For those who have been waiting for some official information from Florida, The Florida Department of Health maintains a page with current information about investigations into the Chinese Drywall issue. It contains info about how to determine if your home fits their investigation criteria as well as links to various other State of Florida articles concerning this issue. According to the site, they are expecting to update it often.
Florida Information
When I started this blog, my intention was to provide information about various ways and products to improve the sustainability, energy efficiency and or healthiness of your home. As an ASHI home inspector for the past 10 years, I have seen countless “improvements” or “upgrades…some with the best of intentions, and some, well let’s just say misdirected! Sometimes the results are good but sometimes things go horribly bad.
As part of the economic stimulus plan, the federal government is offering tax credits for a wide range of energy-efficient products, from windows and doors to solar water heaters. This can be a great program helping people to improve their homes. However, these increases in efficiency if not planned with the “whole house” in mind, could lead to some serious “unintended consequences”. As we start to increase the efficiency of homes, building science comes more and more into play as we must take into consideration what negative effects may be brought on.
One of the most common improvements is to upgrade or replace the heating and air conditioning system. This used to be a relatively straight forward job. You just replaced the existing system with an equivalent system. These days, with the very high efficiency systems and different options available like variable speed fans, there really needs to be new calculations done to determine exactly what size is needed. If other energy improvements have been made to the house such as additional insulation or high efficiency windows and doors, it’s even more important.
For example: Say that the existing system in a home was installed in the mid “90’s and is perhaps a 3 ton system and the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) rating might be 10. Now with a little encouragement from the government and a desire to decrease energy bills, the home is upgraded to a new 14 or 15 SEER system with perhaps a variable speed fan. If it is replaced with a similar sized 3 ton system, the home could develop humidity and mold related issues as it may be oversized. When all these factors are not taken into consideration, you end up with at best a poorly performing system but at worst what a colleage calls “a science project” in your home. Excessive humidity, mold, poor indoor air quality and increased rather than decreased energy consumption could result.
This is just one example dealing with heating and air conditioning, but there are often “unintended consequences” from any high efficiency upgrade. Just remember that changing one system in the home often affects another. Does this mean that you should shy away from improvements for fear of related problems? Of course not, but keep in mind these things:
- Do your homework on the improvement you are planning. Is it the best for your money? Are there known downsides?
- Hire a reputable contractor who is knowledgeable about and willing to discuss the interactions of the systems in the home.
- Never accept the explanation “that’s the way we always do it”. The times they are a changin!
From Eco Green Fire
Many people feel that having a fireplace in the home is a necessity. Even here in Florida, there are many existing homes that have them and in new construction homes it is a popular option. Certainly not needed in some parts of the country, a fireplace speaks to some inner need or childhood memory. I have to admit that there are often times when we say how nice it would be to have a fire going there in the corner of the room. If we put our emotions aside and think practically, it’s easy to see a number of downsides to the traditional fireplace. For one, it’s an energy hole. Most of the air that it heats gets sucked out of the chimney. Another downside is that whatever you burn in that fireplace contributes to air pollution and it destroys trees. If the tree harvesting is done in a sustainable responsible way, there’s not much problem but generally it is unmanaged. The faint smell of a single fireplace on a cold morning may be quite pleasant, but think about what it would be like if all the homes were burning wood or coal!
If you have an existing fireplace in your home, think about what you really want to do with it. If you never use it, consider hiring a qualified contractor or Chimney Sweep to properly seal it off to reduce energy loss.
If you must keep the fireplace for the ambiance and plan to use it only occasionally, then burning some wood or fossil fuel, while not being very green probably is probably the best choice. Keep in mind thought that some states have restrictions on fireplace usage, so check to see what is allowed in your area. If you’re going to burn wood, here are some tips from the www.GreenLivingIdeas.com site:
- Buy local wood harvested by the owner of a woodlot who has an investment in the sustainable management of his acreage.
