Tips for a Healthy Home - Improve Indoor Air Quality

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Tips for a Healthy Home

http://www.createhealthyhomes.com/tips_for_a_healthy_home.php

 

Improve Indoor Air Quality

http://www.createhealthyhomes.com/Healthy_Home_Tips_IAQ.doc

 

These tips for a healthy home are based upon recommendations taught by the

International Institute of Bau-biologie and Ecology (IBE), Clearwater, Florida

(727-461-4371; www.buildingbiology.net ) and comprise the material covered in

the author's Healthy Home lectures. They are also based upon his experience

from almost 500 environmental home & office inspections conducted in Minnesota

and 10 other states over the past several years.

 

The Twenty-Five Principles of Bau-biologie are presented at end of these

recommendations, as taught by the IBE.

 

For tips on making your home & office safer from harmful Electro-Magnetic

Fields ( " EMFs " ) as well as Radio Frequencies from wireless communications, go to

Oram's website, www.createhealthyhomes.com Click on " Tips for a Healthy

Home, " then to the handout entitled, " Reduce Your Exposure to

Electric Fields, Magnetic Fields and Radio Frequencies (EMFs). "

 

For tips on ways to remodel an existing home or office in a healthy way

without making you or your family sick, or to design & build a new building in a

safe and healthy way, go to Oram's website, www.createhealthyhomes.com Click

on " Tips for a Healthy Home, " then to the handout entitled, "

Recommendations for Healthy Renovations and New Home Construction. "

 

Avoid Mold by Doing the Following:

 

· For a mold clean-up protocol, see below, after this section.

 

· Providing adequate runoff for rooftop rainwater takes care of 90% of mold

problems in a basement. Keep rain gutters clear of debris and downspouts in

good working order. Make sure downspout extenders end at least several feet

away from the foundation so that rainwater does not pool near the foundation.

 

· Berm (or slope) the earth that is around the house so that there is at

least a 5-10 degree slope for rainwater to drain away, not towards, the

foundation.

 

· If the ground around your house generally slopes toward your foundation

on any side, install drain tile under the soil to carry excess rainwater away.

 

· Don't let a sprinkler spray directly against the side of the house.

 

· Plant your flowerbeds and shrubs somewhat away from the house if you

water them regularly.

 

· In warmer weather, increase cross ventilation to the outdoors from your

basement or crawl space.

 

· In the winter, keep the basement or crawl space warmer than the

temperature of the soil on the other side of the foundation or the crawl space

stem

wall, which is usually 55-60 degrees F. below frost line. This avoids

condensation from forming on the inside of the stem wall.

 

· Make sure air ducts that run in a basement or crawl space are tightly

sealed with mastic tape. This avoids moist indoor air from leaking out in

winter,

which would allow moisture to condense on basement or crawl space walls,

causing mold.

 

· Do a good job of insulating any air ducts that run in your attic to avoid

condensation and mold inside the ducts during hot summer days.

 

· Make your attic cooler in summer by adding tiny thermal radiant beads to

(non-toxic) paint and applying this paint to the underside of your roof. Made

by Radiosity Radiant Barriers ( www.radiosity.biz ) and available from Green

Building Supply, Fairfield, Iowa (800-405-0222; www.greenbuildingsupply.com ).

Green Building Supply can ship items anywhere in the country.

 

· Install solar powered roof fans, also available from Green Building

Supply.

 

· The roof should act much like an umbrella over the enclosed, insulated

living space under the attic floor. The roof needs to be vented along its peak

through a roof ridge vent and around its edges at the soffits to allow the

attic to breathe, using plastic air chutes. You should feel a slight breeze

blowing through a well-vented attic when the wind blows.

 

· Seal all air penetrations to the attic from the living space below to

avoid warm indoor air from entering the attic in winter. If warm air enters a

cold attic, it causes snow to melt on the roof, run down the roof, and refreeze

at the lower edges where the roof is cold once again over the overhangs and

soffits. This is how ice dams are formed. More melting snow then pools behind

the

ice dam and the water migrates under roofing shingles, dripping onto

insulation in the attic below and causing mold to grow. You see this as

discoloration

on your room ceilings and along the tops of your outer walls. You can prevent

this by sealing all air penetrations into our attic from the living space

below, including the installation of weather stripping around your attic hatch

and

sealing around chimneys and pipes.

