This shows that when equal amounts of test dust (ISO Fine Test Dust 12103-1, A2) were present on hard versus carpeted flooring, there was less dust driven airborne by the carpeted surface.

Antique pieces can lend warmth and charm to your home. Antique furniture is often made of solid wood, or a combination of solid and veneered wood (a thin layer of a valuable hardwood glued over a lesser quality wood base). Usually, the glues used in antique pieces are natural, as well as the fabrics and battings; that is, unless the furniture has been redone at some point using synthetic material.

Healthier ways to bed down. The most healthy items in your house should include sheets and bedding, which are in direct contact with you from 6–9 hours daily. These should promote both good sleep and good health.

Skip the gasoline with this yard tool. Portable cutting power without messy gas or cords are the best reasons to consider this chainsaw. This saw was not designed to fell full grown, older trees.

This cordless triple-tined cultivator plows through weeds and aerates soil. The 18V Rechargeable Garden Cultivator digs simultaneously with three counter-rotating tines to weed and aerate soil.

New safety features make this model a cut above its predecessor. Like its predecessor the CMM1000, the CMM1200 has a 24 volt sealed lead acid battery, and cuts up to 1/3 of an acre on one charge.

Brick veneer over a wood frame is a popular siding material and good construction practice says that there should be a one-inch air space between the brick and the wood framing. However, the purpose of this air space is often misunderstood. This article will explain what the air space is for, and why it doesn't always function like it should.

Cellulose is a carbohydrate, a fairly inert component of plants. Cellulose insulation, however, is far from inert. It is such a complex mixture of chemicals that it would be virtually impossible to determine an accurate listing of components. The primary ingredients are ground newspapers and boron compounds such as boric acid and borax. While newspapers consist mainly of cellulose that is derived from trees, they contain a wide variety of potentially toxic chemicals.

Consider everything from energy use to the ideal lighting conditions in your home before selecting permanent or free-standing lamps. Good lighting is important for both safety and aesthetics. Sunlight from windows and skylights can provide a certain amount of light, but it may not be enough, or, for privacy reasons, you may not be able to fully take advantage of it.

Plastic or wood - which is best for cutting boards? Surprisingly, research indicates they are similar in their ability to support bacteria. Whichever you choose, it's important to remember that if your board acquires deep cracks or cuts, replace it. Bacteria thrive especially well in these hard-to-clean locations.

When is it safe to return to the freshly painted site? Question: A caller from West Virginia was worried about free isocyanates being released from epoxy paint applied in a poorly ventilated area. The label says that the paint takes seven to 14 days to cure properly.

Tips for safer fiberglass handling and insulation practices. Fiberglass, also know as 'glass wool', is simply glass that is in the shape of thin threads. Because of their small diameter, fibers of glass are very flexible.

Can an environmentally friendly polish match the performance of leading brands? Restore Furniture Cleaner & Protector claims it is formulated to clean, polish and protect wood and laminate surfaces.

A guide to specifications for healthy construction. When specifying healthy building materials, use the following as a guide. Remember to read product labels, ask questions of the manufacturer, and study material safety data sheets (MSDS) to find out exactly what is in a product before you buy it.

Health and environmental factors associated with carpet include indoor air quality, chemical emissions from manufacturing and disposal operations, and solid waste impacts. Carpet is quiet, soft, slip-resistant and often quite beautiful. These qualities make it a common choice as a floor covering.

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.

Insulation is needed in warm climates to keep the heat outside and in cold climates to keep the heat inside. Insulation is needed in warm climates to keep the heat outside and in cold climates to keep the heat inside. Insulation is used in a variety of locations in houses: inside walls and roof systems, under floors, and around foundations.

Linoleum is still available today, and has gained renewed popularity because it's composed of natural ingredients. At one time, linoleum was the most popular kitchen flooring and countertop material. Traditionally, it was made with oxidized linseed oil, ground cork or wood flour (saw dust), and rosin (a type of resin formed from the distillation of oil of turpentine) or other plant resins.

Cleaner, greener paints make projects faster, easier and less expensive. Consumer Reports found nearly all top-scoring paints to be among the lowest in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are linked to pollution, smog, and respiratory problems.

Many commercial mattresses are manufactured using polyurethane, synthetic fabrics, chemical fire retardants, toxic dyes, formaldehyde and stain-resistant chemicals. These chemicals are outgassed over time, and can expose skin and lungs to potentially toxic substances, causing allergic reactions and other health problems.

