Make Your Home Healthier with Green Remodeling

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	Select Add Attic space Air Conditioning Aluminum or Steel Fence - Install Aluminum or Steel Fence - Repair Appliance - Install Appliance - Repair Appliance Installation and Repair Appraisal - General Appraisal - Real Estate Arbor, Pergola, or Trellis - Build Arbor, Pergola, or Trellis - Repair/Remodel Architect Asbestos Siding - Repair Asphalt Roofing - Install or Replace Asphalt Roofing - Repair Attached Additions Attics Barbed Wire Fence - Install Barbed Wire Fence - Repair Basement Remodel Basements Bathroom Remodeling Batt, Rolled and Reflective Insulation Blown-In Insulation Boilers and Radiators Brick and Stone - Flooring Brick and Stone for Patios - Install Brick and Stone for Patios - Repair Brick or Stone Siding - Install Brick or Stone Siding - Repair Build a Patio Build Dock Cabinets Cabinets - Install Cabinets - Reface Cabinets - Refinish Cabinets - Repair Cables, Networks and Telephones Carpentry Carpet - Flooring Central Air Conditioning - Install Central Air Conditioning - Repair or Service Central Heating Systems Ceramic and Porcelain Tile - Install Ceramic and Porcelain Tile - Repair Chain Link Fence - Install Chain Link Fence - Repair or Alter Chimney, Fireplace, Stove and Barbecue - Install Chimney, Fireplace, Stove and Barbecue - Repair Clean and Seal Deck or Porch Cleaning Closet - Build Closets and Storage Closets or Rooms - Organize Concrete Concrete Concrete - Flooring Concrete Foundation - Install Concrete Foundation - Repair or Raise Concrete or Clay Tile Roof - Install or Replace Concrete or Clay Tile Roof - Repair Consultant - Home or Office Organization Convert Attic to Living Space Convert Basement to Living Space Countertops Create Blueprints Custom Cabinets or Built-In Furniture Custom Home Building Deck - Build Deck - Repair/Remodel Decks Decorators and Designers Demolition and Disposal Designer Designer - Bathroom Designer - Building Designer - Feng Shui Designer - Interior Lighting Plan Designer - Kitchen Designer - Landscape Designer - Residential (Interior Space Planning) Designer - Window Treatments Detached Additions Disability Planner Doors Drain Clearing Driveways Drywall - Install Drywall - Repair Drywall and Plastering Ducts and Vents Eco-roofs Electric Wall and Radiant Heat Systems Electrical Energy Efficient Doors Energy Efficient Home Heating Energy Efficient Windows Engineers Environmental/Disaster Services Excavation Exterior Painting or Staining Exterior Trim - Install Exterior Trim - Repair Fans and Ventilation Faucets, Fixtures and Pipes Fencing Financing Finish Carpentry, Trim and Molding Fireplace Fireplaces, Inserts, Stoves and Barbecues Floor Coverings Floors Foundation Drainage - Install or Replace Foundation or Basement - Waterproofing Foundations Framing Systems Full Bath Remodel Full Kitchen Remodel Garage - Build Garage - Remodel Garage Door - Install or Replace Garage Door - Repair Garage Door Opener - Install Garage Door Opener - Repair or Adjust Garage Organizers - Install Garages and Outbuildings Gate for Driveway or Security - Install or Repair Gazebo - Build Gazebo - Repair/Remodel Gazebos and Enclosures General Contractors Generators Geothermal Energy Glass and Screens Gutters Gutters - Clean Gutters - Install or Replace Gutters - Repair Handyman Handyman for Multiple Small Projects Hardiplank Siding - Install or Replace Hardiplank Siding - Repair Hardwood - Flooring Heating and Thermostats Heating and Ventilation Heating Cable for Roof - Install Home Inspector Hot Tubs Inspection - Roofing Inspection - Waterproofing Inspection and Appraisal Insulation and Weather Stripping Interior Decorator Interior Painting or Staining Kitchen Remodeling Kitchen Remodeling and Design Laminate - Flooring Laminate Countertops - Install Laminate Countertops - Repair Landscaping Landscaping - Design and Installation Landscaping - Maintenance of Lawn and Trees Landscaping - Sprinkler Systems Lighting Design Maid Service Major Renovation - Multiple Rooms Marine Masonry Metal Roof - Install or Replace Metal Roofing - Paint Metal Roofing - Repair Metal Siding - Install Metal Siding - Repair Minor Remodels Mold Remediation Natural Stone Tile - Install Natural Stone Tile - Repair New Home Building New Kitchen Appliance Install New Tub/Shower Installation Odd-Jobs Other Other Concrete Services Other Handyman Services Other HVAC Types Other Plumbing Related Jobs Outbuildings and Structures Outbuildings, Sheds and Gazebos Outdoor Kitchen Outdoor Mist Cooling System - Install Outdoor Mist Cooling System - Repair Outdoor Patios, Steps and Walkways Outdoor Walls and Retaining Walls Outlets, Panels, Switches and Wiring Paint Preparation Paint Removal and Cleaning Painting and Wallcovering Partial Bathroom Remodel Partial Kitchen Remodel Patio Patios, Walks and Steps Pavers Pavers for Patios, Walks and Steps - Install Paving Pest Control Plastering - Install Plastering - Repair Play Equipment - Build Play Equipment - Repair/Remodel Plumbing Pools Pools and Water Features Porch - Build Porch - Repair/Remodel Pumps Raise House to Add Basement Recovery Services - Disaster Refrigeration System - Install or Replace Refrigeration System - Repair or Service Remodeling and Room Additions Repair Dock Retaining Walls Roofing Roofing - Install or Replace Roofing - Repair Saunas Seal off Attic space Sealant for Roof - Apply Septic Systems, Sewers and Water Mains Sheet Metal Siding - Brick, Stone, or Stucco Siding/Residing Site Preparation Skylights Solid Surface (Corian, Concrete, etc.) - Install Solid Surface (Corian, Concrete, etc.) - Repair Soundproofing Spas Special Finishes Sports Surfaces (Tennis, Courts and Synthetic) Spray Foam Insulation Spray-on Siding - Apply Spring Cleaning Sprinkler Systems Sprinklers Stairs and Railings Stone Slab (Granite, Quartz, etc.) - Install Stone Slab (Granite, Quartz, etc.) - Repair Stucco Sunrooms Swamp Cooler - Install or Replace Swamp Cooler - Service or Repair Swimming Pool - Install Swimming Pool - Remodel Swimming Pool - Repair Swimming Pool Decks and Patios Synthetic Stucco Siding - Install Synthetic Stucco Siding - Repair Thermostats and Accessories Tile - Flooring Tile and Stone Tile, Stone, Grout - Clean Tile: Ceramic and Porcelain - Install Tile: Ceramic and Porcelain - Repair Tile: Natural Stone - Install Tile: Natural Stone - Repair Traditional Stucco - Install Traditional Stucco Siding - Repair Tree and Shrub Service Tub Reglaze Vinyl - Flooring Vinyl or PVC Fence - Install Vinyl or PVC Fence - Repair Vinyl Siding - Install Vinyl Siding - Repair Wallpapering Walls Water Heaters Water Softening and Purification Waterproofing Waterproofing and Drywells Window A/C Unit - Install Window A/C Unit - Service or Relocate Windows Windows - Install or Replace Windows - Repair Winterize Lawn/Landscape Wood Fence - Install Wood Fence - Repair Wood or Fiber Cement - Install Wood or Fiber Cement - Repair Wood Shingles - Install or Replace Wood Shingles - Repair Wrought Iron Fence - Install Wrought Iron Fence - Repair or Weld

