subject: Green Remodeling for the Family and Home Additions [print this page] Green Remodeling for the Family and Home Additions
If you're looking for some ideas for home improvement and you're ready to build onto your home with new additions then this is the perfect time to start thinking about how you can green up your life and your living space. You don't have to become a crazed activist to do a little good for your family and your house; but doing a little to save the environment never hurt - especially when it can save your utility costs as well as make your home a safer place to live.
It might surprise you to know that there are volatile compounds in your home - even if you have a newer household. Arsenic, vinyl chloride and other voltaic organic compounds (VOCs) are common even in new modern homes. These things are byproducts of some of the most widely used building materials and they are in your home. The last thing you want to do is add to it with your new home additions. Feel like improving your lifestyle and living space yet?
Here are proven green strategies for remodeling and building home additions that ensure a safe environment for your family:
Formaldehyde free insulation: Be careful about the insulation you use because you could be breathing in formaldehyde, a common ingredient in fiberglass batt insulation. Instead opt for recycled fiberglass, rock wool or cellulose which are all free of formaldehyde.
Aim for no-VOC paints (or low VOC), sealants and wood treatments: More and more products are being put out in this format but you can still find traditional paints and sealers that you should shy away from. Most finishing products used around the home emit organic compounds that are extremely harmful and they stick around long after the paint or sealant is dry. Use products that minimize these contaminants.
Avoid MDF (medium density fiberboard): MDF and particle board are frequently used for cheaper model homes or when homeowners are on a budget - especially in the kitchen in bathroom. These both give off a known carcinogen urea formaldehyde. If you have to use these products due to a tight budget then make sure you seal the exposed areas with a no-VOC sealer or paint.
Avoid vinyl: Don't install vinyl floors. Splurge a little where you can and get an FSC-certified wood like bamboo, cork, stone or ceramic tile. Vinyl gives off vinyl chloride fumes. Even carpeting gives off toxic fumes from the bonding materials that are used, the dyes, fire retardants, anti-static treatments, etc.
Choose the right windows: Windows are important when it comes to new home additions. Not only do the right windows allow in and retain the right kind of heat within your home but they allow proper ventilation. The heat retention is a great bonus because your furnace runs less; as a result the forced air runs less and the circulation of contaminants, pollutants and dust is reduced in your home.
Properly ventilate your home: Airtight isn't the best choice and not exactly possible. It's more important to properly ventilate your living space so moisture and other pollutants aren't trapped. With proper ventilation and circulation you'll be cycling the air through on a regular basis with little worry the quality of the air in your home.
Home additions give you the opportunity to make a change in how you approach smart living, not just for the environment but for yourself and your family. Green updates are popular in many homes and the greatest benefit is that you could increase the value of your home by making green updates that would even benefit a new buyer. Before choosing materials for your new home addition project, talk to a general contractor about the safest products to use in your home.
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