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Materials to Exclude from a Healthy Home

Materials to Exclude from a Healthy Home

Everyone has at least one  “young and dumb” story where they are thankful not to have had more serious consequences from doing something un-wise, to put it mildly.  One of mine is repurposing a chunk of mystery wood for bar-tops in my 1950’s home.  It had a beautiful rustic espresso color and texture; a couple nail-holes here and there, and seemed very hard.  I cut it to length outside, put several coats of clear polyurethane on it and fitted it in place.  Then the headaches began.  For several weeks I could not shake the headaches…and since I was in the middle of finishing the house, I didn’t immediately recognize the culprit.  Suddenly, the “aroma” of creosote came back to me from cutting the pieces of wood.  It’s a potent preservative used for telephone poles and railroad ties, but definitely not meant for interior residential use.  I yanked out those bar-tops and, not one to throw anything out if I could help it, added them to my landscaping in the far corner of the yard.  No more headaches: I learned that creosote is a no-tolerance VOC for me!

The point of this story is that people can become very sensitive to chemicals and VOCs, often by accident, so education is probably our best defense!  Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a condition for anyone that has a reaction to formaldehyde, fragrance, VOCs, etc. and can be self-diagnosed.  One in four Americans suffer when exposed to certain chemicals (25%), and half of those are medically diagnosed with MCS. (One in four Americans suffer when exposed to common chemicals)  

For those of you who are fascinated by the right way to build (and building disaster stories), a  fun podcast to watch/listen to is BS* and Beer, which BS of course stands for Building Science.  I was intrigued by the headline of what NOT to include in my home, and also because the guest speaker is Corinne Segura, author of mychemicalfreehouse.net.  Her website and facebook page are a wealth of information for building a healthy home.  Corinne survived extreme chemical sensitivities in her first tiny home and she has consulted for approximately eight years on building techniques and products, notably for many highly chemically-sensitive people.  Mold tends to underlie these sensitivities, and in Corrine’s experience with this community, MCS has strong links to depression.  Here is her list of materials to avoid:

  1. Two-part spray foam tops the list. It offgasses more than expected (1-3 years), and contains flame retardants (FR).  When substitutions are made with soy and castor oil, these components do not change the offgassing.  VOCs are a major concern.
  2. Vinyl sheet flooring (used frequently in mobile homes) off gases at high rates, it uses plasticizers and may contain phthalates, which continually leach out. Linoleum (which is a natural product) is not vinyl sheet flooring.
  3. Rubber flooring, used for gym floors and especially made from recycled rubber tires, has high off gassing.  Many of us may know this when we get a new spare tire, if it’s stored inside the vehicle or in a trunk that’s not sealed from the cabin.  Phew!
  4. Some carpet: nylon carpet has high off gas levels.  Glues used for glue-down and padding also offgas.  Flame retardants and stain-proofing, which contain PFAS, can also be included.  However good carpet is zero-VOC.  There are very good wool, polyester and a nylon brands available.
  5. Some caulking and sealants: liquid asphalt and hot-mopping (for roofs), butyl caulks and sealants, and polyurethane caulks and sealants are high off gas.  The best types are made of silicone and polyether (however you will need to check warranties for the intended use area), and acrylic caulk has the next lowest offgas..
  6. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used as stain guard substances, stone sealers, floor sealers and artificial turf.  They are highly persistent in the environment and have health concerns.  If you are chemically sensitive, you’ll particularly need to consider the type of stone you want, because there is not a lot of choice in stone sealers without PFAS (particularly for white stones)!
  7. Oil paints: solvent-based oil paints and primers are high VOC and slow to off-gas!  Water-based alkyd paints are a much better choice.
  8. Solvent-based stains for wood: same as #7.  Unfortunately water-based stains are finicky and the contractor needs to have experience with them.  However, there are natural oil-based stains which are not as harsh (such as tung oil, which can be applied with citrus solvent).  Rubio Monocoat is a plant-based, hardwax oil wood finish that is 0% VOC, durable, matte and keeps the natural look and feel of the wood.
  9. Fiberboards and particle boards are called medium density fiberboard (MDF) and high-density fiberboard (HDF), and are typically high in formaldehyde.  Alternatively, plywood is quicker to offgas. 
  10. Tiles with lead: some tiles test as much as 3x higher than leaded paint!  Cutting and working with these tiles is very concerning, as cutting tile releases more dust than demolishing it. 