 

· Ventilate any rooms with excess moisture to the outside, such as

bathrooms during and after showering. Do not vent exhaust fans into the attic.

Consider installing a timer switch on your bathroom exhaust fan.

 

· Choose whole house central air humidifiers for use in winter in which

water flows-through, rather than models that blow air past a pan of stationary

water. The latter can harbor mold, sending it throughout the house with the air

stream. Aprilaire is one such manufacturer of flow-through central humidifiers

(608-257-8801; www.aprilaire.com ).

 

· Keep your central air conditioner well maintained and have an HVAC

contractor inspect and clean the condenser coils with a cleanser to avoid mold.

Be

sure the cleanser is non-toxic.

 

· Make sure window air conditioners drain the condensate water away from

your house onto the ground outdoors, not onto a porch below.

 

· Inspect and clean refrigerator drain pans regularly for standing water

and mold growth.

 

· Make sure all drainage hoses from air conditioner HVAC condenser units

and whole house humidifiers in the basement actually end over a floor drain, not

a few feet from them. Otherwise you end up with a perpetual wet spot on the

basement cement floor that will support mold growth.

 

· Consider purchasing an indoor air purifier. The unit that I recommend is

an ozone-generating air purifier called the Aranizer (866-272-6247;

www.aranizer.com ). The Aranizer makes no detectable nitrous oxide by-products

as it

creates abundant quantities of health-promoting higher weights of oxygen (O4 to

O16). Research shows that nitrous oxide by-products are the cause of damage to

the lung lining, not ozone itself. Nitrous oxide by-products are created by an

electronic spark (which burns at 900 to 1,000 degrees F) as well as some

frequencies of UV light. Both these technologies are used in other

ozone-generating air purifiers but not the Aranizer. The Aranizer instead uses a

" cold

fusion " process (only 110 degrees F) to generate higher weights of oxygen, all

without moving parts. Three independent outside laboratories have documented

that

the Aranizer does not create any detectable amounts of unhealthy nitrous oxide

by-products. Call the R & D Department at Aranizer (866-272-6247) to get the

full story. Also go to Aranizer's website ( www.aranizer.com ) and click on the

link, " What Is Aran " to read how ozone produced without nitrous oxides is safe.

Aranizer air purifiers are available through Green Building Supply

(800-405-0222: www.greenbuildingsupply.com ). If you are in Minnesota or

Wisconsin,

purchase a unit through Dawn Radibaugh at Synapse Chiropractic, Eagan,

Minnesota,

651-209-9906.

 

Mold Clean-Up Protocol

 

· Dry out and clean up any water leaks ASAP, such as from a plumbing leak or

rainwater intrusion into your house. The EPA says you have 24-48 hours to dry

out the porous building materials before mold begins to grow to the point of

no return. After that, even when dry, porous materials should be removed,

discarded and replaced because even dry, dormant mold spores still remain and

can

be allergenic. They also carry toxic mycotoxins, that is, toxins produced by

the mold when it was alive. Also if the area becomes wet again, mold will

regrow quicker than 48 hours.

 

· Be sure to fix the water intrusion problem first.

 

· Homeowners can repair small mold jobs themselves if the affected area is

generally less than 10 square feet by following the guidelines in " A Brief

Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home " ( www.epa.gov/iaq/mold/moldguide.html )

and

" Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings " (

http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html ).

 

· Be sure to wear a well-fitting N-95 respirator mask and protective

goggles. Wear old clothing that you can discard or launder in hot water.

 

· Seal off mold infested room or area with plastic and seal the air vents

into and out of the room. Put a fan in the window and blow the air out, so you

in effect create negative pressure in the room. This is to avoid mold spores

from spreading throughout the house, turning a small, confined job into a much

bigger one.

 

· You must be prepared for the fact that billions of mold spores could

potentially be released into the air when you start opening up and demolishing

mold-infested sheetrock, insulation, and tearing up moldy carpet and padding.

 

· All porous materials that became wet must go, even if they are now dry.

Through all infested materials out the window. Do not drag them through the

rest of the house. Cut moldy carpet and padding in strips, roll it up, bag it,

and discard it out the window.

