Is a Clean Crawlspace Really That Important? Crawlspaces are generally not what anyone would consider “clean.” When was the last time you went into a crawlspace? It’s typically a dark, dank environment where critters and odors scare away even the bravest DIY building owners. Often old construction materials and cardboard boxes are crammed down below,

For Our Home, Our Health, and Our Environment: Green Cleaning Products A regular and thorough cleaning regime is important in maintaining a healthy indoor environment. The cleaning products we use, however, can have adverse health effects. Most household cleaners can contain a plethora of chemicals. Overexposure to these chemicals can cause a variety of health

Piping for New Construction: Plastic vs. Copper What Do We Know – What Should We Do? Water, it has been revered since the beginning of time. It sustains and nourishes us; we couldn’t live more than three days without it. Fortunately, in the Western World, it is readily available. It is so seamlessly intertwined with

Healthy Building Material Research Let’s Prove that the Good Guys Don’t Finish Last! Building material manufacturers are trying to clean up their act. Leading companies are disclosing more chemical ingredients than the laggards, and if your healthy building material research relies solely on an MSDS you may be fooled into choosing a less healthy building material.

5 Ways Property Managers Limit Risk From Environmental Claims A property manager is often stuck between a rock and a hard place. Environmental claims are common pitfalls that cause even the best property managers to wind up on the wrong side of the bench in a courtroom. Here are several tried and proven ways property managers

Materials Air Quality Testing Since news broke that Lumber Liquidators distributed composite wood flooring in California that did not meet California Air Resource Board (CARB) formaldehyde emission standards, we’ve been getting lots of questions about materials air quality testing. Some folks are interested in joining the class action law suit, some distributors and installation companies

Lumber Liquidators Formaldehyde Testing Recent investigative journalism exposed a Lumber Liquidators formaldehyde content issue and revealed an unfortunate tale that may affect hundreds of thousands of homes across the US. During active federal investigations for suspicion of using illegally harvested lumber from Russia, it turns out one of the largest flooring distributors in the US

HBS Joins Major Buyers Demanding Flame Retardant-Free Furniture In December, the Center for Environmental Health published a list of companies that are signing onto a commitment to purchase flame retardant-free furniture. Healthy Building Science joined the CEH Purchaser Pledge to purchase furniture without these toxic chemical additives. Other partners include Facebook, Kaiser Permanente, HDR Architecture, Perkins+Will,

Where is Asbestos in the home?  Asbestos, a naturally occurring silicate mineral, was once called the “miracle” fiber, because of its fire-resistant, thermal insulating, non-conductive, flexible, strong, and wear resistant properties. The ancient Greeks and Romans both used asbestos for tablecloths, napkins, towels, and linings for suits of armor. It is rumored that early Roman Emperors

Eichler Remodel – Healthy & Efficient Home Why write about an Eichler remodel? Because my family is lucky enough to call this our first home, and remodeling has almost completely absorbed me for the past 3 months! This isn’t just a remodel, it’s a green Eichler remodel. What is an Eichler? Joseph Eichler was a