Oh, no! Cabin Fever Will Soon Be Here

The switch back to standard time and news of snows in the upper Midwest, Northeast and Rocky Mountain states mean that the winter season is fast approaching. It won't be long until the dog becomes a snow bird -- vacating the dog house for a few months inside the family home.

Millions of us prepare for the season by caulking around the windows, weatherstripping the doors. Those are good things to do to conserve energy. But at what cost?

The more tightly we seal our homes to keep out the cold, the more difficult we make it for bad indoor air, pet dander and dust mites to get out of the house.

Here are three things that will help you keep your home healthier this winter.

• Run your central vacuum system more frequently so that you remove as much dust and allergens as possible from the living area.
• Do your best to keep the home ventilated -- even if it means opening a window or two when the outside temperature permits.
• Change your furnace filters at least once per month and better yet, install a BEAM HEPA Air Filtration System.