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Part 5 of our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building from the publishers of HealthyHouseInstitute.com. Click here for the introductory post and furthur details.

Question: Aren’t wood windows best from a health standpoint?

Answer: Wood windows are usually treated with water-repellent and fungicidal chemicals. So, while wood is a natural material, treated windows can certainly bother some sensitive people. Also, they’re usually made of pine which can have a strong natural odor. Furthermore, wood windows require routine painting. However, wood windows usually aren’t strong outgassing sources. Therefore, these concerns are only important for very sensitive people.

Vinyl windows are a less-expensive option. While they never need painting (a real plus), the vinyl itself can outgas a little—especially when new—which can be enough to bother some sensitive individuals.

Personally, we prefer aluminum-framed windows. Most are available prefinished in white or brown, and they require little maintenance. In cold climates, you should look for frames with thermal-breaks to minimize sweating. Aluminum windows generally have rubber or plastic seals that have a slight odor—but it usually isn’t significant.

Multiple panes of glass are a good idea in harsh climates for energy efficiency. Low-E coatings and argon-filled windows rarely cause health problems, and we think they’re important to conserve energy.

Question: Is there a healthy window putty I can use?

Part 4 of our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building from the publishers of HealthyHouseInstitute.com. Click here for the introductory post and furthur details.

Question: We’re considering building a house with steel framing. Does it have any particular advantages?

Answer: Light-weight steel framing is becoming popular with some builders. It consists of C-shaped studs and channels that are usually lighter-in-weight than wood. Everything is held together with self-tapping screws, and the studs typically have holes prepunched in them for electrical wires and plumbing lines. This saves drilling time, but the holes have sharp edges, so they must be fitted with plastic grommets to prevent plastic-jacketed wiring from getting nicked and shorting out. Steel framing is also very uniform in size, it has no knots, and it won’t warp.

The biggest health-related advantage to steel is the fact that it never needs to be treated for termites. So, where toxic chemical use is the norm, or where less-toxic alternative treatments aren’t feasible, steel is a great option.

Although it’s not a concern for most people, some very sensitive individuals are bothered by the natural odor of wood, and steel is odor-free. Most framing lumber is pine or another softwood, and the odor is composed of the same chemicals in turpentine. These sensitive people are just reacting to much lower levels of the same pollutants that have the potential to bother all of us.

Part 3 of our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building from the publishers of HealthyHouseInstitute.com. Click here for the introductory post and furthur details.

Question: What is the healthiest type of foundation?

Answer: There are four basic foundation types: concrete slab, crawl space, basement, and pier. In general, pier foundations are the easiest to build in a healthy manner because they lift a house up off the ground. When a house is well separated from the soil, it’s more difficult for radon, subterranean termites, and ground moisture to get into the living space. Pier foundations are often used on hillside lots or in hot/humid climates.

Actually, any foundation can be healthy—if constructed and maintained carefully. You need to be concerned with moisture (both liquid water and relative humidity) which can lead to mold or rot, radon (a cause of lung cancer), subterranean-termite control (toxic chemicals should be avoided whenever possible), energy savings (to minimize heating/cooling expenses, and reduce the potential for condensation), and selecting materials that are inherently healthy.

Question: Don’t concrete slab foundations tend to be damp and moldy?

Part 2 of our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building from the publishers of HealthyHouseInstitute.com. Click here for the introductory post and furthur details.

Question: Are there any particular products that stand out as being serious indoor polluters?

Answer: Offenders include manufactured wood products, which give off a lot of formaldehyde, such as particle board and furniture-grade plywood. These materials are almost universally used in paneling and cabinetry.

Combustion appliances can be bothersome—if they aren’t totally sealed. This includes wood stoves, fireplaces, gas ranges, and many gas and oil hot water heaters and furnaces. They’re potentially dangerous because they can inadvertently introduce noxious gases such as carbon monoxide into the air you breathe. Eliminating these items will help to create a house that is considerably healthier than most homes. However, it may not be healthy enough for people who are more sensitive than average, or for people who want the best possible indoor air quality.

Question: Do you have a particular set of guidelines you follow?

For more on our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building, click here for the introductory post.

Question: Have houses always been unhealthy or this something new?

Answer: Over the centuries, many houses have been unhealthy due to mold, wood smoke, gas lighting, kerosene heaters, coal dust, pests, animal dander, lead pipes, lead paint, asbestos, etc. While some of these pollutants are less common today, we now have new pollutants such as formaldehyde with which to contend. So, although unhealthy houses have been around for a while, the specific pollutants are changing.

Question: With all the new environmental laws and regulations, why aren’t houses healthier than ever before?

Answer: In some areas, there definitely has been some progress. For example, we no longer use lead paint or asbestos insulation. But in many instances, we’re creating new building products and developing new construction practices faster than they can be evaluated or regulated. Today’s indoor environmental pollution problems are related to two trends—the use of unhealthy materials and unhealthy techniques.

Question: What are the two trends that are contributing to make today’s houses unhealthy?