Corinne had more advice to offer during the Q&A session. Here are some points:

  • Water-based is not always great because it may have other chemicals in it; it’s best to determine this from the MSDS or use brands that are known for non-toxicity (EarthPaint and AFM Safecoat are two that come to my mind).
  • UV-cured painted surfaces are good because this process is completed in the factory and has limited off-gassing by the time it arrives in the home.
  • Some people adversely react to natural VOCs like alpha-pinene, so natural materials are not always better in terms of VOCs.  You can actually reach a VOC level over CARB in a log house where everything’s made of wood!
  • Canned spray foam is actually way better than 2-part spray foam because it’s 1 part, it’s thinner, way smaller amounts.  
  • What makes a vinyl plank “luxury” (also called multi-layer rigid planks), besides marketing?  It has several parts to it: an SPC core (limestone-vinyl plasticizers in the core) with vinyl on top and cheap foam underlayment.  They are mainly zero-VOC and not on the “unhealthy” list. 
  • Some “antique” products like pressed-wood kitchen cabinets from the 1960’s have usually finished off gassing, but 40-60 year old vinyl flooring may still leach phthalates chemicals (forever). 
  • In her estimation, ventilation is way more helpful than air purifiers and Corinne would spend her money on ventilation strategies (ERV, HRV) before air purifiers.  These ventilation strategies, according to one of the hosts of the podcasts, work well even with “leaky” houses.
  • Furniture foam is a different substance than 2 part spray foam.  It contains polyurethane, which has plasticizers but not flame retardants (phased out).  Only natural latex is a good substitute for polyurethane foam, but it’s not that much of a difference to chemically sensitive people because both have some off-gassing.
  • Epoxy coatings are similar to the concept of 2 part spray foam if they are not mixed properly; they can offgas for some time and may have BPA.  

Corinne advises that if you are chemically sensitive, you should compile a list of your sensitivities and use a consultant who is able to specify materials for these needs, instead of just telling them “I have MCS, I need a chemical-free house”.   Since she was not currently consulting at the time of the podcast (early 2024) , she advises that Andrew Pace, Paula Baker-Laporte and Caroline Blazovsky are three that are expert consultants in this area.  She does, however, answer every question sent to her website.  Ask away and avoid, shall we say, “uninformed” mistakes!

Photo by Storiès on Unsplash

Air-Purifying Paint? Yes Please!

Air-Purifying Paint?  Yes Please!

Every little bit helps.  Even if you haven’t changed your furniture or decor in years, most of us are constantly bringing chemicals and VOCs into our homes that come with food packaging and toiletries, new clothing and shoes, electronics and consumables like filters, printer ink and cat litter.  It’s a revolving door–even the garbage bags we use to take the garbage out (ie. scented or unscented “odor control” garbage bags) unleash a lot of VOCs into the air when we shake them out and every time we open the garbage can. (cleanlivingpodcast.com)

These are the reasons I was elated to find that something as simple as paint can purify the air in your home.  It’s brilliant, really, after all the years that paint added VOCs to the air, that now it can take them out of the rest of our homes.  And, it can deal not just with VOCs but microbes like germs and mold.  These really are super-paints, and although their cost is premium, if you can afford it, why not?  Here are some of the ones that stand out.

ECOS Paints (ecospaints.net) are marketed as “paints that you can feel good about”.  I feel that way about most no-VOC paints, but these are special.  They have categories like “Air-Purifying”, “Anti-formaldehyde”, “EMF-Shielding”, “Pet Dwelling”, and “Lullaby” (for nurseries and nursery furniture).   All formulas are water-based, are non-toxic and emit zero VOCs.  Primers, stains, varnishes, concrete and stone coatings are included.   My main fascination, however, was with the Air Purifying Paint.  At $120 per gallon, it’s quite pricey, but you can justify the price over the lifetime of the paint.  It “absorbs and neutralizes chemicals, pollutants and VOCs for improved indoor air quality.”  Their Air Purifying Paints contain a molecular sieve which is designed to both stop harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from being released into the air and to trap them as they float through a room.  (What is Air-Purifying Paint)  This sieve is zeolite, which is used in water purification, similar to activated carbon.  Over time, the pores in the zeolite will become less active (the website does not say how long this takes), but considering that most people repaint every 3-5 years, renewing the paint is like changing a filter on your air purifier. 