 

· Once you are down to solid, structural surfaces that must stay (studs,

sheathing, subflooring, concrete slab in the basement), use non-toxic

alternatives to bleach to kill and inhibit mold growth. A good mold cleanser and

mold

killer is Hydroxi Pro " Power Safe, " made by Core Products (

www.coreproductsco.com ) and available through Green Building Supply

(800-405-0222;

www.greenbuildingsupply.com ). Another non-toxic mold cleanser and mold killer

is Sol-u-Mel,

containing Tea Tree or Melaleuca oil (

www.melaleuca.com ), used now exclusively by F.E.M.A. on all their flood relief

jobs nationwide for mold cleanup and prevention. Contact your local

representative of The Wellness Company ( www.melaleuca.com ). In Minnesota

contact Renee

Aymar, Plymouth, Minnesota (763-551-4776; rrvrenee). Be sure to use a

good scrub brush. Some mold experts say all you really need is a good

surfactant (that is, a detergent - any non-toxic general purpose cleanser would

work)

and a scrub brush to lift the mold off.

 

· Mold inhibitors are made by Envirox ( www.h2orange2.com ), National

Allergy Supply ( www.natlallergy.com ) and by AFM, who make SafeChoice X-158 (

www.afmsafecoat.com ). Envirox and SafeChoice X-158 are available nationwide

through Green Building Supply (800-405-0222; www.greenbuildingsupply.com ). AFM

products are available in the Twin Cities at Natural Built Home, 4020 Minnehaha,

Minneapolis (612-605-7999; www.naturalbuilthome.com ) and at Lakewinds,

Ecopolitan, and Linden Hills Home Store.

 

· Vacuum all surfaces with a HEPA vacuum cleaner once you have done the

demolition and clean up. Be sure to have the room vented to the outside with a

fan in the window when you do this and wear your mask.

 

· Then you are ready to rebuild. Be sure to use non-toxic paints and

adhesives (see below).

 

· For larger jobs, consult a professional mold remediator. You can consult

the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (

http://www.iicrc.org/ ) for a list of certified cleaning and restoration

experts in

your area.

 

Reduce Indoor Airborne Particulates by Doing the Following:

 

· Avoid spun fiberglass furnace filters. Upgrade to pleated air filters and

change them more frequently than the manufacturer recommends, ideally every

one to 2 months (versus every 3 months, as recommended by most manufacturers).

 

· Install an air-to-air heat exchanger, also known as a " Heat Recovery

Ventilator. " They provide several fresh air exchanges per hour of stale indoor

air

with fresh outdoor air without significant loss of heat in the winter, and

they keep out the heat in the summer. If you live in warmer southern climates,

you should ideally purchase an Energy Recovery Ventilator (as opposed to a Heat

Recovery Ventilator), available from RenewAire (800-627-4499;

www.renewaire.com ) or Aprilaire (608-257-8801; www.aprilaire.com ). Energy

Recovery V

entilators supply abundant fresh air while keeping out heat and humidity in

summer,

and keeping in heat and humidity in winter.

 

· Have your air ducts cleaned throughout the house if not done so within

the past 3 to 5 years. This will eliminate accumulated dust and mold and improve

your indoor air quality. Have this done again in another 3 to 5 years, or

more often if occupants are symptomatic. Important: Ask the serviceman to vacuum

only. Do not let them spray toxic bactericide or fungicide into the air ducts.

Serviceman will do this automatically unless you do tell them not to. The

chemicals are toxic to you, & to microorganisms & fungi.

 

· Metal air ducts are best for forced air heating systems. If you need to

install flexible air ducts, choose cotton-lined semi-flexible air ducts over

fiberglass-insulated flexible air ducts. Cotton-insulated semi-flexible air

ducts are made by Superior Air Ducts in Houston (713-682-3828;

http://www.superiorairducts.com/ ). The plastic lining is tough enough for the

ducts to be

professionally cleaned by a duct cleaning company, which is not possible with

fiberglass-lined ducts because the lining is too thin and can easily be

punctured.

That is a real plus for Superior's air ducts as far as we are concerned.

 

· Have an HVAC contractor remove and replace the fiberglass panels that

line the plenum of your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioner) unit.

These panels contain low-grade spun fiberglass, the fibers of which are carried

in the air stream that passes through this chamber in the furnace. Replace with

Tekfoil or similar non-fiber insulation, preferably placed on the outside of

the unit, if thermal and sound insulation are still needed. Some HVAC

manufacturers are looking into lining their plenums with cotton insulation, not

fiberglass.

