WHAT IS AN UNHEALTHY HOME?
Manufacturers use preservatives, petroleum based chemicals and pesticide to insure the lifespan of their products. These same products can create health problems by producing poor indoor air quality. They may cause sore throats, insomnia, headaches and depression in people with chemical sensitivities. In the worst possible cases, studies show that unhealthy homes cause asthma and worsen ADD symptoms in children.
HOW DO U GET A HEALTHY HOME?
Different people have different sensitivities. You can strive to use the most healthy materials and products available. Proper ventilation is one of the easiest tools for maintaining clean air.
LOW VOC PAINT
Most standard paint brands have volatile organic compounds (VOC) and synthetic biocides in them. These compounds can cause allergic reactions and give off petrochemical stimulants in the air.
HEALTHIER CARPETING & PADDING
97% of all carpeting in the United States is made of synthetic fibers and colored with aniline dye derived from nitrobenzene. These carpets often outgas hundreds of different chemicals into the atmosphere, including methacrylic acid and ehtylbenzene. The healthier alternative to synthetic carpeting and padding is using a product made of 100%-wool yarn. It is an undyed, non-mothproofed wool carpet without harmful pesticides and glue. You may also want to explore other flooring alternatives such as bamboo, cork or natural stone.
IMPROVE AIR QUALITY BY PROPER VENTILATION
Ventilation issues are one of the worst foes of the healthy home. All homes contain items that outgas pollutants into the air. Many new building materials outgas formaldehyde, preservatives, pesticides and other irritating chemicals. Proper ventilation can dilute the concentration of those chemicals. Older homes often have poor systems that do not get rid of the toxins in the air. Mold from hidden sources of moisture can affect your families health. Good ventilating systems and careful material selections will assure that your family is not breathing harmful pollutants in your home.
A Breath of Fresh Air: Ventilation Matters
When creating an energy-efficient, airtight home through air sealing techniques , it’s very important to consider ventilation. Unless properly ventilated, an airtight home can seal in indoor air pollutants. Ventilation also helps control moisture —another important consideration for a healthy, energy-efficient home.
Manufacturers use preservatives, petroleum based chemicals and pesticide to insure the lifespan of their products. These same products can create health problems by producing poor indoor air quality. They may cause sore throats, insomnia, headaches and depression in people with chemical sensitivities. In the worst possible cases, studies show that unhealthy homes cause asthma and worsen ADD symptoms in children.
HOW DO U GET A HEALTHY HOME?
Different people have different sensitivities. You can strive to use the most healthy materials and products available. Proper ventilation is one of the easiest tools for maintaining clean air.
LOW VOC PAINT
Most standard paint brands have volatile organic compounds (VOC) and synthetic biocides in them. These compounds can cause allergic reactions and give off petrochemical stimulants in the air.
HEALTHIER CARPETING & PADDING
97% of all carpeting in the United States is made of synthetic fibers and colored with aniline dye derived from nitrobenzene. These carpets often outgas hundreds of different chemicals into the atmosphere, including methacrylic acid and ehtylbenzene. The healthier alternative to synthetic carpeting and padding is using a product made of 100%-wool yarn. It is an undyed, non-mothproofed wool carpet without harmful pesticides and glue. You may also want to explore other flooring alternatives such as bamboo, cork or natural stone.
IMPROVE AIR QUALITY BY PROPER VENTILATION
Ventilation issues are one of the worst foes of the healthy home. All homes contain items that outgas pollutants into the air. Many new building materials outgas formaldehyde, preservatives, pesticides and other irritating chemicals. Proper ventilation can dilute the concentration of those chemicals. Older homes often have poor systems that do not get rid of the toxins in the air. Mold from hidden sources of moisture can affect your families health. Good ventilating systems and careful material selections will assure that your family is not breathing harmful pollutants in your home.
A Breath of Fresh Air: Ventilation Matters
When creating an energy-efficient, airtight home through air sealing techniques , it’s very important to consider ventilation. Unless properly ventilated, an airtight home can seal in indoor air pollutants. Ventilation also helps control moisture —another important consideration for a healthy, energy-efficient home.
Purpose of Ventilation
Your home needs ventilation—the exchange of indoor air with outdoor air—to reduce indoor pollutants, moisture, and odors. Contaminants such as formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, and radon can accumulate in poorly ventilated homes, causing health problems. Excess moisture in a home can generate high humidity levels. High humidity levels can lead to mold growth and structural damage to your home.
To ensure adequate ventilation, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) says that a home’s living area should be ventilated at a rate of 0.35 air changes per hour or 15 cubic feet per person per minute, whichever is greater.
There are three basic ventilation strategies:
1. Natural ventilation. Opening windows and doors provides natural ventilation. Natural ventilation depends on a home’s airtightness, outdoor temperatures, wind, and other factors. Therefore, during mild weather, some homes may lack sufficient natural ventilation for pollutant removal. Tightly sealed and/or built homes may have insufficient natural ventilation most of the time, while homes with high air infiltration rates may experience high energy costs.
2. Spot ventilation can be used to improve the effectiveness of natural ventilation. Spot ventilation improves the effectiveness of other ventilation strategies—natural and whole-house —by removing indoor air pollutants and/or moisture at their source.
Spot ventilation includes the use of localized exhaust fans, such as those used above kitchen ranges and in bathrooms. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends intermittent or continuous ventilation rates for bathrooms and kitchens instead of using windows (natural ventilation): 50 or 20 cubic feet per minute for bathrooms, and 100 or 25 cubic feet per minute for kitchens, respectively.
3. Whole-house ventilation systems provide controlled, uniform ventilation throughout a house. These systems use one or more fans and duct systems to exhaust stale air and/or supply fresh air to the house.
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