Gush Paints contain a proprietary catalyst that constantly breaks down VOCs in the room.   Their research indicates that the gush proprietary catalyst (GPC) is proven to be effective for at least 5 - 8 years under real-life conditions, which is a considerable length of time to enjoy cleaner air.  The literature is quite technical; GPC uses the principle of lattice doping and electron hole positioning, to interact with oxygen and water vapour in the air to form radical agents on the surface of the paint.  (This is not unlike the way bipolar ions attack VOCs through hydroxl radicals.)  It claims that VOCs are broken down at the rate of 99% in 21 hours.  They also stop mold and 99.9% of infection-causing bacteria.  At $70-75 per gallon, it has air-purifying and washable versions, which the air-purifying capability also somewhat regulate humidity.   Gush paints are GreenGuard Gold certified.  The colors are very hip with names like “boogie board” and “coffee beam”... perfectly named for the area they are manufactured, southern California. 

Smog Armor is made in Florida and uses zeolite (similar to ECOS Paints), which adsorbs VOCs and carbon dioxide, too.  It does not release them back into the environment and remains active for about 5 years.  It’s currently only available for commercial projects, but we can see the market for these types of paints expanding. 

Even Sherwin-Williams has picked up on this market.  Its SuperPaint with Air Purifying Technology ($75 per gallon) is mold and mildew inhibiting, zero VOCs, and helps reduce V.O.C. levels from potential sources like carpet, cabinets and fabrics and works to reduce unwanted household odors.  It’s also GreenGuard Gold Certified, but it is a latex paint, so those with latex allergies should be advised. 

Paints that incorporate Corning Guardiant, a finely milled glass-copper powder, harness the power of copper as an antimicrobial shield for their walls.  These include PPG Copper Armor (starting at $47/gallon) and Behr Copper Force (starting at $35/gallon), both available at Home Depot in a wide selection of colors.  Copper Force is Greenguard Certified, works to continuously kill 99.9% of viruses (SARS CoV-2 and Feline calicivirus) and bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) on your painted surfaces within 2 hours of exposure, for up to 6 years as long as the paint film integrity is maintained.   Copper Armor “kills 99.9% of S. aureus (staph), P. aeruginosa, K. aerogenes as well as MRSA, Enterococcus faecium, E. coli O157: H7, Salmonella enterica and viruses norovirus (feline calicivirus) and SARS CoV-2 within 2-hours of exposure when used as part of a comprehensive infection control program for up to 5-years.”

Although Airlite is an Italian company and mostly available overseas, I thought I would tell you a little about their technology, because it seems different than the other paints presented.  “Airlite uses the energy of light to generate a small concentration of electrons on the surface on which it is applied. These electrons interact with water and oxygen present in the air to generate negative ions. When the air comes into contact with the wall on which Airlite is applied, the ions present near the surface interact with the polluting molecules and transform them into water-soluble, invisible and harmless mineral salts.”  The company has partnered with a number of artists and organizations to refresh and create outdoor murals, in order to reduce outdoor pollution as well.  The efficiency of the Airlite properties are guaranteed for 10 years; as long as there is light and humidity in the air, the benefits of Airlite will be active.  With its negative ions, Airlite also destroys viruses, bacteria, and mold at its surface, and repels dust and dirt. It’s a radiant reflector, with a saving of electricity for air conditioning between 15 and 30%.  Brilliant!

A fresh coat of paint has long been uplifting to our eyes and moods, but with these added technologies, these benefits are going beyond aesthetics to better health…making it easier to live in a polluted world.  Every little bit helps!

How to increase indoor air quality in mobile and manufactured homes

How to increase indoor air quality in mobile and manufactured homes

No matter where you go in the US, there are mobile and manufactured homes.  The homes we’ll discuss here can fall into 2 categories: homes that were moved from a tractor trailer, placed on pilings and realistically will never move again, and then there are recreational vehicles (RVs) that can travel the country (but many sit at home or in storage for most of the year).  There’s also vastly different reasons to live in one or the other–from financial to lifestyle choices to temporary housing.  Whatever your reason to stay in a mobile or manufactured home, we want to help you make it a healthy place. 

Mobile homes with a pier foundation are actually supposed to be called “manufactured homes” according to the industry representative, The Manufactured Housing Institute.  Mobile homes and manufactured homes are two words for the same thing: a home built in a factory on a steel frame with wheels for transport to a homesite, where the wheels are removed after it is set on a foundation.  Manufacturers and HUD prefer that they be called manufactured homes, but most people still refer to them as mobile homes.  You can have single-wide, double-wide, triple and even quadruple-wide “mobile” homes, where the extra “boxes” can be configured side by side or even on top for a second story.  Mobile homes don’t have a great reputation for quality or lifespan, but that doesn’t mean they don’t start out that way or can’t be upgraded to make them better.  Let’s discuss the ways in which mobile homes can be improved for healthier indoor air quality.  The main objective is to keep water out, seal air leaks and provide good ventilation. (source: howtolookatahouse.com)

