10 Steps to a Healthy Happy Home!

Having a happy healthy home should be the goal of every homeowner and renter. The question now is how does one go about maintaining a healthy happy home?

The answer? Preventive maintenance, or as we like to call it Healthy Home Services. This includes but is not limited to changing air filters, cleaning your grill, dryer vent, air ducts and definitely replacing your water filters, and smoke detector batteries.

Here are 10 steps to a happy healthy home!

Step 1: Replace your air filters every month! This will help keep your indoor air clean and prevents your HVAC system from wasting energy trying to pull air through a dirty filter.

Step 2:  Clean out your vacuum every couple weeks or at least once a month.  Your vacuum takes care of some of the dirtiest jobs your home has to offer.  Keeping it clean will help make sure it keeps doing its job to the best of its ability.

Step 3: Change/replace any burnt out light bulb. This should go without saying since no one like tripping and falling or stubbing their toe because the lights don't work.

Step 4: Top off your water softener salt. Having soft water prevent scale build up in your hames plumbing and it is good for your hair and skin.

Step 5: Change your water filters. Most of the more common home water filter systems like fridge filters and RO systems are recommended to have their filters replaced every 6 months. Doing this prevents the filters from leaching and helps ensure your water stays healthy and clean.

Step 6: Change out the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months.  Not only is this recommended by the fire department to help avoid a tragedy, but it will also help prevent those annoying low battery beeps at 2am.

Step 7: Clean your dryer vent. A dirty dryer vent is an energy drain and a fire hazard. That is why the fire department recommends cleaning it at least once a year.

Step 8: Keep your grill clean. Keeping your grill clean by quickly cleaning after every use and by doing at least 1 deep clean a year. This can help to extend the life of your grill and keep it grilling in tip top shape. Plus nobody wants to see their burger coming off a nasty dirty grill!

Step 9: Have your air ducts cleaned. Most homeowners are unaware that the EPA reports air pollution levels inside our homes can be 2 to 5 times higher than outside. An air duct cleaning is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality.

Step 10: Install a Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat learns what temperatures you like, turns itself down when you’re away and connects to your phone. This will help you save energy and will send you safety alerts to your phone even if you are not home!

Need help checking these steps off your Honey-do list? Visit joefilter.com or give us a call at (480) 813-9494!
Keep your home happy and healthy by putting it on Joe Filter Autopilot today!

5 Ways to Make Your Home Healthier.

Here are 5 quick and simple ways to keep your home happy and healthy!

Keeping a healthy home is important, but how do we do it! The majority of the air we breath and water we drink is at home.  If we want to take steps to making our homes healthier we should start with the air we breath, water we drink and lets throw in fire safety just for fun!
Below are 5 quick and simple ways to keep your home healthy.

1.) Change your air filters:

Did you know the EPA reports that air pollution levels inside our homes can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. This is why we recommended to change your air filters once a month. Being on top of your air filter changes will help to minimize the amount of air pollutants being circulated through your home.

2.) Clean out your vacuum:

Your vacuum does all the dirty jobs in your home causing it to become full dirt from weeks of use.  When it becomes too full it will begin putting all this dirt and dust back into your homes air. This is why it is important to empty the bag or canister of your vacuum before it become full.  You will also want to check and clean/replace your vacuum's filter when you do this, if your vacuum has one.

3.) Top off your water softener salt:

Did you know a water softener helps to prevent scale build up within your homes plumbing.  This helps to prevent leaks and extends the life of appliances like dishwashers and washing machines.  A water softener can only do this if it is properly maintained by topping off its reservoir with the water softener salt.

4.) Change your water filters:

If you put off changing your water filter too long they could begin leaching contaminants back into your water. This means everything they've collected could be put back into your drinking water in higher quantities. Most water filters are recommended to be changed every 6 months.

5.) Test your smoke detectors: 

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says to test your smoke detectors at least once a month and to change their batteries every six months. It may seem like a menial boring chore but it just may save your life some day.

Want a simple way to check these items off your to-do list visit JoeFilter.com to learn about our healthy home services.

Why Are My Smoke Detectors Beeping?

What's it mean when your smoke detector starts beeping/chirping and there is no smoke or fire?

Smoke detectors can chirp and beep for multiple reasons and not all of them are due to smoke or fire. We have all been there, minding our own business and all of a sudden the smoke detector chirps.  After having a mini heart attack due to the chirp out of nowhere, your first reaction should be to look around and make sure nothing is on fire. If nothing is smoking or on fire but your detector continues to chirp, it is trying to tell you something.  Most commonly it is trying to convey to us that its batteries are low.  All smoke detectors have batteries even the wired in ones.  This is a safety feature put in the smoke detector in case a fire happens while the power is out.  Your first step to resolving this is to pull down the smoke detector and check to see if it has a visible battery compartment. If it does simply replace the batteries with a fresh ones and put it back where you found it.  If the detector does not have a visible battery compartment you may need to replace the entire smoke detector all together.  Remember smoke detectors are only supposed to last 10 years, after that they need to be replaced.