- Only burn dry hardwoods. Wood energy is a function of the dry (cured) weight of the wood. Dense, heavy species such as oak, hickory, or eucalyptus give more heat for a given piece of wood, and burning these is thus a more efficient use of a tree than burning lightweight woods like pine and fir. Burning green, uncured wood produces a lot of polluting smoke and is also inefficient, since much of the heat is used to drive off the water (if you can even get the stuff to light).
- Replace your old wood stove. Use a properly sized, installed, and maintained appliance with an EPA rating. In the 1980’s, the EPA began limiting the sale of new stoves to clean-burning designs. They produce 90% less air pollution and are at least 30% more efficient than the old stoves, but there are still many old smoke-spouters around. Don’t get an old, illegal stove—it may be cheap, but it’s not a bargain for the environment or for your safety.
- Never burn garbage, chemically treated wood, or plywood, as it sends poisons into the air.
- Insulate and weather-seal your house. Don’t waste those BTUs!
If you’re building a new fireplace or plan to use your existing one quite a bit, there are many options out there. Consider Biofuel options such as:
If you’re planning to use artificial logs, make sure that they are made from recycled wood waste from lumber milling. Look for manufactured logs that contain no paraffin, a petroleum product that emits toxins into the air when burned.
As with all things, it’s important to do your homework whether keeping an existing fireplace or adding one. Consider the climate you’re in, the location, whether you want heat or ambiance, and how often you use it when making your decision.
If you live anywhere but in Florida, you may have missed some of the recent headlines and news about a problem with homes affected by the use of a drywall material from China. This material, which apparently was brought in to cover shortages brought on by the housing boom and the need to rebuild hurricane ravaged areas, was primarily imported from 2004 through 2006. There is much speculation and many rumors floating around including improper documentation on arrival at port and long delays at sea waiting for approval to enter the U.S. Read More
Okay, I couldn’t resist the making the connection of the bathroom and smells. There’s a lot of odiferous stimulation going that goes on in the “loo”. Besides the obvious there are also sprays, perfumes, cleaners, mold, dirty clothes, etc, etc. One of the smells that used to bother me quite a bit, until we quit using them, is those plastic shower curtains. Think about that strong, acrid smell when you first open up most of those plastic shower curtains. There is some serious off-gassing of VOC’s going on there and it’s never good for your health. I’ve written about VOC’s in other articles so I won’t repeat myself. Not only are these items generally made of PVC, but they are often treated with a number of chemicals to reduce mold and bacterial buildup. A June 2008 report by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, (a non-profit environmental organization) noted a study that found that over seven days, one new PVC shower curtain will release VOC’s that exceed the guidelines for indoor air quality established by the U.S. Green Building Council.
This is an easy one to take care of… Just don’t buy the shower curtains and liners made with PVC’s. There is a more information about volatile vinyl as well as a link to a list of PVC and PVC-free shower curtains at major retailers at this site: Center for Health, Environment & Justice
Unfortunately, prices for alternative products can still be a bit high. They are sure to come down with more and more acceptance, but in the meantime, it’s easy to pick the cheap and nasty one over the unreasonable one. Most people would just say open the window! We just have to think about the long term effects on our health and not the short term effect on the pocketbook.
There is a wealth of information available on the net. An article on “thedailygreen” blog is a good place to start. thedailygreen
What are you using as an alternative? Please post a comment!
This is not “News”, but I still think that it’s such a great and easy idea that I just wanted to cover it again. NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America conducted a 2-year study that suggests that a sophisticated pollution-absorbing device is as simple as the common indoor houseplant. As homes have become more energy efficient and tighter, indoor air quality has suffered resulting in what’s often known as “sick house syndrome”. When the houses were leaky and drafty it wasn’t a problem.
The studies recommend that you use 15-18 good-sized houseplants in 6 to 8 inch diameter containers to improve air quality in an average 1800 square foot house. These houseplants help to reduce common indoor air pollutants and VOC’s. The study also showed that within 24 hours, some plants can remove up to 87 percent of toxic indoor air.