Starting from the top down…The roof: generally speaking, less-expensive manufactured homes have flatter roofs.  This is because the higher the “pitch” or angle of the roof, more material is necessary to frame and cover it.  The problem with low pitch roofs is that rain and debris spends more time on the roof–rain doesn’t run off as quickly and debris like tree branches and pine needles don’t roll off as easily.  Roofs in general need inspection and maintenance, and low-pitched roofs need regular inspection to keep water from getting backed up and leaking through.  Many owners decide to “double-roof” their homes and this can make a huge difference in indoor temperature and longevity of the home.  I’m not talking about 

Roof overhangs tend to be short in manufactured homes, so that water coming off the roof runs right down the wall.  This is a recipe for water intrusion and mold, not to mention undermining the footings of the piers.  If the home does not have gutters, you can install gutters and downspouts to channel the water away from walls, doors, windows, decks and the foundation.

Siding is the protection for walls against wind and rain, and siding can be metal (very old homes), fiberboard (80’s and 90’s homes) or vinyl, engineered wood or hardyboard (modern homes).  Fiberboard must be continually maintained, or water ingress will cause it to degrade quickly.  Vinyl, engineered wood and cement board sidings provide longer-lasting protection, but they also need to be inspected for damage or improper installation.  The weakest points in siding are the corners, window and door casings, because the irregular joints are typically spots for water ingress.  

For many years, windows in manufactured homes were single pane with an aluminum frame.    The transport of the home to its new foundation may cause the frame to warp or the casing around the window to become unsealed, exposing the sheathing underneath to water.  If you are able to, you can upgrade the windows to double-pane for more insulation against outside weather, and make sure the new windows are installed with good flashing, casing, and caulk techniques.  Likewise, if the front door is of a thinner, lightweight quality, an upgrade to a steel door is also an opportunity to make sure it is installed correctly with flashing, casing and caulk to minimize water ingress.

Foundation: On manufactured homes that have a “skirt” or foundation, a vapor barrier must be installed on the ground (2008 HUD law).  If the home is resting on a concrete pad, then the vapor barrier is not needed because the concrete will act as a vapor barrier.  Unfortunately, the “underbelly” of the home often falls into disrepair because no one wants to go under the house to inspect it!  Directly under the home, another vapor barrier of plastic or black “belly board” will protect the insulation and subfloor from moisture and pests, but this is often damaged and missing in older homes.  Manufactured homes on piers are really sitting over a “crawl space”, so it’s important to inspect the underside of the manufactured home to see how sealing up the ground vapor barrier, belly barrier and insulation can really make a difference in comfort and humidity!  Here’s an article that goes step by step through this repair. 

Inside: the manufactured home industry has certainly had a bad reputation for formaldehyde emissions inside homes.  Formaldehyde has never been banned from the manufacture of homes, but lower limits have been set on the use of components such as plywood and particleboard by HUD and the EPA.  The problem is that there are no HUD standards for the maximum allowable level of formaldehyde gas inside a home, meaning that all the new components like flooring, cabinets, walls, furniture and drapery can have low individual levels of emissions, but a high overall level.  For this reason, it’s best to avoid purchasing or staying in new manufactured homes,  If this is not an option, you can choose to furnish it with only solid wood furniture or composite wood furniture with sealed surfaces. If you have any newer composite wood furniture that is still emitting formaldehyde gas, remove it from your home. Because the formaldehyde off-gassing diminishes over time, storing the pieces outside of your living area for a while (under cover of course) may solve the problem. (howtolookatahouse.com)  You can also ventilate as much as possible (leaving windows open in mild climates, and using a fresh-air ventilation system in more extreme climates.  And of course, increase ventilation of your home while doing any interior painting or use low VOC paint.

Some of the most important mold protection also happens on the inside of the home, because leaking pipes, sinks, showers, toilets, washing machines, etc. all need immediate attention in order not to cause mold and damage that can be very costly to repair.  The abundance of fiberboard in manufactured homes will wick up water much more quickly than hardwood, and even ambient humidity is important to control.  

Recreational Vehicles (RV’s or campers) truly are supposed to be mobile, so that you can take your home with you, and enjoy new scenery wherever it’s parked!  Like manufactured homes, there are a variety of pricepoints and features in two classes, motorized and towable.  There are 3 types of motorized RV’s, ranging from the largest, luxury bus-type (Class A), the smallest conversion van (Class B) to the in-between (Class C).  Towable RVs can be as simple as a small “Pop-up” to large “travel-trailers” and “fifth wheels”.  “Tiny homes” can look like miniature versions of homes on wheels.  Here is a more in-depth look at the differences between these classes. 

