Residential Wellness Assessment · KLPOA

The Healthy
Home Audit

18 questions that reveal how well your home is actually supporting your health. Developed from the WELL Building Standard and years of wellness-centred residential practice.

18Questions
5Minutes
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0 of 18 answered
Before You Begin

Your home affects your health every single day. Most people don't realise how much.

The average American spends over 90% of their time indoors. The quality of that environment — the air you breathe, the light you wake up to, the materials surrounding you, the noise you absorb — directly shapes your energy, sleep, mood, and long-term health.

Select an answer for each question below. Your score and personalised insights will appear automatically at the bottom once you complete all 18 questions.

High Impact
Moderate Impact
Supportive Factor
How to Use This Audit
  • Read each question and select the answer that best describes your home today
  • There are no right or wrong answers — honesty gives you the most useful results
  • Your score updates live as you answer each question
  • Complete all 18 questions to reveal your full results and personalised insights at the bottom
01

Indoor Air Quality

The air inside most homes is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Poor ventilation, off-gassing materials, and uncontrolled moisture are the primary culprits — and most homeowners are unaware of the problem.

01
High Impact

Does your home have a mechanical ventilation system — such as an ERV or HRV — or a dedicated fresh air strategy?

Without fresh air exchange, CO₂ levels rise overnight. This impairs cognitive function and sleep quality.

AYes — professionally installed ERV or HRV system
BI rely on bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans
CI open windows when I can
DNo dedicated ventilation that I am aware of
02
High Impact

Are the finishes, flooring, paints, and adhesives in your home low-VOC or zero-VOC certified?

Volatile Organic Compounds off-gas from conventional materials for years, contributing to headaches, respiratory issues, and long-term health risks.

AYes — low-VOC or zero-VOC throughout
BSome areas, but not consistently
CI am not sure what materials were used
DNo — standard conventional materials throughout
03
Moderate Impact

What rating are your HVAC filters, and how consistently are they replaced?

Standard fiberglass filters capture less than 20% of fine particulate matter. MERV-13 and above captures over 85%.

AMERV-13 or higher, replaced on schedule
BStandard filter, replaced regularly
CI change filters occasionally but not on a schedule
DI am not sure when filters were last changed
04
High Impact

Is there any visible mold, persistent musty odour, or known moisture intrusion in your home?

Mold releases mycotoxins that cause respiratory illness, fatigue, and cognitive fog — conditions often misdiagnosed for years.

ANone whatsoever — the home is dry throughout
BOccasional musty smell in basement or bathroom
CSome visible mildew or known moisture intrusion
DSignificant mold or persistent damp in multiple areas
02

Healthy Materials

What your home is made of matters. Natural, minimally processed materials support a healthier indoor environment than synthetic alternatives manufactured for cost or convenience.

05
High Impact

How would you describe the primary materials in your home — floors, walls, cabinetry, and furniture?

Plastics, foams, and vinyl composites often contain plasticizers and flame retardants that off-gas continuously and accumulate in household dust.

APrimarily natural — solid wood, stone, natural fibre, mineral finishes
BMixed — some natural materials alongside synthetic ones
CMostly synthetic — laminate, vinyl, engineered composites
DNot sure — I don't know what most materials are made from
06
Moderate Impact

Are your upholstered furniture, mattresses, and insulation free from polyurethane foam as a primary fill?

Polyurethane foam is a significant source of flame retardant chemicals linked to hormonal disruption and neurological effects, particularly in children.

AYes — natural fill materials throughout (wool, latex, down)
BSome natural, some foam-based pieces
CMostly conventional foam-filled furniture and mattresses
DNot sure what my furniture and mattresses contain
07
Moderate Impact

What are the kitchen and bathroom surfaces in your home made from?

Laminate and resin-based surfaces degrade over time and contribute to indoor air quality decline through off-gassing adhesives and coatings.

ANatural stone, ceramic tile, or solid wood throughout
BMix of natural and engineered surfaces
CPrimarily plastic laminates or resin composites
DNot sure what materials were used
03

Light & Circadian Health

Light is the primary signal that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Most homes deliver the wrong kind of light at the wrong time of day, disrupting sleep without homeowners realising the cause.

08
High Impact

How much natural daylight do your main living areas and bedroom receive during the day?

Natural daylight suppresses melatonin production during the day, which in turn improves night-time sleep quality and depth.

AExcellent — bright natural light throughout the day
BGood in some rooms, limited in others
CSomewhat dark — artificial light needed most of the day
DVery little natural light in key living areas
09
Moderate Impact

How would you describe your evening lighting at home after 8pm?

Blue-spectrum light in the evening delays melatonin onset by 1 to 3 hours, suppressing sleep quality even when you feel tired.