Top Ten plants most effective in removing formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene, and carbon monoxide:
- Bamboo palm
- Chinese evergreen
- English ivy
- Gerbera Daisy
- Janet Craig
- Marginata
- Mass Cane/Corn Plant
- Mother-in-law’s Tongue
- Pot Mum
- Peace Lily
- Warneckii
Now, having a bunch of plants in your home can bring up a few other issues. They have to be watered and maintained and the placement has to be just right so that they will survive. Be careful not to overwater, and move them around periodically to make sure that your are not creating moisture issues behind or under them. If you have pets or small children, they have to placed so that they don’t pose any potential hazard. In our house, they just won’t work as our cats can’t resist a nibble of anything green they they can reach.
Stained Concrete Floors
One of the more common upgrades to a home, whether you’ve just bought one, trying to sell one, or just living with what you have is the flooring. Flooring is a wearable item which not only significantly enhances your home, but in some cases it can make it unhealthy. Certain types of carpet, carpet pad, tack strips and carpet glues emit VOC’s that contribute to poor air quality Laminate and engineered flooring can release the same compounds into the air.
To ensure that the flooring doesn’t contribute to poor air quality look for the following:
- Carpet with Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) green seal of approval (www.carpet-rug.com) that also uses a synthetic fiber or virgin urethane pad and no glues used for installation.
- Linoleum or cork tile/sheet with water based adhesive.
- Ceramic tile
- Hard surface flooring ( wood, bamboo, etc) that is mechanically fastened or attached with a water based adhesive.
- Laminate flooring (wood, cork, etc.) with no urea-formaldehyde and glueless or water based glue installation.
- Concrete (stamped, stained, etc.)
- Flooring listed under the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) floor score program. www.rfci.com
Bamboo Flooring
There are many more options today for flooring that is environmentally friendly, sustainable and will not contribute to poor indoor air quality.
- Wood
- Bamboo
- Concrete
- Recycled materials
Salvaged wood floors
When choosing flooring, it’s important to also consider the eco-friendly features such as:
- Domestically produced hardwood materials from sustainably managed forests
- Bamboo flooring
- Reuse of salvaged wood
- Floor tiles made from recycled glass or other 100% recycled material
- Cork flooring
- Natural linoleum
- Concrete (stamped, stained, etc.)
- Recycled content carpet/carpet pad and rugs: Carpet/rugs should have a minimum recycled content of 80% with 60% post consumer recycled content or be 100% PET plastic. Carpet pads should have 80% recycled content. Examples include 80% post consumer tires, 80% nylon, 100% recycled newsprint and 80% textile waste
- Natural content carpet/carpet pad and rugs: Carpets/rugs should be composed of 100% natural materials such as wool, sisal, jute, and hemp. Carpet pads should also be of a natural material such as 85% recycled burlap bags made from fibrous jute plants.
While finding these alternative products is easier than it once was, it can be a bit more challenging, and you have to work a bit harder to find the bargains. In the long run however, it will pay off with improved indoor air quality and potentially higher resale values of the home.
One of the great things about working on this blog and talking with people about the changes in things related to what we think of as “green” is the chance to see and learn about products and ideas that are out there, but we just haven’t hear about them. One thing that I recently came across is Eco-Friendly Art at www.ecofyestore.com. This is quality artwork where the artist uses eco-friendly paints, inks, bamboo paper and sustainable wood frames. For those who are familiar with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Efficiency Design) Program, this seems to be the only LEED compliant art available. Not only that, but 100% of the profits are donated to Green Causes. Read More
In my work as a Home Inspector, there are many things that are common to most homes…some good, some bad. The one that probably tops the list though is paint. Many sellers will add a fresh coat of paint to make the house look new again, to cover up some paint schemes which might not be appealing to the masses and everynow and then simply to hide something! After the sale, new homeowners want the place to reflect their own tastes and styles and painting is one of the easiest and sometimes least expensive ways to do that. How many times have I heard the phrase, “some paint and new carpet is all this place needs”? Read More
