Archive of posts filed under the Healthy Home category.
Air Sealing For Healthy Living
Air sealing is often associated with improving the energy efficiency of heating and cooling system. But there are other even more important benefits. Many of the cracks and gaps that let outside air in a house are located at the joints in the ceiling to the attic or on the floor over the crawlspace. That […]
Radon Risk? You Don’t Know Until You Test
My neighbors Pete and Beth (not their real names) met while in their twenties, and got married. A great couple. Had two beautiful girls, who grew up in no time at all – field trips and soccer, high school sports, college, adventures abroad. A strong couple, who helped lead the PTA, the band parents, you […]
How Do You Test If Your Firewood Is Ready To Burn
To get the most heat and least amount of pollutants from firewood, it is best to use dry wood. There are four simple steps to drying firewood: split, stack, cover, store. Firewood should be seasoned for at least six months before burning – hard wood for a year. It should be split, stored outdoors off […]
Keep Your Firewood Burning Hot, But Not Smoking
Wood burning fireplaces and stoves are popular. They not only provide heating but they also create a cozy ambience that most people enjoy. However, it is important to use the right firewood and to use them right to maximize the heating benefit and minimize health hazards. When firewood burns, it generates smoke which is a […]
How To Choose LED Lights
If you are trying to get a replacement light bulb, you will now find a large variety of products available. Buying a light bulb used to be simple. You choose either a 25W, 40W, 60W, 75W, 100W or occasionally 150W bulb depending how much light you want. The incandescent bulbs do not give you other […]
New Eco-Friendly Products For Green Homes
I went to several conferences and seminars in the last couple of months. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are more and more eco-friendly, health and efficiency oriented products on display for green homes. Many of the products are already available on the market, and some are still under development. I like to […]
Safer Sofa Foam Exchange Announced for Bay Area
You may have heard about the problem with flame retardants in polyurethane furniture foams. If you haven’t, I highly recommend reading the Chicago Tribune’s exposé on the flame retardant industry: Playing With Fire. The California flammability standard, known as TB117, in effect required manufacturers to use toxic flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane furniture foams. For […]
Is Your House Leaky?
Have you ever felt drafty in some rooms in your house? The draft can be coming through some hidden gaps or holes in your house. Most homes have gaps and holes in the ceiling, floors and exterior walls that let a lot of cold air into the house in the winter and warm air in […]