The Digs Doc

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Healthy building materials, are they worth it?

Increasingly, we hear about recycling, using renewable resources, going "green"--and most of us know at least some of the reasons why such things are good ideas.

However, oftentimes, ecologically-sound practices and "healthy" choices are equated. But this isn't necessarily a valid conclusion. There are, in fact, ecologically-sound building practices that would make a chemically-sensitive, immune compromised, or even more commonly allergic person, sick. So, if you're looking to go "green" but also "healthy," this is a distinction worth keeping in mind.

Kudos to any "green" efforts people make, for sure, because with serious enviromental concerns (like climate change) impacting exponentially on everybody's lives (regardless of ones politics), all "green" efforts count. But this particular post is not just about going "green;" it focuses specifically on "healthy building" practices. If you've never tried going the "healthy building" route though, it can seem overwhelming and almost impossible to accomplish. This I know from experience; so, I sympathize. Luckily, though, at this point in time (vs. even a few years ago), many others have gone before and so there's lots of help and resources to be had when needed.

Still, even once you've gathered up information and resources, you likely will have to educate your contractor and subtrades, which can sound daunting. Ironically though, at least in my experience, most of these guys are very willing to try to make things work out and go to commendable lengths to do so. So, it may not be as difficult as you think. The difficult part, at least it was for me, is educating oneself, so you, in turn, can educate them, as they most likely will not know how to make things more "healthy." By and large, they know what they know and do what they know, which is understandable and fair enough. They will depend on you to clear the road to alternatives. And what that is can mean any number of things. Here are some possibilities, although I encourage you to find out what works best for you and your team:

1. Post a list of do's and dont's. Don't make it a thesis. Keep it simple and easy to consult. For example, simple bullet lists are easy to read and cross-check. Be polite, and even humorous, about it. Let them know you appreciate their efforts. Include on the list everbody's phone numbers (including your cell) so that, if in doubt, the person reading the list has someone to call.

2. Have on hand alternative products they can easily substitute at the point. For example, if you don't want them to use Liquid Nails (pretty toxic but useful and commonly used stuff), supply tubes of Phenoseal Adhesive or another solvent-free adhesive. Or, if you want "healthy" sealers and paints, provide them, rather than expecting your painter to do the research and buy them. AFM Safecoat and Bioshield are two excellent alternatives.

3. Where it isn't practical for you to have the alternative materials on hand or to purchase them yourself for ready delivery, provide a substitute list of things your contractor can readily purchase him or herself. For example, if you don't want to use conventional particle board, ask your contractor to use exterior grade plywood (although all plywoods have toxic emissions; exterior grade is lowest).

All this having been said, unless you are willing and able to take your time and really get into it, the whole process can seem like too much, and very well may be so, first time out. So, let's back up a bit and make it simple.

A good place to start is with the attitude you will choose your battles, if you can. Obviously, if someone's medical needs must be protected, you'll need to take on a more "deep end" approach. But if not, decide what materials and practices are most important to you and which ones can be done in the conventional way but perhaps made safer by, say, being "sealed off" to keep it from offgassing into your living space. Here are some examples of things that are readily doable:

Paint: Paint has got to be the simplest and one of the most effective ways to make your living space more "healthy." It even falls easily into the DIY category, which is worth considering. Then you don't even have to bug anybody else. Just do it yourself. For example, AFM Safecoat makes a number of primers, sealers and paints that you can use to "seal in" toxic emissions and are, in and of themselves, free from toxic solvents and other "problem" ingredients. The suppliers of this stuff, in my experience, are more than willing to help you choose exactly what you need for your projects.

Plywood and Particle Board: Plywood, by definition, has glues binding it together. These glues aren't the healthiest things ever invented. But depending on the grade plywood you use, you can have more or less emissions to deal with (as noted earlier). Of course, if you can use solid wood in your applications, you don't have this glue problem. And, if you do decide to use solid wood and are also eco-conscious, you're going to want to think about whether the stuff you're using is easily renewable. Another alternative is to use reclaimed lumber (wood from torn down buildings that you reuse), which also can look very interesting (in a good way!). Realistically, if you're doing some serious building, getting around using plywood is a low probability event (especially if you are using builders and not doing it yourself). But the likelihood is very good that you could get your builder to use exterior grade plywood vs. conventional particleboard (really high on the toxic emissions list if it is the conventional stuff; there are alternatives though, like wheatboard, although that's a more complicated discussion). So, this choice too is a definite "can do." Also, if you want to go the extra mile, AFM Safecoat has a sealer called SafeSeal that can be used to seal the plywood and minimize offgassing for this material.

Plaster vs. Sheetrock: Many chemically sensitive people (and most everyone else) can tolerate plaster very well, once it's cured. So, it can be a good choice for walls and ceilings, if it works for you in other respects. Sheetrock (aka gypsum board or drywall) is the more common stuff used for building interior walls and ceilings now though. If you don't want plaster and are ending up with sheetrock, AFM Safecoat (be not surprised) has a primer especially for sealing in the offgassing from sheetrock. It's a bit thicker than your usual primer but you just paint it on and voilà!

