Planning to build a new home? We spend most of our time indoors. Unfortunately, the indoor air quality in many homes is poor. Focusing on using healthy building materials and using green building methods will help make your home as healthy as possible.
1. Focus on Ventilation
Adequate ventilation can help improve the indoor air quality in your home. A good ventilation system can offset the effects of unhealthy building materials. Even opening a few windows can go a long way in improving your home’s air quality.
Make ventilation a priority when building your home, and consider installing more windows to improve airflow.
2. Invest in an Energy Efficient HVAC System
A home’s heating and cooling system will help you either save money or waste money each month on your energy bill.
Foxboro, a development with Flagstaff homes for sale, suggests equipping your new home with the most energy efficient HVAC system you can afford. The more efficient the system, the more money you’ll save on your heating and cooling bills.
Also, make sure that your home is well-insulated to keep warm and cool air inside of your home. Rock wool batts and damp-spray cellulose are two types of insulation that are relatively healthy choices compared to their conventional counterparts. Damp-spray cellulose is made of borate fire retardants and ground-up newspaper. These materials have very low toxicity.
While you may not come into contact with your home’s insulation, some materials do have off-gassing that can be irritating and toxic to some people. Adequate insulation using safer materials will help you save money without risking your health.
3. Choose Healthier Cabinets
The cabinets, molding, doors and shelving in a home are often made of composite wood, which is covered with a veneer to make it look like real wood. While this is a more budget-friendly option, the finishes on these products often contain high amounts of formaldehyde.
Solid wood is a healthy alternative, or formaldehyde-free wheat board.
4. Take Advantage of Natural Light
The sun is a natural source of energy and warmth. Take advantage of this natural resource by adding large windows in strategic areas of your home.
The sun will beam through during the day to keep the interior warm and comfortable all year long. This will save you money on your heating and cooling bills every month. Natural light will also keep your home bright, which means you can keep the lights off during the day.
5. Choose Low VOC Paint
Paint can instantly transform the look and feel of a room, but it can also emit toxic gases that can aggravate allergies and respiratory issues.
Instead of conventional paint, choose ones with low VOC levels. This will help keep your home’s indoor air quality as healthy as possible.
A healthier home means a healthier you. Your budget may not allow you to choose all of the options on this list, but choosing greener alternatives when your budget allows will help keep your indoor air quality at healthier levels.