Healthy House Institute's blog

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?

By John Bower

Many people don't like the idea of living in a tight house, even though there are a number of significant disadvantages to the alternative (loose construction). In a loose house, air moves through the cracks, but only part of the time. Most new houses today are too tight to give you the amount of fresh air you really need, but too loose to keep pollutants out effectively.

When outdoor air moves through the cracks of a house into the living space, it brings with it pollutants contained in the outdoor air. Plus, it picks up additional pollutants along the way as it passes through the cracks, such as tiny particles of insulation, odors from the resin holding the insulation together, and tiny pieces of insects that have died inside the walls. Radon is also often pulled from the soil into the living space through the cracks of a loose house.

Air moving through cracks can also result in hidden moisture condensation, and that can lead to mold growth, rot, termites, or carpenter ants. Here's what happens: All air contains moisture in the form of water vapor. If you cool a given batch of air enough, that vapor condenses into liquid water. So, if air passing through the cracks in a wall reaches a cool surface, it can condense there, hidden inside the wall cavity where you likely won't know anything is wrong until you have a serious problem. This can happen in the winter, when warm indoor air passes through the wall toward the outdoors and hits the back side of the cold sheathing or siding. It can also happen in the summer, when hot, humid, outdoor air passes through the cracks and hits the back surface of the drywall, which is cool because the inside of the house is air conditioned.

Leaky houses can also be energy hogs. In the winter, the warm air leaks out and the cold air leaks in, and your heating bills can skyrocket. In the summer, the opposite happens. Hot, humid air leaks in and cool air leaks out, but the result is the same (high energy bills.) When you analyze the issue, there are absolutely no advantages to loose construction. So, even if you're only remodeling or adding a room, it's a good idea to tighten as much as possible.

Read the rest of this article on the Healthy House Institute's website.

image stock.exchange

By John Bower

I have found that one of the best vacuums to use is a central unit with an outdoor exhaust. They usually are far more powerful than portable models, and even if some small particles get through the filter, they will be blown outdoors and not in your face.

There are many different manufacturers of central vacuum systems, and units are available in several sizes. Typically, there is a canister that contains a motor and a dust collecting bag. It will have a 120 volt electrical connection, an inlet and an outlet pipe, and a low voltage connection. The canister is usually mounted in a basement, utility room or garage.

The flexible hoses are 20'-30' long, and there are a variety of cleaning attachments available. Some manufactures have a power head with a rotating brush that is powered by the air rushing through the hose, others are electrically powered.

The inlet pipe and the low voltage wire on the canister are connected to one or more wall plates. When the hose is inserted into a wall plate, the low voltage circuit is activated and the vacuum motor is started automatically. With the long flexible hoses available, an average house may only need 2 or 3 wall outlets if they are located with a little forethought. While such a long hose can seem like a snake at times, it is easier to use than dragging around a portable vacuum.

The outlet on the canister is simply piped to the outdoors. A few manufacturers have an indoor exhaust with a sound reducing muffler, but a model with an outdoor exhaust is probably a healthier and quieter choice.

Read more on the Healthy House Institute's website.

photo stock.exchange

Ever since prehistoric men and women lived in caves, humans have felt compelled to adorn their homes with paint and other materials, as well as objects, to add comfort and a sense of their own individuality. However, most of the wall and window treatments, paints and stains, furniture and floor coverings used today, while often attractive, can actually be sources of air pollution, discomfort and illness. This is because many of the materials now used to make decorating and furnishing materials can outgas (emit) potentially harmful chemical odors.

At the same time, certain home components, such as soft furnishings and elaborate window dressings, are made to be difficult, if not impossible, to clean thoroughly on a regular basis. So, they become havens for dust and microorganisms, such as dust mites.

As you begin to create your own healthy household, remember that, while color and style are important, your primary decorating consideration should always be the potential health effects of what you put in your home. No matter what the current fashion dictates, your well-being and that of your family should always come first. Therefore, choosing truly cleanable, less-toxic, low-odor materials is extremely important.

If you need professional help with your home decorating, some interior designers are now becoming aware of how homes and furnishings can lead to ill health, so you may find a local person knowledgeable about healthy decorating. Some interior-design companies, are including health considerations in all their projects.

From Creating a Healthy Household: The Ultimate Guide For Healthier, Safer, Less-Toxic Living, © 2000 by Lynn Marie Bower.

via The Healthy House Institute

image via www.sxc.hu, Marcelo Moura

What kinds of health effects can be caused by formaldehyde, and is it a problem for everyone? The answers are:  many and no. There is plenty of scientific proof that cigarettes cause lung cancer, but we have all heard of somebody who smoked their whole life, only to die at 90 years of age after being hit by a truck. Human beings are varied in not only height, weight and hair color, but also in how much pollution their particular metabolism can tolerate. Formaldehyde and cigarettes affect each one of us differently. Some people aren't bothered at all, while the health of others can be totally destroyed.

Since formaldehyde is an animal carcinogen, it is suspected that it can have the same effect on humans. However, there may never be any proof that it will cause cancer in people because it is unethical for researchers to give a suspected carcinogen to human test subjects. While cancer is the disease that scares most of us, there are many other health effects that should also be of concern. The most common complaints are mucous membrane problems such as eye, nose, or sinus irritation, sore throat, runny nose, sinus congestion or cough. It can also cause a wide range of other symptoms such as breathing difficulties, chest pain, wheezing, headaches, fatigue, nausea, difficulty sleeping, diarrhea, or vomiting. Women may experience menstrual irregularities, and it has been shown that it can occasionally trigger asthma attacks.