RVs have similar challenges to manufactured homes when considering water intrusion from above and vapor from below.  It’s a sad truth that RVs are going to leak, but with a lot of inspection and maintenance, you can prevent this.  Most RV’s rely on sealant and caulking, and inspection and repairs should occur every 90 days (see this video for how to inspect it).  Again, let’s take a look from the top down:

Roofs: Most RV roofs are either rubberized (a thin membrane stretched over wooden frame) or fiberglass (molded).  Considering that these materials are more fragile than the asphalt shingles or metal roofs found on manufactured homes, they need a bit more care and upkeep!  Keeping them clean and conditioned helps so that leaves and branches slide right off instead of piling up, and aftermarket coatings can extend life against the sun’s UV damage.  RV roofs can last from 10-20 years or more, depending on the care and maintenance given them.  Here is an article detailing cleaning and repair tips for each type of roof.  Ideally, RVs should be parked under a permanent roof when they are not being used in order to minimize water and sun damage, and a minimal conditioning system (like a dehumidifier) should be left running to keep the air dry inside.

Since RVs are mobile, they are more prone to separation at the roof and wall joint, as well as openings like skylights, windows and doors.  One website says that driving an RV at highway speeds is “ the equivalent of driving your house through a hurricane during an earthquake.” (!)  Any separation needs to receive prompt attention by removing old sealant, cleaning the surface, and applying new sealant.  Here is a great article on how to achieve a professional look and long-lasting finish when resealing seams.   If your RV has a slide-out, special attention needs to be paid to protecting this area, and awnings are a great way to shelter the slide-out roof and joint area by keeping leaf and branch debris, animal droppings and nests off of it, as well as rain and snow. They’re not too hard to install (instructions here) and are a great investment for your RV. 

Each penetration in the side of the RV (like vents, ports for electricity and drainage, and storage compartments) needs attention, because sealants fail over time and with sun damage.  They should have a bead of sealant at least on the top and corners of the penetration to prevent water from coming in (the best would be all around the penetration).

The underbelly (underside) of the RV also needs regular inspection and repair.  Some RV’s have fiberglass, others have wood or metal sheets, and all are susceptible to road damage or more frequently, water damage from the inside like a leaking pipe.  Here is an article with photos on how to assess and repair underbelly damage.  You can even upgrade the type of underbelly protection fairly easily, but it may take more than one person to wrangle the material into place.

Inside the RV, again, motion from road travel is constantly working to pull apart connections and seams.  Keep an eye on all sources of water leaks such as pipes, sinks, showers, toilets, etc., so that water will not damage your home on wheels and initiate mold!  Also, since many RVs have propane powered appliances such as stoves, furnaces, water heaters, etc, a propane leak can be very dangerous to your health. You can use your nose (the old “rotten eggs” smell is a clue, or detectors such as a Gassaf propane leak detector, or a propane dial manometer (to detect pressure drops in the propane system).  (rvlife.com has a great video on how to inspect your propane system).  A pressure drop-down test is recommended once a year so that you can tell if your system is leaking at all.  If you do have a leak, you can use a simple spray bottle with water and liquid dish detergent, to check all joints for leaks (the soap will cause bubbles around the joint if it’s leaking).  

Like manufactured homes, RVs tend to have an abundance of particleboard, fabric and flooring that should have formaldehyde limits individually, but corporately may give off a lot of formaldehyde when they are new from the factory.  These levels go down dramatically as an RV ages, but RV age also increases chances of other problems, like water or structural damage.  In general, less-expensive units have more adhesive-based components (which generate formaldehyde off-gassing) and could create some irritation for more sensitive RV owners. (rvtravel.com).  When checking out RVs to purchase, you can even bring a portable sensor with you to measure the levels of VOCs and formaldehyde inside them (check out our article on sensors for recommendations).  Air purifiers with activated charcoal filters, like the Germ Defender with carbon filters, absorb VOCs and formaldehyde, and fans are helpful to keep air circulating.  1-2 Germ Defenders can cover the average RV (remember that they don’t cover spaces separated by closed doors) so that your RV can be comfortable even new off the factory floor. 

Manufactured and mobile homes can be as healthy as a permanent home inside with a lot of diligence and the decision to choose your neighbors wisely!   If you are in close proximity to smokers, barbeque grills, auto exhaust or other toxins, this can seep into your home.  If possible, try to live or camp on a large lot and use HEPA filters to capture particulates inside.  In a small or large home, it’s best put your health first and live in the best place you can afford.

Photo by Jon Hieb on Unsplash