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Healthy Homes for Everyone

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How to Create a Healthier Home

I want to share my knowledge of healthy homes, an interest and practice of mine for about 15 years.

www.ecobasichome.com

New Table of Contents

  1. Mechanized Air Cleaning Devices
  2. What's in Your Tap Water? Try Home or Office Water Purification
  3. Water Purification Links
  4. Simple Steps for Creating a Healthier Home
  5. Oscar's Book Nook on eBay
  6. Books on Healthy Housing and Green Living
  7. Reader Feedback
  8. Products for Healthy Living
  9. Products for Holistic Living
  10. Short List of Some Common Chemicals in Household Products and Furnishings
  11. New Igo GREEN Tip of the Day
  12. New YouTube vids
  13. The EPA'S List of Common Sources of Indoor Pollutants
  14. Mold and Your Health

Mechanized Air Cleaning Devices

Since most Americans spend the majority of their time indoors, good indoor air quality is increasingly more important for overall health. The air in your home or office can be a soup of chemicals, pollens, particles, and microbiological agents.

There are three major approaches to improving indoor air quality as enumerated by the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency).

The EPA states:

"Solutions to air quality problems in apartments, as in homes and offices, involve such actions as: eliminating or controlling the sources of pollution, increasing ventilation, and installing air cleaning devices."

One Solution: Mechanized Air Cleaning Devices

Air cleaning devices, come in many forms, but one common type is medium efficiency air filter installed in a special housing on duct systems. These usually have an accordion appearance and are 80-90% efficient.

The other common type is the high efficiency (up to 99.9%) HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Accumulator) systems installed on dust systems or as stand alone units. HEPA systems on ducts usually require additional fans to push the air through them. Stand alone and portable units also generate sufficient air flow to filter the air. These can filter down to 0.3 microns.

There are also often adsorption filters that contain activated carbon to filter pollutants in the form of gases. The gas particles adhere to carbon as the air passes through the carbon filter.

Mechanized Air Cleaning Devices

AllerAir on Low Price Galaxy
AllerAir: high-quality mechanized air cleaning devices.

What's in Your Tap Water? Try Home or Office Water Purification

Municipalities across the country remove a majority of water contaminants, but there are still residual contaminants in the water. The disinfection process also adds chloramines and other byproducts. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates allowable levels of contaminants in drinking water. A list of contaminants and their possible adverse health effects is available on the EPA website.

The EPA categorizes possible water contaminants into: microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals, and radionuclides. There can also be turbidity from soil runoff and other nonregulated contaminants. Not mentioned on this list are possible contaminants, such as copper or lead, after municipal processing from local water pipes.

In reviewing the water quality report for my local city, for instance, I found small and permissible amounts of lead, copper, barium, nitrate, atrazine (herbicide), simazine (herbicide), and chloramines, among others. Even if the low levels present are acceptable by EPA standards, it is a personal choice as to whether one would prefer to ingest even lower levels of contaminants and also have better tasting water.

One solution is to add a whole house/office or individual faucet water purification system to remove the residual contaminants. Seagull, for example, offers water purification systems with a "structured matrix technology" that remove trace amounts of chemicals and any microbiological contaminants found in tap water and creates water quality that is as good as or better than bottled water. In fact, the structured matrix is also "certified to meet the EPA standard for microbiological 'purification'."

There is also the added benefit of having purified water for pennies per glass instead of the higher cost for bottled water.

www.ecobasichome.com

Water Purification Links

EPA Water Contamininants List
The EPA categorizes and lists water contaminants in drinking water. They also include possible health affects.
Seagull Water Purification
Purchase Seagull Water Purification systems and replacement cartridges.

Simple Steps for Creating a Healthier Home

How to live a healthy lifestyle for yourself and the planet

1. Use less-toxic cleaning products. There are many natural and less toxic cleaning products available in health food stores and general stores.

2. Avoid pesticides and herbicides.

3. Select low-VOC (volatile organic compound) products for furniture, paints, finishes, and flooring materials. There are many low-VOC paints available, for instance, if you do some research. ICI is one of my favorites.

4. Use air filters to remove allergens--molds, pollens, chemicals, and dust.

5. Select smooth surfaces for easier cleaning and low emission--tile and wood versus carpeting, for example.

6. Make smart choices in gardening--what is on the outside can be tracked indoors or seep indoors. Use organic gardening techniques rather than chemical treatments to lawns and gardens.

Oscar's Book Nook on eBay

Books and gifts from Oscar's Book Nook.
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Books on Healthy Housing and Green Living

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Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson

Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson

This is a very good introduction to green living in more...1 point

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Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning by Jeffrey Hollender, Geoff Davis, Meika Hollender

Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning by Jeffrey Hollender, Geoff Davis, Meika Hollender

Compelling evidence links the chemicals in household more...1 point

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Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck

Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck

Want a low-maintenance bathroom that takes 30 seconds more...1 point

Reader Feedback

  • ngl Feb 14, 2009 @ 9:40 am | delete
    Nice lens, good info about the air we breathe and the water we drink. And I agree with grassosalvator86 about the water bottles - such a waste of money. Not to mention all the plastic...I will favorite your lens!
  • familychristianmedia Oct 30, 2008 @ 8:58 pm | delete
    Great lens, 5 stars all the way. We saw you on the Ebay store board. Please rate our lens if you have time. Have a blessed day.
  • Tiddledeewinks Aug 1, 2008 @ 2:31 am | delete
    I'm all for healthy anything!
  • TIBETARTS Jul 9, 2008 @ 2:02 am | delete
    I like your Idea for make healthy home.
    thanks good lens
  • Lakota429 Jun 24, 2008 @ 7:04 am | delete
    Great lens! Saw you on the board! 5 stars. Annie~
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Products for Healthy Living

Gaiam
Assortment of products for holistic living--bedding, furniture, cleaning products,yoga, and more.
Low Price Galaxy
Offers thousands of products, including some environmental items--Aller Air, Seagull, Body Soul Elements, and Legare Furniture with eco-friendly plywood.
The American Envionmental Health Foundation
Environmentally safe products for the home or office. Ideal for people who are environmentally aware or chemically sensitive.
AFM Safecoat
The manufacturer of many zero VOC products, from paints to floor finishes.

Products for Holistic Living

Seagull IV Undersink Water Purifier
High-quality water purification system with stainless steel housing.
Soy Candle Jar Apple Pie
Soy wax is a wonderful wax for candle making. It is made from soy beans grown by American farmers and makes a long burning, beautiful scented candle. Soy candles burn long, and cleaner and give off a great scent. Soy candles are a lead-free alternative to paraffin wax.
Body and Soul Elements Jojoba Moisturing Lotion
This wonderful lotion has added jojoba oil for extra silkiness and moisture. This 8 ounce size comes to you with a nice pump top. This lotion is creamy and smooth without being greasy
AllerAir 4000 Executive Air Purifier
Filter out allergens and chemicals with this compact and quiet air purifier. This air purifier is portable and perfect for indoor residential or office use. It has a quiet fan and has a low-maintenance cost. The unit purifies up to 1200 square feet.
Legare Signature Furniture 31" Peninsula
The Legare SelectTM line includes a complete range of home office and media furniture in beautiful ash and rift-sawn-oak wood veneers, and kid's items in multi-color painted finishes.
Patented tool-free assembly, incredibly strong tab & slot design, and many other forward- thinking user features, are just a few of the innovations you'll find in every piece of Legare SelectTM furniture.
Eco-Friendly Plywood Furniture
Legare Signature Furniture 36" Kids Multi-Pack Desk Hutch
Our compact 36" Kids Desk fits in the smallest of spaces, yet provides highly functional vertical storage. It comes complete with a 36" Straight Desk and matching 36" Hutch, offering plenty of storage for a kids' room, college dorm room and small home office. Available in our new wheat oak & ebony ash wood veneers or cotton white painted finishes.
Features:
Small 36" x 27" footprint with extremely functional vertical storage
Cable pass-thrus eliminate clutter
Configurations can accommodate desktop or laptop computers
Simple 3 minute tool-free assembly

The Legare SelectTM line includes a complete range of home office and media furniture in beautiful ash and rift-sawn-oak wood veneers, and kid's items in multi-color painted finishes.
Patented tool-free assembly, incredibly strong tab & slot design, and many other forward- thinking user features, are just a few of the innovations you'll find in every piece of Legare SelectTM furniture.
Eco-Friendly Plywood Furniture.

Short List of Some Common Chemicals in Household Products and Furnishings

Found in Adhesives, Paints, Plastics, Cleaning Solutions, Dry Cleaning, Waxes, and Polishes

1. Formaldehyde and other aldehydes
2. Ammonia
3. Acetone
4. Toluene
5. Benzene
6. Xylene
7. Ketones
8. Ethers
9. Phenols

New Igo GREEN Tip of the Day

New YouTube vids

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The EPA'S List of Common Sources of Indoor Pollutants

  • Combustion Sources
    Tobacco Products
    Building Materials

Mold and Your Health

From personal experience, I believe many people do not often understand the potential health effects of mold. Not only can mold cause allergic reactions in many individuals, but also the mytoxins produced by mold can cause immune system dysfunction and serious neurological problems.

There have been many recent cases of sick buildings with "black mold" as well as other types of mold that thrive on wet drywall and other materials.

Severe mold contamination may require a mold remediation company to clean up the property and remove mold. In some cases, the property may be uninhabitable.

On a daily basis, however, there are some basic steps to avoid mold in your home:

1. Immediately address any leaks, no matter how small, in your roof, bathrooms, kitchens, or any other part of the home. Replace any drywall or wood that shows signs of mold.

2. If you have a central ventilation system, have the vents cleaned periodically (I have them cleaned about every 3 years) to remove any mold-spores as well as dust and particulate build-up.

3. In humid climates, use a dehumidifier, especially in basements.

4. Use vents in bathrooms or other areas where there is regular moisture.

5. Use bathroom squeegees after each shower to remove excess water from the shower stall to prevent mildew.

6. Make sure water drains away from the house at least several feet during rainstorms. A properly installed gutter system will help prevent standing water from accumulating around the foundation.

7. Opt for smooth floor surfaces, such as tile, rather than carpeting that can accumulate mold spores.

8. Use HEPA air filters in your home.

www.ecobasichome.com

by

ecovicki

I have been practicing healthier living for about 15 years. I would like to share my experiences in creating my healthy home.
www.ecobasichome.com more »

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