If your smoke detector continues beeping after the battery has been changed its probably do to these three possible reasons.

The first thing you should do is to double check that the new battery you put in, is new and works. If you have a battery tester you can use it to check the battery and if not simply put a new battery in the smoke detector.  If it continues to beep it is not the battery but might be the sensor. Smoke detector sensors are highly sensitive in order to be able to warn you when there is a fire. Unfortunately because of this things like dust and cobwebs can affect the sensor causing it to beep. If this is the case do NOT wipe it down. The sensors are very sensitive and wiping it down could ruin the sensor.  If you have an air pump use it to blow the dust and dirt off of the smoke detector (if you do not have one you can try blowing on it gently) and then dust around where it sits on your ceiling or wall. This should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't it sadly means you most likely need to replace that smoke detector.  Do not just take it down and leave it in a drawer somewhere.  Be sure to get a replacement for it.

Hope this solves any smoke detector issues you may be having and remember the Fire department recommends testing your smoke detectors at least once a month and replacing the batteries every 6 months.  This will ensure they are working correctly in the case of a fire.

If you are having trouble reaching your smoke detectors or don't want to risk climbing the ladder give Joe Filter a call (480) 813-9494.  You can also find more information on our website JoeFilter.com.

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How to Test Your Smoke Detectors

Faulty smoke and CO2 detectors are one of the leading causes for fire related deaths in America.  This is why it is so important to make sure that your homes smoke detectors are working properly. There are two things you can do to make sure your home's detectors are working. The first is to test your smoke detectors once a week. If they let out a high pitch beep they are working.  The second is to make sure you replace their batteries every six months. In states with day light savings time, many replace their smoke detector batteries when they set their clocks backwards and forwards.

Testing your smoke detectors once a week is very easy to do but is often overlooked by homeowners. However forgetting to do this can result in tragic consequences. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) "three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms". To prevent this the NFPA says to follow these smoke alarm tips.

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.
• When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
• Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years.
• Test your smoke alarms once a week or at least every month.

How to Test Your Smoke Detector -

1. Locate the smoke detectors in your home.
2. Get yourself close enough to reach the smoke detector you wish to test. Use a ladder if you must.
3. Find the test button.
4. Hold down the test button until you hear a loud beep. If you hear a faint beep or no beep your smoke detector may need to be replaced.
5. Move to the next smoke detector and repeat the process.

Following these tips can help you and those you care about survive in the event of a house fire.
For more information about smoke detector safety and replacement visit JoeFilter.com.

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Simple Spring Cleaning Tips

Annual spring cleaning is not just about tidying up, its also about improving your health by maintaining important healthy home maintenance items.   

Number 1: Fresh Air Filter

Replacing your dirty, polluted air filter should be on the top of your spring cleaning list. Its about that time of year when we start turning our HVAC systems on to circulate the spring air. Replacing your air filter is important because leaving that dirty air filter installed reduces the quality of your indoor air. Replace your air filters with a fresh air filter to improve the quality of your indoor air. See our tips on replacing your air filters.

Number 2: Replace Your Batteries

Only working smoke detectors save lives. Replace your smoke detector batteries during your annual spring cleaning. Smoke Detector Battery Tips

Number 3: Dust Your Light Bulbs

The dust on your light bulb heats up when lit. Sometimes that dust when heated can give off an unpleasant smell. Don't forget to dust your light bulbs.

Number 4: Clean Your Vacuum

Take the time to clean your vacuum, its worked very hard and deserves some TLC. doityourself.com

Number 5: Keep Air Circulating

When you are knee deep in scrubbing with harsh chemicals, remember its important to circulate your indoor air by opening a window, turning on exhausts fans, or turning your HVAC system fan on. See our post on scenting your air filters to give your circulated air a great scent!

Smoke Alarm Batteries

Smoke alarms play a very important role in keeping your family safe during a fire. We recommend changing your smoke alarm batteries every 6 months. Don't wait until you hear the "chirp" before you replace your smoke alarm batteries. Be prepared for the unthinkable.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency:

"Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half." 

The NFPA also recommends testing your smoke alarms every month to ensure they are working properly.

Prepare an escape route in case of a fire and practice once a month with children. The American Red Cross recommends teaching children the noise they will hear when a smoke alarm announces a fire.

• Change your smoke alarm batteries every 6 months or at least once a year.


• Change all of your batteries at the same time to keep them all on the same schedule.


• Dust around your smoke alarms once every 6 months to help keep the sensor free from dust.


• Test your smoke alarms once a month to ensure they are working properly.


• Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years.


• Buy extra smoke alarm batteries just in case the chirping starts when you least want it to.

Be prepared! Order your smoke alarm batteries today.

Joe Filter is a proud member of the National Fire Protection Agency.