Green remodeling yields not only energy savings but also health benefits. The proper green remodeling strategy can drastically improve indoor air quality. A report by EPA states that the amount of pollutants indoors can be 2-5 times greater than the amount of pollutants outdoors. To improve air quality indoors and safeguard your family's health, follow these healthy green remodeling strategies:

Use VOC-Free Paints and Adhesives
When remodeling your home, use VOC-free paints, varnishes and adhesives. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, and they are continuously emitted by paints and other building materials that contain them. Volatile organic compounds pollute the air, and in the long run, can make a building sick and cause health problems. By using VOC-free products, you can help the environment and minimize pollution inside your home.

Seal Cracks in the Foundation
Sealing cracks is one of the easiest and most recommended ways of greening your home. Its primary purpose is to reduce home heating and cooling costs, but it also has a significant health benefit. Specifically, it can help mitigate the flow of radon – a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is a leading cause of cancer and a major indoor air pollutant – from the soil into your home.

Replace Damaged Insulation
Your home's insulation is crucial to maintaining energy efficiency. Therefore, damaged insulation has to be replaced immediately. Replacing damaged insulation has other benefits apart from energy savings, however. It will also prevent health issues related to asbestos fiber inhalation. As you probably know, asbestos used to be a common component in the manufacture of insulation products.

Install a Humidity Sensing Fan in Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are prime breeding grounds for mold and bacteria that can cause asthma, allergies and other health problems. To prevent mold and bacteria buildup and the health risks associated with it, control the humidity in your bathroom by installing an automatic humidity sensing fan like the one from Broan and NuTone. This unit can detect and counter rapidly rising humidity. It also saves power (it is Energy Star Qualified) because it automatically turns on and off depending on humidity levels.

Install a Heat Recovery Ventilator
Homes need to be sealed or tightened up to make them more energy-efficient. For health reasons, however, they must also be properly ventilated. There should be air circulation, fresh air intake and air outflows to safeguard indoor air quality. You can balance your home's need for proper home ventilation and energy efficiency by using a heat recovery ventilator. This type of ventilation system lets you reclaim energy from air before it is exhausted; such reclaimed energy is then used for cooling or heating incoming air.

A final note: you can actually release asbestos fiber from old building materials (say, your home's old insulation) if you improperly remove them. Old homes may also have traces of lead paints. If you need to replace old components with green products, it would be best – for health reasons – to seek the help of a green remodeling contractor.

by Jinky Bagagnan