 

· Purchase a good quality HEPA vacuum cleaner, such as from the Miele

company, with good-fitting seals. Whole-house vacuum cleaners are the best,

because

they are vented to the outdoors.

 

· Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting. It collects and traps pesticides brought in

on the soles of your shoes, dead cells from your skin that feed dust mites,

and dust, and is a breeding ground for mold when the relative humidity rises

above 65%. Also formaldehyde, used as a color fixative, and glues used in carpet

backing can outgas for years, not just a few weeks after installation.

Instead use carpeting with woven jute backing and no formaldehyde. Better yet,

choose solid surface flooring that will outlast wall-to-wall carpeting by

decades.

Cover them with area rugs that can be periodically shaken and aired out. Start

a " no shoes inside " policy with your family so that street shoes are left at

the door; use slippers indoors.

 

 

Reduce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Other Sources of Ill Health in

Indoor Air by Doing the Following:

 

· Avoid particleboard at all costs for kitchen cabinets, counters, bathroom

enclosures, and furniture.

 

· Store unused solvents (all of which contain volatile compounds) in a

sealed cabinet, preferably in an outbuilding or storage shed rather than in your

basement or attached garage. Better yet, only purchase as much as you need and

safely discard the remainder rather than leaving it around.

 

· Choose all-natural upholstery, draperies, throw rugs and bedding whenever

possible. Natural fibers generate beneficial negative ions, keeping you more

alert, and they avoid outgassing from plastic fabrics. Harmful positive ions

in indoor air, which cause fatigue, are generated from plastics used in nylon

carpeting, latex paints and synthetic upholstery, draperies and bedding.

 

· Avoid new plastic shower curtains. They are made with polyvinyl chloride

(PVC) which contain plasticizers, known as " phthalate. " Phthalates make the

rigid PVC more soft and flexible. They are known to aggravate asthma,

particularly in children, and they can cause cancer. If you already own a

plastic

shower curtain that is several months old, you can keep it because it has

already

done its damage and is no longer outgassing. When you need to replace it,

however, purchase a cotton shower curtain instead and wash it regularly. They

are

sold by Healthy Homes ( www.healthyhomes.com ) and other healthy product

retailers.

 

· Always choose natural cleansers over synthetic ones. Avoid cleaning

products with fragrance and perfume. Avoid plug-in electric room deodorizers.

The

Wellness Company ( www.melaleuca.com ) carries natural, non-toxic alternatives

to literally every cleaning and laundry product used in the home, sold at

wholesale prices and delivered to your door. Available through Renee Aymar,

Plymouth, Minnesota; 763-551-4776; rrvrenee .

 

· It is especially important to avoid fragranced dryer sheets and fabric

softeners. Read the article, " Health Risks of Fabric Softeners, " from the

website for the Allergy and Environmental Health Association, Ottawa Branch (

www.aeha.ca/help-with.htm ). These products emit petroleum-based fragrances that

are

known neurotoxins and endocrine-mimicers. They disrupt the normal hormonal

pathways, causing developmental damage in children and a long list of acute and

chronic illnesses in people of all ages. They should be avoided at all costs.

 

· Likewise avoid drinking out of soft, number 1 or number 2 plastic

bottles, as they also contain phthalates that are known to cause cancer when

consumed. Use glass bottles instead and store your leftovers in glass

containers.

 

· Never heat food in a plastic container in a microwave oven. This is

because plasticizers used in soft plastic containers or food wrap can get into

the

food when cooked in a microwave and are considered to be carcinogenic. There

is evidence that microwave ovens seriously alter basic nutrients, including

proteins and fats, within food and beverages as they are cooked. This makes them

unrecognizable to the body as nutrients and actually toxic. Studies in New

Zealand show that children raised on diets high in food cooked in a microwave

oven have a substantially higher degree of chronic health problems. We recommend

microwave ovens not be used to avoid these issues altogether. Use a countertop

toaster oven instead.

 

· Avoid applying toxic, synthetic pesticides and insecticides in and around

your house. These products are harmful to you as well as to pests. Choose

natural pest management such as recommended by the Biocontrol Network (

www.biconet.com ) and in the book, " The Best Control: Intelligent Pest

Management " by

Steve Tvedten ( www.thebestcontrol.com ).

