Here are some green building ideas that will help maintain healthy indoor air in your home. Green construction methods can also decrease your energy usage too.
Radon gas is a major indoor air contaminate. It is estimated that 15% of all homes in the US have elevated levels of radon above the EPA's action level of 4pCi/L. But keep in mind that their action level is not a health based number. So the EPA suggests fixing homes even if the level falls between 2pCi/L and 4pCi/L since radon is a radioactive gas.
Can you test before you build? Not really, but you can add a passive system that works as a safety valve to release this lung cancer causing gas. Learn how to install a passive radon system in your new home...
Excessive moisture invites an array of unwanted
problems in our homes. Some of these major issues are pests, dust mites,
rot and mold. Listed below are the 3 major sources of moisture problems
in our homes.
Avoid products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Also to be avoided are lead, asbestos, fiberglass, allergens and microorganisms.
Carbon monoxide has become a concern with today's tighter built homes. Proper venting and combustion make-up air are important elements to insure that CO don't build up in our homes.
Proper ventilation of air trapped in a sealed home should be part of any
IAQ strategy. Bathroom and kitchen ventilation are necessary to exhaust
odors, moisture and pollutants. Heat recovery ventilators and energy
recovery ventilators can be an excellent option to allow fresh air in
while exhausting problem laden air outside.
A simple furnace
or air conditioning filter can serve to increase air quality in the home
and of course more elaborate options are also available.
The products that we choose to clean our homes also have a direct bearing on the quality of our life. Green cleaners can improve our health and achieve great levels of cleanliness.
Green building principles are really about sensible living. By educating ourselves and putting in to practice these green building ideas we will minimize health problems and help to better manage the planet we all have to share.
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