AWarm-toned (2700K or lower) and dimmable throughout
BMostly warm but I still use overhead lights
CMixed — some warm, some bright white or blue-toned
DBright overhead lighting with no warm-tone alternative
10
Moderate Impact

Can your bedroom be made fully dark at night — no light from outside or hallways?

Even low levels of ambient light during sleep disrupt REM cycles and increase risk of metabolic disruption.

AYes — completely dark with blackout shades or shutters
BMostly dark with minor light intrusion
CSome light comes in — street lights, hallway light
DSignificant light intrusion, especially in summer or the city
04

Thermal Comfort & Performance

Temperature inconsistency is not just uncomfortable — it is a sign of an inefficient building envelope that wastes energy, promotes moisture, and compromises your health.

11
High Impact

How consistently comfortable is the temperature throughout your home, room to room?

Temperature inconsistency indicates air sealing deficiencies and thermal bridging that drive energy costs and moisture risk.

AVery consistent — comfortable in every room year-round
BMostly comfortable with a few uneven spots
CNoticeable drafts, cold spots, or overheated areas
DSignificant discomfort — some rooms are unusable seasonally
12
Moderate Impact

Does your home maintain indoor humidity between 40 and 60% year-round?

Below 30%: skin and respiratory irritation, virus transmission increases. Above 65%: mold risk escalates rapidly.

AYes — I measure it and it stays in the healthy range
BI believe so, though I have not measured it precisely
CIt feels too dry in winter or too humid in summer
DSignificant humidity issues — condensation or dry air year-round
13
Moderate Impact

Can your bedroom maintain a nighttime temperature between 65 and 68°F?

Core body temperature must drop 2 to 3 degrees F to initiate sleep. A cool bedroom supports this process naturally.

AYes — consistently cool and comfortable for sleep
BUsually, though it can get warm in summer
CMy bedroom runs warmer than I would like
DTemperature in the bedroom is hard to control
05

Acoustic Environment

Chronic noise exposure, even at levels below conscious awareness, elevates cortisol, disrupts sleep, and degrades cognitive performance over time.

14
High Impact

How isolated is your bedroom from traffic, HVAC noise, and household sound at night?

The WHO recommends nighttime outdoor noise below 40dB. Most urban and suburban bedrooms routinely exceed this threshold.

AVery quiet — sleep is rarely disturbed by noise
BMostly quiet with occasional disruptions
CNoticeable noise that sometimes affects sleep
DSignificant noise intrusion — sleep is regularly disturbed
15
Moderate Impact

Can you work or rest at home without frequent noise interruptions from other rooms or outside?

Sound privacy enables deep work and recovery. Both are impaired in acoustically open floor plans without thoughtful architectural design.

AYes — quiet focus is easy to achieve at home
BMostly, with occasional interruptions
CNoise is a regular distraction during work or rest
DMy home offers very little acoustic privacy
06

Spatial Wellbeing & Design

How a space is organised, its proportions, its connection to nature, and its support for daily movement all have measurable effects on mood, stress, and long-term health.

16
Moderate Impact

Do the areas where you spend the most time have views to the outdoors — trees, sky, or greenery?

Research on biophilic design shows that even brief visual access to nature lowers cortisol and blood pressure measurably.

AYes — generous views to nature from key living areas
BSome views, but limited from main living spaces
CMostly urban views — buildings, pavement, little greenery
DVery little connection to the outdoors or natural views
17
Moderate Impact

Does your home's layout naturally encourage movement throughout the day?

Passive architecture can either encourage or suppress movement. The layout itself is a measurable health determinant.

AYes — I move through active spaces naturally and often
BSomewhat — the layout is reasonably active
CI sit for long periods without naturally moving
DMy layout makes it easy to stay sedentary all day
18
Supportive Factor

After a long day, does your home feel genuinely calm and restorative?

This is the ultimate test: your home should actively restore you, not passively receive you. Design, proportion, light, and materials all contribute.

AYes — my home is my sanctuary. I feel restored here.
BMostly, though some rooms feel better than others
CNot particularly — the home feels functional but not restorative
DMy home feels stressful or unsettling rather than restful
Your Healthy Home Score
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Score by Category

Air Quality
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Materials
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Light
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Thermal Comfort
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Acoustic
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Spatial Design
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Your Personalised Insights

The Next Step

Schedule Your Free
Consultation

The call is free, takes 30 minutes, and carries zero obligation. We will discuss your goals, your timeline, and whether we are a good fit for each other.

KLPOA
Kacper Lastowiecki
Practice of Architecture

Custom Homes · Renovations · Additions
Washington, DC · Northern Virginia · Maryland
Services & Serving Custom Homes · Renovations · Additions Washington, DC · Northern Virginia · Maryland
Contact KL@KLPOA.com (771) 777-4997 Address 2300 Wilson Blvd, Ste. 700 Arlington, VA 22201
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