April Brings Healthy Homes Awareness Month

We all know April brings rainy, springtime weather, but did you know that it also brings Healthy Homes Awareness Month?

The Zanesville Muskingum County Health Department is working to get the word out this week. We spoke to Kim Foster, Manager of the Public Health Nursing Program who told us a little bit more about what the month is all about.

“Healthy homes awareness month is to promote all of the aspects of keeping a healthy home including lead poisoning prevention but the main concept–there’s 7 steps to a healthy home. Keep it safe, keep it dry, keep it clean, keep it well ventilated, well maintained, keep it pest free and contaminate free.”

The Ohio Department of Health gave the Muskingum County Health Department a mini grant to promote the idea of healthy homes and spread the word. Foster says that the idea of being aware of a healthy home is not often initially thought of.

“I don’t think they think about it until they start hearing some of the messages and relating some of the things that may be going on in their homes to health conditions that they may have like asthma or allergies, things of that nature and so its nice to have that connection so that they can take preventative measures or make improvements to their home to help their health.”

Foster also says if you are making renovations on a home that was built before 1978, you need to remember to use lead safe renovation practices. To learn more about healthy homes awareness month, you can visit the Health Departments website at: www.zmchd.org