Guidelines for Healthy, Safe Housing and Remodeling Value

“The connection between health and dwelling is one of the most important that exists.”


There is a growing awareness that health is linked not only to the physical structure of a housing unit, but also to the neighborhood and community in which the house is located.

The fundamental needs of humans as they relate to housing include physiologic and psychologic needs, protection against disease, protection against injury, protection against fire and electrical shock, and protection against toxic and explosive gases.

Fundamental Physiologic Needs
Housing should provide for the following physiologic needs:

1. protection from the elements,
2. a thermal environment that will avoid undue heat loss,
3. a thermal environment that will permit adequate heat loss from the body,
4. an atmosphere of reasonable chemical purity,
5. adequate daylight illumination and avoidance of undue daylight glare,
6. direct sunlight,
7. adequate artificial illumination and avoidance of glare,
8. protection from excessive noise, and
9. adequate space for exercise and for children to play.

Fundamental Psychologic Needs
Seven fundamental psychologic needs for healthy housing include the following:

1. adequate privacy for the individual,
2. opportunities for normal family life,
3. opportunities for normal community life,
4. facilities that make possible the performance of household tasks without undue physical and mental fatigue,
5. facilities for maintenance of cleanliness of the dwelling and of the person,
6. possibilities for aesthetic satisfaction in the home and its surroundings, and
7. concordance with prevailing social standards of the local community.

Protection Against Disease
Eight ways to protect against contaminants include the following:

1. provide a safe and sanitary water supply;
2. protect the water supply system against pollution;
3. provide toilet facilities that minimize the danger of transmitting disease;
4. protect against sewage contamination of the interior surfaces of the dwelling;
5. avoid unsanitary conditions near the dwelling;
6. exclude vermin from the dwelling, which may play a part in transmitting disease;
7.  provide facilities for keeping milk and food fresh; and
8. allow sufficient space in sleeping rooms to minimize the danger of contact infection.

Protection Against Injury
According to the International Code Council one- and two-family dwelling code, the purpose of building codes is to provide minimum standards for the protection of life, limb, property, environment, and for the safety and welfare of the consumer, general public, and the owners and occupants of residential buildings regulated by this code.

Protection Against Fire
An important component of safe housing is to control conditions that promote the initiation and spread of fire. At least 80% of all fire deaths occur in residences. Residential fires account for 23% of all fires and 76% of structure fires. In one- and two-family dwellings, fires start in the kitchen 25.5% of the time and originate in the bedroom 13.7% of the time.

Protection Against Toxic Gases
Protection against gas poisoning has been a problem since the use of fossil fuels was combined with relatively tight housing construction.

SOURCE:  Basic Principles of Healthy Housing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention