Healthy Choices for Home Products

You may not realize there are also healthy choices for many of the home products you buy. The EPA considers indoor air quality one of the top health risks in the US. That’s right, the air in your house isn’t healthy because of the products in the house … products used to build your home and products you bring into your home like furniture.

The primary cause of indoor air pollution in our homes are paints, varnishes, cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products that contain Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs. Exposure to VOCs can cause eye irritation, respiratory problems, nausea and dizziness while long term exposure has been linked to more serious diseases to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system (EPA Introduction to Indoor Air Quality).

Much of the focus on VOCs relates to paint. VOCs were a key component of oil based paint which drove the industry to move to latex based paints, although they too contact lower levels of VOC. Now the green (remember peas) revolution is bringing more focus to healthy paints and home products.

Here is a short list to show you the range of products available with a focus on healthy homes. A great resource for more research is GreenSeal, providing a third party review of company claims to put your mind at ease.

• Healthy paints - you now have several choices including low odor/VOC paints, zero VOC paint and newer, non-toxic or natural paints.
• Building products - are coming on the market rapidly, focusing on energy efficiency and sustainability to lessen the impact on the environment … or consider a log cabin, solar and rain barrels that are more natural.
• Cleaning products - require checking labels but don’t rely on the name or unsupported claims. Consider natural air fresheners, lots of green plants and avoid aerosol products.
• Beauty and health products - mean buying natural soaps, cosmetics, etc for their impact on air quality and don’t forget that what you put on your skin, get’s absorbed into your system.
• Consider organic bedding and other textiles that are natural and contain little or no chemicals.
• Buy sustainable furniture and avoid furniture manufactured with particle board and pressed wood, which contain lots of VOCs.
• Focus on products like flooring where quantity/size is significant. Bamboo flooring is sustainable and other flooring products like vinyl, on focusing on recycled content and VOC free.

Remember when you buy paints and other home products, research your options and find healthy “green” products. Pick any color and enjoy your healthy home!

Bubble Wrap Your Windows

Bubble Wrap 4 Insulation

Yes, bubble wrap … the same thing we normally associate with moving or packing fragile items so they won’t break. The air pockets that provide a cushion against impact, can also provide a barrier to reduce the flow of cold air. The concept is the same way as dual pane windows providing a pocket of air between 2 panes of glass. It is the air that provides the insulating value, as it slows down the transfer of air.

There are many reasons to love this solution, and if I’m missing some, please share them with us by leaving a comment.

• Unlike insulating shades that block the sunlight, bubble wrap is clear and lets most of the sunlight through so you still have a cozy, inviting room that is warmer and feels more open.
• Bubble wrap can be reused for several years, generally 5-7. You’ll know it’s time to replace the wrap when it sticks to the window and removing it gets difficult.
• Get creative on finding your bubble wrap, as lots of people are throwing it out. Check with furniture stores and other retailers who throw away bubble wrap on a frequent basis and volunteer to dispose of it for them … so it might be free (well, your time really isn’t free).
• Hardware stores sell “window sealing kits” that use sticky tape. When the sticky tape sits too long, it’s difficult to remove. The film isn’t reusable so you’ll need to buy a new kit each year.
• Bubble wrap is easy to put up, take down and roll up to store over the summer. You should label each piece of bubble wrap as they’ll all look the same when you take them down. Draw a layout of the rooms and label each window AND bubble wrap, i.e. DLB = dining room left window bottom, DLT, DRB, DRT, etc.

Always Measure Twice

Installing Your Bubble Wrap

• Measure each window pane, following the well known rule “measure twice, cut once” … following diagram shown here.
• Cut the bubble wrap, using a paper template if that will make you more comfortable.
• Spray a light film of water on the window using a small spray bottle. If it’s used, clean it thoroughly as you don’t want to leave a film on your glass or worry about the bubble plastic.
• Press the bubble side against the window while it’s still wet, and position it to fill the space fully.  A tight fit means both the air trapped inside the bubbles, and the air between the window pane and the back of the bubble wrap will help reduce air flow, and save you heating dollars.
• If the bubble wrap starts to separate from the window, the recommendation at BuildItSolar.com is to add glycerine to the water.

Removing Your Bubble Wrap

The bubble wrap should come off easily. Depending on the quality of the plastic, it should last several years and when it becomes difficult to remove, it’s time to replace it.  Peel gently, starting at one corner. Remember to mark each piece as you remove it so each piece goes back where it started. There shouldn’t be any mess but you’re already there, so maybe it’s the right time to wash your windows.

Please share your experience with this inexpensive home energy tip, plus similar ones that anyone might benefit from. Stay warm.

Step #1: Learn Where Your Shutoff Valves Are

You might not know you can shut off the water supply inside your home or the main supply where it enters the house. Your plumbing system starts with a shutoff valve at the point where the water enters the house. Many fixtures like toilets, have a shutoff valve that can be used to stop the flow of water from the main system, to a single fixture. When you buy a home, you should learn where your shutoff valves are located and practice opening and closing them at least once. This way you’ll feel prepared for any emergency that requires shutting off the water.

Turn Handle Clockwise to Shut Water Off

Main Shutoff Valve

When you know where the water is leaking, identify the shutoff valve that will stop the flow of water and turn it off. As most of us aren’t plumbing experts, you might not be able to figure out where the water is coming from, or which shutoff valve needs to be shut off. What’s important is to stop the leak, so go ahead and shutoff the main water supply until you, a plumber or handyman can find and repair the source of the problem.

The main shutoff valve is most often a lever which may be difficult to turn by hand. You can use a pair of slip-joint pliers to grip and turn the handle, rotating it CLOCKWISE until it stops. When opening or closing the valve, it must be completely open or completely closed (same for all valves).

Note: If your home has an interior sprinkler system, you should also learn how to shut this system off. In multi-unit buildings, i.e. condominiums, the water supply may be shared and located in another unit. If the owner of that unit isn’t available, either an onsite manager or the fire department should be prepared to shut the water off. Here are the places where you should find shutoff valves. In cold climates, it is becoming more common to add shutoff valves near the washing machine, as the plumbing when it’s near unheated space, can freeze.

Toilet Shutoff

• Near the water meter (main shutoff), where the water enters your home. In warm weather climates, this valve may be found outside but always inside in cold climates.
• Under each sink there should be two (2) shutoff valves, one each for the cold and hot water supply lines. In addition to the kitchen and bathrooms, don’t forget about utility and/or bar sinks.
• The water supply line to the dishwasher is typically connected to the water line under the sink, and can be shutoff by turning off the water supply to the sink.
• Each toilet has a shutoff valve (shown here) behind the toilet, most often on the left side.
• The washing machine should have valves behind it that are easy to access, and turn off.
• There is a shutoff valve on the cold water pipe coming into the top of your hot water heater.
• The refrigerator ice maker may be controlled by the kitchen sink or other water supply valve. It may also have its’ own small shutoff valve.
• Only bathtubs and showers do not have special shutoff valves because their regular on and off controls already provide that function.
• There should be shutoff valves for any exterior plumbing including faucets and a sprinkler system.

Hiding Behind Your Door

Adding hooks to the back of your door is perfect as most of the time, the door is open and noone even sees what’s hanging there. Depending on your door style, you can install hooks on the top and bottom of your door which is very helpful with young children. Hooks are available as singles, doubles or there is quite a selection of multiple hook fixtures such as the one shown here (purchased at Lowes).

Bathroom Vanities That Work for You

Vanity height varies from the traditional 30 to 32 inches when the wash bowl sat on top, to today’s taller vanities that are 34 to 36 inches … and don’t forget to add 1.5 to 2 inches for the countertop. There aren’t any rules about tall vanities, much like kitchen pantries when you have a long wall to work with and to  maximize storage capacity in your vanity, try adding sliding shelving so everything is accessible.

Extra Shelving to Use Wasted Space

Bathrooms are usually tucked between larger rooms, and they often have unusual spaces because they’re next to the hallway or back up to a closet. When you’re short on storage space, you can add shelving in these spaces with a standard unit if it matches a standard width like 12, 15, 18 or 24 inches … or build a custom unit as shown here (to left of bathtub). With one of the walls behind the shower and bath fixtures, the shelving was designed so it could be removed to provide access to the plumbing if needed.

Combination Seating and Storage

Window seats are another choice for adding storage to a bathroom or bedroom. They provide a place to lay out clothing, dress small children and store lots of bulky items like towels and children’s toys. Larger bathrooms with platforms surrounding a tub are another source of hidden storage, where you can build in drawers or other access to make use of space below.

There are many other ways to create added storage in your bathroom, like a second wall cabinet or storage over your toilet. When considering your options, here are some points to consider:

• Review what you’re storing in the bathroom. Do you need to keep 2 full sets of towels there, or can one set be stored in the linen closet or bedroom closet?
• Identify items you want to store out of sight like cleaning products and toilet paper. With lots of countertop space, you may be able to arrange everyday items in a nice collection of baskets.  Make sure there’s a home for everything and that it’s easy to put things away to avoid clutter.
• When there are multiple bathrooms, don’t keep duplicate things in every bathroom. The first aid kit can be stored in the half bath near the kitchen while an extra medicine cabinet in the master bath can store medications out of children’s reach.

From Incandescent to CFLightbulbs

Most people have heard about Compact Florescent Lightbulbs or CFLs, but how many of you really understand why we should all be switching to them versus the incandescent bulbs we grew up with. Change doesn’t come easy for many of us, and yet life today is VERY different from just 10 years ago.  You might not recall that 50 years ago, most people had a single television and it was black & white! More than 20% of households today rely solely on cell phones, which very few people had 10 years ago.

Enjoy this GREAT Video About CFLs

Yes, I really do find the videos from CommonCraft.com short, great at delivering sometimes hard to understand concepts and … fun to watch. Enjoy the show and if you have other questions about CFLs, just leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

Safety Note: CFL bulbs contain mercury so you need to dispose of the lightbulbs carefully. You should check the EPA map to find the rules governing disposal in your area … and even breaking a bulb by accident, requires special precautions.

Why Popcorn Ceilings?

Popcorn ceilings became popular in the 1950s, during the construction boom following World War 2. When builders were putting up 100s of homes, they found it faster to spray on a popcorn ceiling texture versus paint. This reduced costs by omitting the final (3rd) coat of mud. Popcorn is also good at masking uneven seams where the sheetrock meets and other defects that pop out after a ceiling is painted. Popcorn ceilings continue to be popular in warm climates where high ceilings are used to draw hot air away from the living space below.

The popcorn ceiling texture also provides some noise reduction qualities, so it’s used more often for bedroom and hallway ceilings. Kitchens and living room ceilings might then have a flat or smoother texture for higher durability and ease of cleaning. Acoustic ceilings evolved into the metal grids and drop down panels we now recognize in schools, offices and businesses where they need noise reduction. Acoustic tiles remain popular for home basements where there are plumbing, heating and cooling structures to hide.

Steps to Removing Your Popcorn Ceiling

Many home owners consider removing the popcorn from their ceilings but they’re not sure what’s involved, and more important what it will cost.

1. Asbestos - If your home was built prior to 1978, you first need to test (typically $25 per sample) to see if your popcorn contains asbestos. Similar to lead, asbestos (learn more at www.epa.gov/asbestos) should be removed by qualified professionals, adding to projects costs.
2. Evaluate your ceiling options, as there are some that don’t require you to remove the popcorn which might be a good alternative when there is asbestos.
   • New sheetrock? If you’re planning to paint the entire room, it may be more cost effective to install a new ceiling (half inch sheetrock) on top of what’s there, and thus avoid removal of the popcorn texture. This works well with higher (more than 8 ft) ceilings where losing a half inch won’t be noticeable. The challenge comes with open concept homes where you might have to install new sheetrock in multiple rooms and/or hallways … but you can creatively add ceiling trim to separate ceiling areas.
   • Decorative ceiling tile? There are many choices for ceiling tiles from the tin ceiling shown here, to aluminum, plastic, foam, wood and mirror tiles in hundreds of colors and styles. Many of these tiles are glued up while others use a tongue and groove design similar to engineered flooring.
   • Remove popcorn ceiling texture? Removing the popcorn will be easier if the ceiling has never been painted. The popcorn comes off more easily when you’re able to saturate it with water, to start the glue letting go. When the ceiling has been painted, it will be difficult for water to reach the ceiling side of the popcorn to start this process.

If you’re ready to move forward and remove your popcorn ceiling texture, plan the project out and tackle one room at a time. Review the steps to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling, to get an idea of how much time you’ll need.

Why You Want to Remove That Popcorn

It is unrealistic to believe you will match the popcorn texture of the existing ceiling. The original application was sprayed on when the home was built, and the rooms were empty. If the repairs are in the hallway or a bedroom that isn’t used much during the day, the repairs you can make with various popcorn spray applicators may be sufficient. When the damage is in a high traffic area like the kitchen or living room, it might be time to consider removing the popcorn as most home owners dislike it anyways.

Other reasons why home owners want to remove their popcorn ceilings include:

Popcorn Repair Damage

Accidents with Children

Dirty Popcorn Ceiling

You’ll first want to evaluate your options for removing OR covering up the popcorn ceiling, as outlined in Popcorn Ceilings and No, You Can’t Eat It.

Removing the Popcorn

Be prepared for a messy job, and don’t skip any of the steps to protect your walls and floors. The time you invest in preparation will save you time in cleanup. The steps here are intended to give you an overview of the job and you’ll want to do more research before you start working.

1. Clear the room of all furnishings including ceiling fixtures like light fixtures and ceiling fans.
2. Turn off the power to the room as you’ll be using lots of water. Protect all exposed wiring, i.e. from ceiling fixtures.
3. Use cheap plastic sheets to cover all the walls, using painters tape where the ceiling meets the walls and also at the floor.
4. Rosin paper will work better on the floor, keeping the floor from getting slick, minimize tracking debris into other rooms. It will also absorb some of the water, making cleanup easier.
5. Wear safety glasses and a mask to prevent falling debris from getting into your eyes or lungs. Professionals use respirators and special air filtering equipment when removing asbestos which is why you want to leave this work to them, and in many states that is the law.
6. Wet the popcorn (don’t get sheetrock too wet or it will sag) with a good, handheld sprayer, one small section at a time. Wait 30 seconds and use a metal putty knife to remove the popcorn which should come off easily. If you let the ceiling dry, you’ll need to wet it again.
7. When done, dispose of all the plastic carefully to keep the debris inside it. You will want to use new protective materials for preparing and painting the ceiling.

Preparing and Painting the “New Ceiling”

Your ceiling will need more preparation than a typical paint job. Remember that popcorn ceilings usually didn’t receive the final coat of mud so now you’ll need to apply it.

1. Protect your floors and if you’re not an experienced painter, you’ll want to mask off the walls before your start.
2. Apply a skim coat to the ceiling, to repair any damage done during removal of the popcorn texture and finish the seams where the pieces of sheetrock meet. Unless you’ve done this before, you’ll save time and aggravation by hiring a handyman to do this task.
3. Apply a primer as you would to any new sheetrock project, ceiling or walls.
4. After the primer dries, inspect the ceiling for imperfections and repair them.
5. Apply two (2) coats of ceiling paint … and your done.
6. Oops, you’ll have to clean up again and move your furniture back into the room.

If you didn’t grow up learning how to do home repairs (most of us didn’t), then you need a good reference book to help you find the information necessary to handle these basic tasks yourself. My favorite home repair book, which I relied on after starting my handyman business is …

Ultimate Guide to Home Repair & Improvement*

Let me tell you what I love about this home repair book:

• Starts with safety basics … and you don’t want to skip these.
• Reviews tools you’ll need, both hand tools and basic power tools.
• Using roofing as a sample chapter:
  • Great diagrams like “Anatomy of a Roof” that are easy to read, i.e. they show the multiple layers of the roof from the rafters that give the roof it’s shape, to the plywood sheathing that sits on top of the rafters, the water barrier, flashing and shingles.
  • Introduction to specialty tools for roofing repairs.
  • Overview of different roof types and key concepts related to them, i.e. flat roofs are handled very differently than other styles.
  • Common repairs for each type of roofing material, i.e. shingles, slate, clay tiles, wood shingles and metal roofing.
  • Other features that affect the performance of a roof from flashing, to skylights, vents, gutters , ventilation and weather related problems.

*The Ultimate Guide to Home Repair and Improvement comes from Creative Homeowner, ISBN-10: 1-58011-316-8 or ISBN-13: 978-1-58011-316-8.

Home Inspector with Buyer

When reading an article on ActiveRain, What is the Realtors Job in a Home Inspection, I was impressed by one inspector’s comment. He said when inspecting the exterior of the home, after doing a thorough review walking in one direction, you need to visually inspect the home from the opposite direction to catch things only visible from one angle. That type of experience is why you hire a professional.

In selecting a home inspector, buyers should understand that not all states require home inspectors to be licensed. When hiring any home professional, you should look for someone  committed to their profession through membership in an organization like one of those listed here. A good home inspector should also be familiar with local (town) building codes and may also have a general contractor’s license.

• American Society of Home Inspectors, ASHI
• National Association of Home Inspectors, NAHI
• International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, InterNACHI

Buyers Should Attend Their Home Inspection

The first lesson I learned is that buyers should participate in their home inspection which I’ve seldom done, but certainly agree with after owning a handyman business for several years. Here are hints and tips about who should participate in your home inspection and the role each person plays.

Inspector

• Arrive early and when the seller is home, introduce yourself before starting the inspection. If the buyer will participate, get ladders set up ahead of time to lessen time spent by buyer.
• Some inspectors will provide verbal commentary to the buyer(s) during the inspection while others prefer to focus on the inspection, followed by a review with the buyer, who can then ask questions at the end.
• Provide a written report including photos of all defects, which may be provided on site or often a few days later so the inspector can research things like stoves and/or appliances.

Realtor

• Provide recommendations on home inspection companies but the final choice must be the buyers. The realtor schedules the home inspection as that requires coordination with the seller.
• Attend inspection and review ground rules with buyer(s) and inspector. Some realtors advise buyers “to watch, take notes and be quiet during the inspection and NOT distract the inspector while working. … Others recommend buyers arrive at the end of the inspection so the inspector can do a walkthrough with them”. The inspector can explain “any shortcomings from minor flaws and imperfections to items that will require immediate attention, . . . and everything in between.”
• Help your buyers understand which concerns are important to focus on, when they otherwise might get overwhelmed with the amount of information being communicated.
• Negotiate resolution of defects with sellers to reach best solution for buyers.

Buyer and Sellers who get an inspection prior to listing their home

• Participate in the home inspection to gain first hand insight into potential problems.

Holiday greetings from the Association of …

Women Home Owners

• Tina Gleisner, Founder
• Cindy Blaney, Newsletters
• Diane DeVries, Graphic Design
• Mary Ellen McAllister, Blogs
• Lauren DeLong, Community
• Leslie Sturgeon, Membership
• Victoria Ipri, Copy Writing
• Gail Zona, Business Coach

We’ve got some exciting surprises coming in January so keep your eyes open for our newsletter that will tell you all about the happenings planned.