CLEAN AIR IN
YOUR HOME
As the American population has been
made more aware of the dangers of green-
house gases, one area that doesn’t get as
much attention is poor indoor air quality.
The quality of air can be two to five times
more polluted than the worst outside air.
This is because of the many indoor pollu-
tants floating around our homes from
sources such as gas, oil, kerosene, building
materials and chemical products.
Plants to the Rescue
In the 1980s, NASA and the Associated
Landscape Contractors of America carried
out an in-depth study on which house
plans were the most effective in purifying
the air in space. Several of the tested plants
were proven to filter out common volatile
organic compounds that can negatively im-
pact our health and well-being.
Here are three of the most effective house
plants for cleaning your air:
ReadytoOwn?
Aloe: The study found that aloe helps clear
both formaldehyde and benzene, which are
generally byproducts of chemical-based
cleaners.
Spider Plants: Also safe for the pets in your
home, spider plants are quick to battle ben-
zene, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide.
Their unique stringy foliage makes them
perfect for hanging baskets.
Do you want no more landlords. No more rent. No more restrictions on what
you can or can’t do to your living space. it may be time to own your first home.
Azaleas: These budding beauties are best
grown in cooler temperatures, making
them perfect for improving an indoor area
such as a basement.
Before you lock yourself into a 30-year mortgage, it is up to you to
do due diligence to ensure you’ll be able to make your payments.
Dirty Sock Syndrome
The timing is right
Except for home flippers and real estate developers, it
really doesn’t make sense to purchase a home that you’ll only
own for a few years. The high transaction costs of buy- ing and sell-
ing a property means you could lose money on the deal, unless you
secure an opportunity that is too good to pass up.
Falling home prices make the case against buying even stronger.
This is because prices are unlikely to skyrocket within the two- or
three-year period you will own the home, meaning you’re unlikely to
make a great profit.
The finances are right
On the financial side, one comparison to make is the cost
of renting vs. owning. Remember to factor in the cost of the
mortgage, property taxes and home insurance when building your
comparison.
A 2013 study by real estate organization Trulia found that it is 35
percent less expensive to buy a home than to rent one in America’s
largest cities. This may not be the case in your region, so do some re-
search and make an informed decision.
Get pre-approved
If you’re looking to buy a house, your first plan of action
is to determine a budget. This will help you define how much
you’re willing to spend on a new place.
With this information in mind, you’re ready to make a visit to your
bank to be pre-approved for a loan of that size or a little more. Ob-
taining a home mortgage is still relative- ly difficult today compared
to the pre-recession years, so you may not be qualified to borrow as
much money as you think.
It is a good idea both financially and emotionally to visit your
mortgage specialist before you go on any home tours. The last thing
you want to happen is to fall in love with a
home before realizing it’s not in your price range.
Even though it may not have a very scien-
tific-sounding name, dirty sock syndrome
can have a serious impact on the overall
smell of your home. The problem most
commonly occurs when bacteria that has
built up from the moisture in your air ducts
and system during cooling season are dried
up and killed when you begin using heat.
This can result in a “dirty sock” smell being
emitted from your ducts that is both annoy-
ing and overwhelming. Call your local heat-
ing and cooling professional, who for a fee
can resolve the issue by spraying an anti-
bacterial solution on your unit’s coils. Hope-
fully you’ll be back to odorless air in no
time.
Property Lines: At Home edition 2015 | www.dailyastorian.com | 21