Housing & Property Maintenance

Whether you own or rent, proper maintenance is essential for a healthy home. Visit LCHD’s Air Quality webpage to learn more about indoor air concerns like mold and radon. To learn more about keeping your home pest-free, visit LCHD’s Pest Control & Disease Vectors page. If you have an issue with your home, a neighbor’s, or a rental property, contact your local township office to determine if there are any township ordinances related to your concern. Livingston County’s Home Health & Safety Coalition is a great resource for people working on hoarding organization and clean-up.

There are some simple ways to help make your home a healthier place for you and your family. By following the Healthy Homes Principles suggested by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development below, you can help make your home a healthier place to live in.

Follow these Healthy Homes Principles

1. Keep it Dry
   Prevent water from entering your home through leaks in roofing systems, rain water from entering the home due to poor drainage, and check your interior plumbing for any leaking.
2. Keep it Clean
   Control the source of dust and contaminants, creating smooth and cleanable surfaces, reducing clutter, and using effective wet-cleaning methods.
3. Keep it Safe
   Store poisons out of the reach of children and properly label. Secure loose rugs and keep children’s play areas free from hard or sharp surfaces. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and keep fire extinguishers on hand.
4. Keep it Well Ventilated
   Ventilate bathrooms and kitchens and use whole house ventilation for supplying fresh air to reduce the concentration of contaminants in the home.
5. Keep it Pest-free
   All pests look for food, water and shelter. Seal cracks and openings throughout the home; store food in pest-resistant containers. If needed, use sticky-traps and baits in closed containers, along with least toxic pesticides such as boric acid powder.
6. Keep it Contaminant-free
   Reduce lead-related hazards in pre-1978 homes by fixing deteriorated paint, and keeping floors and window areas clean using wet-cleaning approach. Test your home for radon, a naturally occurring dangerous gas that enters homes through soil, crawlspaces, and foundation cracks. Install a radon removal system if levels above the EPA action-level are detected.
7. Keep your Home Maintained
   Inspect, clean and repair your home routinely. Take care of minor repairs and problems before they become large repairs and problems.