 

· Install a whole-house water filtration system to filter out chlorine and

agricultural chemicals from household water. Every time we shower with

unfiltered water, our skin absorbs as much chlorine as if we drank an

eight-ounce

glass of tap water. Backflush the water filter on the shower head at the

frequency recommended by the manufacturer. Keep under-the-sink RO units well

maintained and change the filters regularly.

 

· Avoid opening your dishwasher right after the cycle is complete and turn

off the electric heat element during the drying cycle (which also saves

energy). That way you avoid letting chlorine and chemicals in traditional

detergent

from entering the indoor air. Use all-natural dishwashing detergent.

 

· Avoid hanging newly dry cleaned clothes in your bedroom. Hang them

outdoors if possible, or in a laundry room or utility room, to let the

perchlorates

outgas for a few hours.

 

· In general, if you purchase an existing home, choose one that is older

than 5 to 8 years old. This gives the house enough time for the indoor materials

to thoroughly outgas. A new home less than 5 to 8 years old is still

outgassing some of its materials. It is better to consult with a Building

Biologist to

choose non-toxic materials when you build a new home in the first place.

 

· Likewise, choose non-toxic materials whenever you remodel, because to

live in your home while it is being remodeled with traditional materials will

expose you and your family to very harmful airborne chemicals. There are

healthier options available to avoid this. For more information go to Oram's

website,

www.createhealthyhomes.com and click on " Tips for a Healthy Home, " then click

on the link to the handout entitled, " Recommendations for Healthy Renovations

and New Home Construction. "

 

Consultations are available from Oram Miller, BBEI for healthy home

evaluations conducted both personally onsite as well as long distance over the

telephone. Contact him at 952-412-0781 or info . You can

also

go to his website, www.createhealthyhomes.com for more information.

 

Environmental Design and Inspection Services

Oram Miller, BBEI

Certified Building Biology Environmental Inspector

" EMF " Consultant

P.O. Box 8063

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408

Phone 952-412-0781

info

http://www.createhealthyhomes.com/

 

The Twenty-Five Principles of Bau-Biologie

 

Building Biology, translated from the word " Bau-biologie, " was pioneered in

Germany over 30 years ago and is taught in the U.S.A. by the International

Institute for Bau-biologie & Ecology (IBE), Clearwater, Florida (727-461-4371;

www.buildingbiology.net ). These principles upon which the teachings are based

are as follows:

 

1. A building site shall be geologically undisturbed.

2. Residential homes are best located away from industrial centers and main

traffic routes.

3. Housing shall be developed in a decentralized and loose manner interlaced

with sufficient green space.

4. Housing and developments shall be personalized, in harmony with nature,

fit for human habitation and family oriented.

5. Natural and unadulterated building materials shall be used.

6. Walls, floors and ceilings shall be diffusible and hygroscopic.

7. Indoor air humidity shall be regulated naturally.

8. Air pollutants need to be filtered and neutralized.

9. An appropriate balance of thermal insulation and heat retention is needed.

10. The air and surface temperatures of a given room need to be optimized.

11. A heating system shall feature radiant heat using as much (passive) solar

heat as possible.

12. The total moisture content of a new building shall be low and dry out

quickly.

13. A building shall have a pleasant or neutral smell. No toxins shall

outgas.

14. Light, lighting and color shall be in accord with natural conditions.

15. Protective measures against noise pollution as well as infrasonic and

ultrasonic vibrations need to be human oriented.

16. Only building materials with little or preferably no radioactivity shall

be used.

17. The natural balance of atmospheric electricity and ion concentration

shall be maintained.

18. The Earth's natural magnetic field shall not be altered or distorted.

19. Man-made electromagnetic radiation shall be eliminated (or reduced as

much as possible).

20. Cosmic and terrestrial radiation is essential and shall be interfered

with as little as possible.

21. Interior and furniture design shall be based on physiological findings.

22. Harmonic measures, proportions and shapes need to be taken into

consideration.

23. The production, installation and disposal of building materials shall not

contribute to environmental pollution and high energy costs.

24. Building activities shall not contribute to the exploitation of

non-renewable and rare resources.

25. Building activities shall not cause a rise in social and medical costs.