The way a building is constructed and which materials are used to build it can have an enormous impact on the people who live and work inside it. Find out more about construction techniques that promote healthy living right here.
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Home Inspections Greenwood IN
A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation. The standard home inspector’s report will cover the condition of the home’s heating system; central air conditioning system (temperature permitting); interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement and structural components.
Plumbing Greenwood IN
Plastic water mains are now widely used by utilities, and they’re also common in many new houses. They tend to be easier and less expensive to install than metal pipes. Many plastic pipes use both a toxic solvent-based cleaner and cement to fuse the pipe and fittings together. While these are very noxious, they’re so volatile that they outgas quickly—usually within a few hours—if there’s plenty of extra ventilation.
Greening a House Greenwood IN
Greening a house that was built before we knew to care isn't impossible, here's some tips: Saving energy doesn’t get any easier than this: Lower your energy bill by cleaning your clothes dryer’s lint trap before every load to improve air circulation, therefore cutting down on energy-wasting drying time.
Cabinets, Doors and Trim Greenwood IN
From The Healthy House Answer Book: Answers to the 133 most commonly asked questions. Questions 111-118. From The Healthy House Answer Book: Answers to the 133 most commonly asked questions. Questions 111-118.
Green Construction Greenwood IN
Once you understand the basic concepts, healthy house construction is no more difficult than unhealthy house construction. However, it does involve more than just selecting non-toxic materials. It also requires an understanding of how a house functions - for example how a house "breathes" naturally (and why that may not be desirable), and how heating and ventilating systems interact.
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Acrylic Countertops Greenwood IN
Navigate the options for cleaner air. Solid, acrylic countertops, such as Corian and others, come in a number of colors and visual textures. The specific, patented formulations of these products seem to have only a slight odor, perhaps because they are so hard and dense.
Cabinets Greenwood IN
Your choice of cabinet materials may affect your breathing space for years to come. Most kitchen and bath cabinets installed in homes today are made with at least some man-made wood products.
Cabinets, Doors and Trim Greenwood IN
From The Healthy House Answer Book: Answers to the 133 most commonly asked questions. Questions 111-118. From The Healthy House Answer Book: Answers to the 133 most commonly asked questions. Questions 111-118.
Electrical Wiring Greenwood IN
Electromagnetic fields, or EMFs for short, are invisible areas of energy. There are actually many different kinds. EMFs can be found around gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared radiation, and radio waves. However, the kind most people are concerned about are the EMFs surrounding electrical wiring and appliances.
Foundation Contractors Greenwood IN
B esides holding up the house, a foundation is also a connection between the soil and living space . How this connection is made is important for the health of the occupants and the durability of the house.
Foundations, Decks and Garages Greenwood IN
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.
Framing and Insulation Greenwood IN
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.
Green Construction Greenwood IN
Once you understand the basic concepts, healthy house construction is no more difficult than unhealthy house construction. However, it does involve more than just selecting non-toxic materials. It also requires an understanding of how a house functions - for example how a house "breathes" naturally (and why that may not be desirable), and how heating and ventilating systems interact.
Green Remodeling Greenwood IN
Green remodeling can be done in small ways and doesn’t necessarily have to encompass the entire home. What is Green Remodeling? It's an all-encompassing approach that emphasizes making a home healthy, comfortable, and efficient.
Green Roofs Contractors Greenwood IN
A green roof consists of vegetation and soil, or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. Additional layers, such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems may also be included.
Greening a House Greenwood IN
Greening a house that was built before we knew to care isn't impossible, here's some tips: Saving energy doesn’t get any easier than this: Lower your energy bill by cleaning your clothes dryer’s lint trap before every load to improve air circulation, therefore cutting down on energy-wasting drying time.
Heating and Cooling Greenwood IN
Actually, we don't like most fuel-burning appliances—fireplaces, wood stoves, gas ranges, oil furnaces, space heaters, water heaters, boilers, etc. Many people think the reason we don't like them has to do with fuel leaks. While oil or gas leaks certainly can pollute a house, we're much more concerned with poor chimney function. Whenever you burn something, you have combustion by-products with which to contend. And, it isn't healthy to have any combustion by-products indoors. The worst offenders are unvented appliances because they have no chimney whatsoever, and they dump combustion by-products directly into the indoor air.
Home Inspections Greenwood IN
A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation. The standard home inspector’s report will cover the condition of the home’s heating system; central air conditioning system (temperature permitting); interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement and structural components.
Interior Floors Greenwood IN
Many people believe natural-fiber carpets are inherently healthier. Sometimes they are, but that’s not always the case. Natural fibers are often chemically dyed or treated and wool carpet is routinely treated with mothproofing chemicals.
Interior Walls Greenwood IN
Drywall is a gypsum-board product similar to blueboard. The chief difference has to do with the paper facing. The paper on drywall is a lower-grade paper made from recycled newspaper. Some sensitive people are bothered by printing ink. As a result, they can also be affected by drywall because the paper contains ink residues. This usually isn’t a strong pollutant source, and paint often seals the paper well enough to prevent it from being a problem. Drywall isn’t as durable as plaster, so it can’t be left unpainted.
LEED for Homes Greenwood IN
LEED homes offer many benefits to home owners, including lower energy and water bills; reduced greenhouse gas emissions; increased comfort, less exposure to indoor pollutants such as mold, mildew and other indoor toxins, and lower maintenance costs. Are all new homes created equal? Homebuyers often expect that they are.
Plumbing Greenwood IN
Plastic water mains are now widely used by utilities, and they’re also common in many new houses. They tend to be easier and less expensive to install than metal pipes. Many plastic pipes use both a toxic solvent-based cleaner and cement to fuse the pipe and fittings together. While these are very noxious, they’re so volatile that they outgas quickly—usually within a few hours—if there’s plenty of extra ventilation.
Tight Construction Greenwood IN
What is known about tight construction, why it is a good idea, and how it is integral to systematic house design and construction. Without a doubt, modern construction practices have resulted in houses that are much tighter than those built a hundred years ago.
Waterproofing Foundations Greenwood IN
Controlling moisture movement in foundations is important for several reasons. First of all, people don't like water in their basements. However, excessive moisture can also lead to high humidity levels, mold growth, or even rot. One of the methods of controlling this moisture is to dampproof or waterproof the foundation walls.
Windows Greenwood IN
When selecting construction or remodeling materials it would be nice if we had products to chose from that were benign from both a planetary and a human health standpoint. However, in our complex industrialized society, our choices are rarely simple, so we must usually make compromises. This article will discuss the various ways in which windows affect our environment.
Windows, Siding and Roofing Greenwood IN
Here are Questions from the Healthy House Answer Book. These answers to the most commonly asked questions may be helpful to you.
