5 strategies towards creating a healthy home, that may surprise you

Written By jennifer wright

Every January 1st over 50% of the US population commits to a New Year’s resolution. That’s over 160 million people promising themselves a better life by devoting more time to their health, family or passions and less time to screens, poor habits and stress. When it comes to promoting wellness, most often the focus is on eating right, exercising and reducing anxiety - with not much discussion of our homes. Previous to the pandemic, studies showed that we spent over 90% of our lives indoors, with the new WFH reality increasing that percentage closer to 94%. The well-being of our indoor environment, specifically indoor air quality, can have direct impacts to our health including respiratory diseases, headaches, fatigue - some with long term effects through exposure to indoor pollutants. While you may be taking efforts to reduce toxins in your home by choosing environmentally safe cleaning supplies or employing air purifiers, the following list of strategies may help inform you on what the next steps are towards a home that is a sanctuary for wellness.

1. Limit carpet & vinyl products

Consider your material selections, especially carpet & vinyl products. Most are aware of choosing paints with low or no VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) to limit toxic off gassing and ensure a healthier indoor environment, but carpet is still very common in homes. The Healthy Building Network has identified over 40 hazardous components with the adhesives, backing & face fibers that make up typical carpets. These toxic components include endocrine disruptors which build-up within the body & may lead to reproductive and developmental disorders. Vinyl flooring, including LVT or Luxury Vinyl Tiles, are made of plastic and most emit VOC’s associated with health issues like respiratory problems or cancer. Plastics are notoriously challenging to recycle and, since vinyl flooring cannot be repaired if cut or damaged by UV rays, it’s likely to be replaced sooner than later. For soft flooring consider wool carpets with natural backing, the oils in wool are naturally flame and stain resistant. This means no need for the additional stain & flame repellants which are typically added to nylon or acrylic based carpets. Opting for rugs or carpet tiles that can be regularly washed decreases the presence of indoor pollutants like mold, pet dander and dust plus they are more easily recycled at the end of their useful service life. Choosing flooring made from natural materials like stone, wood, ceramic tile or linoleum not only provides peace of mind, but it also ensures low maintenance and longevity.

2. Be intentional about your furniture selection

When selecting cabinets and furniture for your home, opt for items that are fabricated with limited toxins. Ideally the furniture or cabinetry you select is of solid wood construction, locally sourced & fabricated. This ensures a product with a long life, no laminated wood products with toxic adhesives and a small carbon footprint. Visit www.PDXcollaborates.com to source local fabricators & makers creating heirloom quality home goods. Second to that is purchasing cabinets or furniture made with materials free of urea-formaldehyde which is found in particle board, OSB (oriented strand board), medium density fiberboard and some interior plywoods. The federal government regulates formaldehyde as a carcinogen, and the Environmental Protection Agency considers it a significant source of indoor air pollution. Exposure to formaldehyde and other VOCs can cause watery eyes, a burning throat, headaches, other flu-like symptoms, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. When shopping for products look for those made from solid wood, plywood with no added urea-formaldehyde or consider metal or steel cabinets/furniture. Look for the Greenguard certification which is a 3rd party verification program that ensures consumers aren’t being exposed to harmful levels of VOC’s or toxins. Lastly, implement salvaged & gently used furniture, which not only extends that item's useful service life but adds instant character & personality to your space.

3. Consider the dangers lurking in your garage

Recently more and more people have become aware of the correlation between aggressive cleaners & solvents and their negative effects to indoor air quality, even leading to long term health effects. Yet most people who live in homes with an attached garage are unaware of the pollutants that easily find their way inside from that space. Even though you may not start your car, motorcycle or lawnmower inside the garage, the exhaust fumes may float back inside the garage if your driveway isn’t especially long or you leave your garage door open. Chemicals often found in garages, like paint thinner, solvents, adhesives can release fumes if not properly sealed. To limit pollutants, make sure that garage walls are covered with drywall, with joints properly sealed and the surface not only primed but painted. Seal all penetrations that may lead into the house or the ceiling above with caulk & spray foam and ensure that the door leading from the garage closes tightly with appropriate weatherstripping. If you spend a lot of time working in the garage with paints, wood finishes or combustion engines, consider installing an exhaust fan and carbon monoxide detectors.

4. Remove fossil fuels from your home

Choose appliances that eliminate reliance on fossil fuels and the unvented combustion of fossil fuels within your home. Burning gas in the home is unregulated and has much higher levels of carcinogens than the allowable regulated amounts - gas stoves leak methane even when not in use, and nitrogen oxides and other toxic fumes can lead to indoor air pollution that would be illegal outdoors. Natural gas has a reputation as a clean burning fuel, but this is simply not true. The average gas furnace and gas water heater combined will produce 5 - 11 Tons of CO2 (ozone depleting emission) per year. These products typically last 10 to 15 years and over their lifetimes will produce 60 to 150 Tons of CO2. Choose induction stoves, electric heat pumps for water & home heating and electric fireplaces. If you can’t bear to lose the ritual attached to a traditional wood fire or utilize this as your primary heat source, consider the handful of highly efficient wood stoves based out of Europe. These burn wood at a much higher temperature, requiring less wood, are much more energy efficient and are fabricated to filter a high percentage of carcinogens that end up in the atmosphere.

5. Prioritize the health of your air

Empower yourself to control your home’s environment. With the advent of smart home devices there is more that we can do than surround ourselves with verdant houseplants to help purify our home’s air. Since the start of the pandemic, air purifiers have grown in popularity but be aware that these units aren’t created equal or of the same quality. Know that no air cleaner or filter will eliminate all of the air pollutants in your home. The more beneficial devices are manufactured with two different types of filters, one for particles and one for gases. Clean air is only part of the concern, by investing in a highly rated indoor air quality monitor you become aware of the changing conditions within your home and the possible impacts from the outside environment. Monitors generally measure carbon monoxide, humidity, particulate matter and many other factors. Working from real time data; controlling toxins, gases or high levels of moisture which can lead to mold growth, can be within your control.

jennifer wright
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