Buildings

Healthy Houses

Q: Lately, I've been seeing stuff about "healthy houses." One builder, who was advertising his houses as “healthy,” seemed to be just installing an electronic filter in the heating system. Another one advertised using “healthy” materials and an expensive ventilation system. My cousin Vernon says it's just another hype — they're just playing on people's fears. What's the scoop?

A: One thing that is a constant source of wonder is the ability of creative salespeople to latch on to almost anything to sell their products. Unfortunately, there's a certain segment of our population, like your cousin Vernon, who feel so abused by advertising hype that they reject every claim — automatically assuming that if someone is trying to sell them something they must be lying. Whether it's about siding that never needs painting, a hospital that really cares, a candidate who will solve more problems with less money, or a house less likely to make you sick, the Vernons of the world quickly put one hand over their wallets and demand some proof before letting go.

The “healthy house” notion is a perfect example of this. On one hand, there's no question about the facts that some houses make some people sick, and that houses can be built in ways to reduce the chances of that happening. On the other hand, there are all kinds of gizmos and gewgaws being sold which claim to make houses "healthier" with little evidence of their effectiveness.

The first thing to think about is who will be living in the house — you and your family. Do you have allergies or chemical sensitivities or other respiratory problems? If you have these problems, you need to identify what things make you sick, and what strategies are most effective (and affordable) for controlling them.

There are, of course, some things that will make everyone sick. Carbon monoxide, for instance, needs to be eliminated from your living space. Everyone is “sensitive” to it. Most people react to large amounts of molds and mildew in the house, so moisture needs to be controlled. These are things that should be taken care of in every house but, unfortunately, are often ignored.

Most experts agree that there is a logical way to approach making houses healthier for the people who live in them. The first thing to do is to eliminate stuff that will make you sick. If, for instance, you are one of the millions of people allergic to dust mites, you may want to eliminate or reduce the amount of carpet in your house.

The second priority is to separate stuff from the living space that may make you sick. Most types of insulation, for example, cause negative reactions in lots of people. Since we don't want to eliminate insulation from the house, it makes sense to make sure it is separated from the people. This means, for instance, that the ceiling is tightly sealed around light fixtures, pull-down stairs, etc. so that the insulation won't be drifting down into the house. As a bonus, this sealing will also improve comfort and reduce energy bills.

The third priority is to dilute whatever contaminants are left with enough “fresh” air so that they become harmless. Every house needs some ventilation to remove excess moisture created by cooking, showers, etc. However, to depend on ventilation alone to dilute lots of pollutants in your house is asking your heating and air conditioning system to work too hard to make you comfortable. You'll also throw lots of your money into the yard along with the polluted air. Dilution, a wise man said, is not the solution to pollution. But it is a good way to take care of the little problems after the big problems have been dealt with.