Healthy Homes Website

Good Health Begins at Home

The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee.

A healthy home is designed, built and maintained in support of good health. This Healthy Homes website is a comprehensive approach to preventing diseases and injuries that result from housing-related hazards and deficiencies. Here you will find information about maintaining a Healthy Home. Start by learning the eight Healthy Homes principles. Keep your home: dry, clean, pest-free, safe, contaminant-free, ventilated, and maintained.

Dry: Damp houses provide a good environment for mites, roaches, rodents, and molds.

Clean: Clean homes help reduce pest infestations and exposure to contaminants.

Pest-Free: Studies have shown exposure to mice and cockroaches can increase asthma attacks in children. Improper pesticide treatments for pest infestations can worsen health problems, since pesticide residues in homes can pose health risks.

Safe: The majority of children’s injuries occur in the home. Falls are the most frequent cause of residential injuries to children, followed by injuries from objects in the home, burns and poisonings.

Contaminant-Free: Chemical exposures include lead, radon, carbon monoxide, pesticides, asbestos and environmental tobacco smoke. Exposures are often higher indoors than outdoors.

Ventilated: Studies have shown that increasing the fresh air in a home improves respiratory health.

Maintained: Poorly-maintained homes are at risk for moisture and pest problems. Deteriorated lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 is the primary cause of lead poisoning in children.

Thermally Controlled: Houses that do not maintain adequate temperatures may place the safety of residents at increased risk from exposure to extreme cold or heat.