48 THE QUEENS COURIER • AT HOME • JANUARY 18, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Stuck inside? Easy tips to freshen up your living space
Winter weather means more time living
indoors - working, playing, relaxing
and staying warm. It’s important to keep
your home fresh by staying ahead of the
continual buildup of dirt, dust and allergens.
Th e following are some key areas
to tackle for a comfortable and effi cient
home.
Wash windows
Washing away dirt and water marks
from your windows and screens gives
you a clear view of the outdoors and lets
in more natural light. It will also make
your home feel lighter and brighter,
keeping cabin fever at bay. And to help
maintain a controlled climate inside the
home, prevent air from leaking in or
escaping by using weatherstripping or
caulk around your windows. You’ll stay
cozy inside and save money on your
energy bill.
Check and replace your vacuum
bag, fi lter and belt
A full vacuum bag, clogged fi lter or
broken belt can hinder your vacuum’s
eff ectiveness, leaving dirt, dust and allergens
behind. Replacing your vacuum bags
every 1-2 months, fi lters every 3-6 months
and belts once per year is recommended
to help your vacuum achieve peak performance.
Even more, a Filtrete HEPA vacuum
fi lter will help trap particles 75 times
smaller than a human hair, including
99.97 percent of dust mite debris, animal
dander, molds and pollen.
Don’t forget to look up
Aft er tackling fl oors, dust ceiling fans
and light fi xtures. Th ese hard-to-reach
and hard-to-see places can harbor dust.
And while you’re up there, change the
direction of your ceiling fans to counterclockwise
for the winter. Th is will keep air
moving, but circulate warm air instead of
cooling the room down.
Clean around your HVAC
With the heater on, be sure to clear the area
around your HVAC unit to make sure there is
nothing blocking the flow of air. Next, remember
to swap out that filter for maximum effectiveness
and change your filter every 90 days.
Turn on the humidifi er
Increasing the humidity in your home
during the cooler months adds moisture
to your air and living space. Th is raises the
“heat index,” making 68 degrees feel more
like 76 degrees. If your house has low
humidity, you may notice chapped lips,
dry skin or a dry, sore throat. Be sure to
maintain a relative humidity in the home
between 20 and 40 percent. As the temperature
outside drops, lower this percentage
so condensation does not form
on the windows.
Add extra insulation to
all areas of your home
Adding insulation to your home reduces
energy usage and increases comfort.
If your home uses less than 12 inches
of insulation, chances are heat is escaping.
Add insulation in the attic to prevent
warm air from escaping. Also consider
adding insulation in crawl spaces, under
fl oors and against basement walls to stop
the transfer of cold through the house.
Take back your clean,
fresh home today
Tackling each of these simple projects
will help you take on winter with a
fresh, cozy home you and your family can
enjoy. For more information, visit www.
fi ltretevac.com.
Courtesy BPT
at home