Although I’m using the word ‘elements’ in a rather tongue-in-cheek way, considering water, fire, air and earth within your property is essential for ensuring the health and safety of your family. Here’s why…
Water
Firstly, an element that will ensure the ongoing health of your family is the water system – after all, we’re always being told to drink more water for our health, aren’t we?
But it’s a good idea for the water we drink to be filtered to ensure its purity and freshness. That’s why we should consider using a reverse osmosis water filter to remove any impurities and bacteria. Plus, it improves the taste of the water, further encouraging our family to drink more of it.
It’s possible to get domestic RO systems fitted beneath your sink, so you’ll always for clean drinking water available. It’s also handy in hard-water areas, as the water can be used in coffee machines without fear of limescale ruining the appliance.
Fire
Warmth is an essential element to keep your family cosy over the winter. Many of us have woodburners or open fireplaces that boost the temperature on cold days, but there’s something you must do before you light that first fire of the season: get the chimney swept!
This ensures the smoke will be drawn up and out of the house, so your rooms don’t fill with wood smoke that can cause irritation and health issues. Any fireplaces should be correctly installed with suitable ventilation. Plus, you’ll need a fire guard to keep young children away from the heat.
And there’s always the essential element of fire safety – whether you have a fireplace or not. You must install smoke detectors around your home and always make sure they are working with regular tests and fresh batteries. You might want to consider adding internal fire doors as an extra safety measure to protect against the spread of fire and smoke.
Air
Keeping the air fresh and clean is essential for the health of your family. Without this, all kinds of health problems can occur, as stale air and poor ventilation can lead to mould spores growing in your home. So, one of the easiest things you can do is to open the windows and air your rooms as often as possible.
Similar to the element of fire, you should include detectors that monitor the quality of the air and can warn you when there’s too much carbon monoxide in the room. It’s important to get carbon-monoxide alarms in the rooms where your boiler is housed and anywhere else that you have a fire or gas appliance.
This is absolutely essential to your family’s safety as carbon monoxide is known as ‘the silent killer’ because you can’t detect it – it’s odourless and tasteless. So the only way to stay safe is to get a suitable carbon monoxide detector and keep it regularly checked and tested. And be sure to get the boiler and appliances serviced regularly to ensure there are no leaks or safety issues.
Getting a valid gas safety certificate is another crucial step, as it ensures all your gas appliances have been inspected by a qualified engineer. While the gas certificate cost may vary depending on your property and appliances, it’s a small investment for the peace of mind and safety of your family.
Earth
I’ve included earth in this list of elements for two reasons. Firstly, keeping houseplants in your interior helps to purify the air by releasing oxygen and absorbing pollutants. These are planted in soil so I think they count for the ‘earth’ category.
Secondly, I’m talking about growing your own fruit and vegetables in your garden. Digging a veggie patch, planting a fruit tree or even just sowing some salad seeds in a planter allows you to grow your own food. And it means you know exactly what chemicals (none!) have been used to grow your produce.
This way, you can make sure that the meals you’re feeding to your family are as natural as possible, plus if you pick the veg or fruit just before eating it, they’ll be super-fresh and therefore more nutrient-rich.
I hope going through these ideas for essential elements you should include in your home has been helpful. Please let me know in the comments below which elements you’ve improved in your life in order to keep your family safe and healthy, I’d love to hear your ideas.
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