Metal furniture can be an excellent healthy choice for your home’s interior, since it is easy to clean and in many cases no chemical treatment is necessary. Often, manufacturers combine metal with glass, both of which are generally inert. More popular then ever, brass, wrought iron, painted steel, stainless steel and chromed pieces are easy to find at most local furniture stores, bedroom shops and import stores.

Furniture should also be “easy-clean.” Solid-wood or metal pieces are probably the best for seating. Soft furniture items covered in leather can be wiped clean, so they can be good choices too. If you prefer fabric upholstery, choose items with removable, washable, all-cotton slip-covers. Toss pillows should also have removable and washable covers, and afghans or throws should be designed to take repeated launderings.

Outgassing refers to the release of gases during the aging and degradation of a material. These volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can negatively affect our health. New-car smell, and the film that forms on the inside of an automobile’s windshield, are a result of outgassing from the plastic interior. The synthetic fabric, vinyl, and cushioning are, in effect, evaporating various gases into the air we breathe.

Before choosing any paint, you may want to know more about the two basic types: oil- and water-based. Actually, both types have pigments (natural or synthetically derived colorants), binders (compounds that hold or bind all the ingredients together), and vehicles (the liquid base). Of course, there are usually a number of other minor ingredients in paints as well.

Plastic laminates are actually made of several layers of Kraft paper bonded together with plastic resins under heat and very high pressure. The topmost layer of resin-impregnated paper is colored or patterned. This gives the laminate sheet its particular appearance. Modern plastic laminates now come in a wide variety of designs, colors, textures, sheens and grades. However, they’re all subject to scorching and chipping to some degree.

Pressure-treated wood impregnated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) - often with a greenish tint - was widely used for decks and porches prior to its being discontinued for residential use in 2003-2004. Since treated wood has a long lifespan, there is still plenty of CCA pressure-treated wood surrounding residences, prompting caution due to its arsenic content.

A few things to keep in mind when choosing solid wood over man-made. Solid wood is often preferable to man-made wood products from an aesthetic as well as a health standpoint. After all, solid wood has an innate beauty that is pleasing to look at and to touch.

It’s durable, non-toxic, non-staining and easy-to-clean. Stainless steel makes an excellent countertop material because it’s durable, non-toxic, non-staining and easy-to-clean. Widely used in commercial kitchens, it’s also popular with homeowners.

It turns out the chef's kitchen is extremely practical. One of the healthiest countertop choices is stainless steel. It’s been used in commercial kitchens for years but it’s just now being used a little more commonly in residential applications as people realize its sleek modern appearance is, indeed, appropriate in their own home kitchen.

Vinyl flooring is available in both sheet goods and individual tiles through local flooring stores and building-supply centers. Unlike linoleum, vinyl is made primarily of a synthetically derived resin, usually thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC). However, pure PVC is actually a very stiff material, so it must be combined with noxious plasticizing compounds to make it soft and supple.

They have had a waterbed for many years.  Recently the waterbed have had a problem with a strong mold smell coming from the mattress. What can they do? Read on.

It's best to test several brands for appearance and personal tolerance. Polyurethane finishes use polyurethane resin as a binder. However, because this particular resin is expensive, its often mixed with other synthetic binders such as acrylic resins.

All-natural may not be as irritant free as you\'d think — and not all wicker furniture is all natural. Many people assume that wicker and reed furniture, which is made of natural grasses, would be a good choice in a less-toxic home. These pieces do have certain pluses, such as being appropriate for most rooms and often being relatively inexpensive.

Originally, windows (derived from “wind eyes”) were just open holes in walls. As architecture advanced, windows also became important from an aesthetic standpoint. Today, more people than ever have added window treatments that are more decorative than functional. However, for certain windows, privacy and energy savings are still very important considerations.

Many of the products used to coat wood around the home have traditionally contained volatile organic solvents and other toxic chemicals that have been linked to poor indoor air quality and possible health impacts. But because of increasing public awareness of indoor air pollution and chemical toxicity in household and building products, manufacturers of wood coatings are offering many more products that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formulated without aromatic solvents, heavy metals, or cancer-causing chemicals. These products are healthier for the users of these products – namely, workers on new home construction projects and do-it-yourself homeowners – as well as the occupants of buildings where these finishing products have been applied.

Weigh the variety of options in the realm of wood furniture against the physical needs of your family. Today, furniture is often constructed with a combination of some solid wood (often a softwood such as pine, or an inexpensive hardwood), as well as some composite man-made materials (hardboard, particleboard or plywood).