuations.
Family members complained of feeling sick too. The pets had medical problems.
Professionals eventually diagnosed and fixed the problems. Health problems aren’t always directly related to a home. But if the home has issues, fixing them promptly can save money over time.
What creates your home environment? The list varies, but a few factors are the lay of the land (regional, statewide and local), climate fluctuations during the year and last decade, bodies of water and mountains/plains around your home, the land your home is on and your home’s structure.
Determining whether your home has problems requires information.
Talk to everyone you live with about their experiences at home. If you have frequent visitors, talk to them too. Watch your pets and see if they avoid certain areas. Do they have symptoms that may have been caused by the home?
Walk through your home.
What do you smell? Are certain areas musty? Fresh? Sweet? Sour?
Can you see all of the floors? Do they feel and sound firm?
In each room, can you see all the walls? Are they dry? Knock on them; do they sound firm?
Look up. Do your ceilings look dry? If you tap them with something, be careful. If they’re wet, tapping them could cause problems.
If you feel uncomfortable, consider gloves, a mask and other protective gear.
If you need to move belongings that have been sitting in one place for a long time, assess the situation. If bugs or rodents are present, disturbing them without a plan could problematic. Scurrying mice and bugs need to hide. If you’re not ready to catch them, they can get away and you have to find them.
Our homes are our safe havens. We retreat to them after long, stressful and noisy days. We crave extended periods of downtime. We need time with our loved ones.
Our homes require ongoing maintenance. Keeping them clean and knowing the status of the structural elements and the water, heating/cooling, electrical and ventilation system makes life easier and prevents unexpected crises.