Insulation: There actually are a lot of choices here. But to be simple. Most people, when they think about insulation, think pink, i.e., pink formaldehyde-rich fiberglass insulation. Effective and readily available, it's also toxic. But now, you can easily get fiberglass insultation without the formaldehyde, although this doesn't do away with the tiny glass shards part, inherent in all fiberglass insulation. Other alternatives include (but are not limited to) insulation made from recylced blue jeans, called UltraTouch. It installs like fiberglass bats but without the need for protective clothing. Another plus is that it is treated with boron for fire retarding purposes. And guess what? Fungus and mold also are inhibited and little guys like carpenter ants hate the stuff. Handy! We put it in our house when we did the kitchen and mudroom.

Adhesives: Just say "no" to Liquid Nails. It's that simple. Buildings were built before it existed and they still can be now. An alternative is Phenoseal Adhesive (which one contractor I know preferred anyway). With other glues, many carpenters use simple, food grade carpenter's glue, which most people are able to tolerate. But another line of glues that you might want to consider (and are endorsed by some"green" and "healthy building" folks, although I have never used them) are Roo Glues, made by a company called Roo Products, Inc. They get the name from originating in Australia apparently; no kangaroos go into making this glue!

Also, don't forget about plants. Remember when I talked about how plants have been and can be used to improve indoor air quality? NASA did a now famous study on this. Anyway, certain plants seem to love the toxic emissions from construction, new furniture, rugs, etc. Which brings up the topic of furniture and rugs. They rank among the biggest contributors to poor indoor air quality in established buildings. A topic for another post, perhaps, but I mention it here for informational purposes and your own investigation, if you choose, because not all furniture and rugs are created equal and it is now not uncommon to see rugs and carpeting specifically rated for safety. There also are sources specifically dealing in "healthy" carpeting (see Resources below).

So, back to the title of this post: "Healthy building materials, are they worth it?" They are if you think "healthy building" practices are worth it. Consider this:

Childhood asthma is reaching epidemic proportions in this country. The reason? A lot of people think it's due to the large amounts of toxic materials going into building our homes and schools and the increased use of energy-efficient windows that keep fresh air from getting in and airing out the toxins. Hence, "sick building syndrome." Is this irrefutable? I don't know. You may wish to research it. (One guy worth reading is Jeff May, see also Resources below.) Is it highly plausible? Definitely.

Here's another thought: Whenever there's a flu or virus epidemic going around, everyone freaks out over children, the elderly, immune-compromised folks and pregnant women. Why? Because they are the ones most vulnerable to the disease. The same is true for anything else that is going to challenge the defense system of the human body. If you have family members in this vulnerable category, why not take some "healthy building" precautions to protect them? What do you have to lose? The cost difference usually is negligible once you get a handle on what you need and where to get it. And the benefit could be quality of life.

Everybody else? Even healthy people can get sick from what might seem like low levels of toxic exposure, especially if over an extended period of time. Symptoms often look like the flu. But it just might be your house.

In the end, is it worth going the "healthy building" route? That's your call. Good luck!

Resources:

Jeffrey May's website: This guy has mainstream credential up to the gills. Check it out: B.A. from Columbia University in Chemistry; M.A. from Harvard in Organic Chemistry; Certified Indoor Air Quality Professional (CIAQP) and a specialist in all things to do with indoor air quality. He's written at least three books on the subject, including “My House is Killing Me! The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma” and “My Office is Killing Me! The Sick Building Survival Guide," available at amazon.com. If you want more reasons why to bother with healthy building and renovation practices, read up! I've also met him and watched him work. He's amazingly skilled, and compassionate.

Safe Building Solutions: Knowledgable and friendly, Andy Pace and his crew carry a wide range of healthy building materials shipped nation-wide, including AFM Safecoat Products; Nature's Carpet (healthy carpeting); SOYGel (non-toxic paint remover, amazing stuff!); cork, bamboo and Marmoleum (linoleum revisited) flooring, and more. Check them out. This is a great resource. I've personally ordered from them/sought their help on many occasions over a number of years now. Right, Andy? :-) That's their logo at the top of this post.

Environmental Home Center: This is another great resource of information and "healthy building" materials. I've ordered from them several times and they've always been really nice and helpful. They also carry AFM supplies and other paints; cork, bamboo and other flooring; Nature's Carpet, natural fiber carpeting, other healthy carpeting choices, and more.

Neil Kelly Cabinets: An absolutely wonderful company building healthy custom cabinetry. Located in Portland, Oregon, they ship throughout the country. Neil Kelly built our kitchen cabinetry, after the fiasco with the "other" cabinetry company forced us to hunt for a new cabinet maker. It couldn't have been a more opposite experience. To read more about Neil Kelly cabinets and see a photo from our kitchen, visit my post Low grades for "high end": Part two - the rare exceptions.

AFM Safecoatcoat: AFM's website with detailed information about their wide range of paints, sealers, primers, cleaning products, etc.

Bonded Logic: Makers of UltraTouch blue jean insulation; this particualr page includes product information for this insulation.

Phenoseal: Information about Phenoseal's adhesives and caulking.

Natural Home and Garden: Magazine devoted to green and healthy building and gardening.

7 Comments:

  • Excllent info on paints, wood materials, insulation(denim which I never knew about) and sealer.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:51 PM  

  • Thanks, Madeira Mama! Spread the word!

    By Blogger Carol, at 2:07 AM  

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