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: Air Quality
I am concerned about Air Quality inside my house. What can I do to improve my Indoor Air Quality?
The best thing you can do is open a window for at least a brief amount of time each day (if you live near traffic or pollution, open the window in the early morning when the air is cleaner before traffic starts). If you have an air conditioner, it will act as a filter, taking large particles out of the air before it comes into the home. (Be sure to change or clean the filter regularly or it won't work as well.) You can also buy house plants that actually detoxify the air. Regular vacuuming and damp-dusting will help reduce smaller particles and actually Improve Your Indoor Air. Avoid pollutants such as common household cleaners, scented candles, mold, and fumes from carpets, furniture, and paint. There are many ways to attain Healthier Indoor Air and prevent the rise of illnesses like asthma. Even if you don’t have asthma, our blog on How to Create Better Breathing Space will provide you with useful information.
Please visit the Health eHome section of our site to read more about air quality and how you can keep your indoor air "cleaner."
You can also call the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Line at (800) 438-4318.
What environmental factors can trigger asthma? I have an asthmatic child, what can I do to improve my home’s condition?
Asthma can be triggered by environmental toxins and allergens. Keep areas well ventilated simply by opening a window. Stagnant warmth and humidity can result in the growth of Mold, an allergen that can trigger asthma. Vapors off gassing from new carpets, paint, or furniture, as well as fumes from common household cleaners can aggravate an asthmatic’s lungs. Visit our Blog for the latest tips on How to Create a Better Breathing Space for Asthmatics. You can also check out our articles to learn about Air Quality Asthma Triggers and how to control them. Also visit the Health e House section of our website for more information and articles on keeping your entire home free of pollutants.
Does Paint Off-Gas After it's Dry?
QUESTION:
Hello. When painting walls, does the paint continue to off-gas VOCs long after it's dry? Trying to figure out how safe our home will be when we move back in (we won't be exposed to any wet paint). Thank you!
ANSWER:
There’s no cut and dry answer to this commonly asked question. How long paints off-gas depends on many variables, such as the type of paint (oil or water-based, flat or enamel, the VOC content, etc), the surface being painted (wood, metal, drywall), the climate (humid or dry), and ventilation.
According to David Johnston in Green Remodeling, “You apply the wet paint and several hours later, the paint is dry. During the drying period, the volatile solvent in the paint vaporizes to a gas, known as “off-gassing,” leaving the non-volatile portion of the paint on the wall. Most VOCs are released into the air during this off-gassing period. You should open windows and use fans to move the VOCs out of your indoor air as quickly as possible. Turning up the heat also makes the paint dry and offgas faster. The rate of off-gassing dissipates dramatically within a few days. However, the paint may continue to offgas small amounts for the lifetime of the paint, especially as the paint begins to age and chip small flecks of paint that can become trapped in your rug. It is best to avoid VOCs altogether when you are buying paints or any other products for your home.”
That said, it’s important to consider the off-gassing of all the products and finishes in an enclosed area, and not just the paint, when reducing toxicity to improve indoor air quality.
This answer was provided by our fabulous Chief Communications Officer, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!
Does children's clothing made in China contain Formaldehyde?
As far as I can determine, anything coming from China could be a wild card in terms of what is in it, unless you can contact the manufacturer and find out how careful they are about manufacturing. I think I should say that there seem to be wild variables about what you might get from China, but don't assume everything from China is bad.
Regarding formaldehyde, the standard practice is that formaldehyde is used on cotton if it is permanent press, and on all polyester/cotton woven fabrics. They may add formaldehyde on 100% cotton for some reason unbeknownst to me, but if it is not a permanent press resin finish, it should wash right out as it is very volatile.
I read an article on this at WorldNetDaily: Poison PJs from China, but it didn't mention if the garments were permanent press or not. It sounded like garments labeled "100% cotton" were found to be contaminated.
I would be wary of products from China unless you can contact the manufacturer and find out about their safety. I don't want to make assumptions about all products manufactured in China based on bad practices of a few.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
Help Choosing a Foam Mattress
QUESTION:
We want to get a foam mattress, but are confused about the different kinds of foam available. Can you just explain the difference between the foams and help us understand them?
ANSWER:
First, there are more than 150 different formulations of foams, so unless a manufacturer can tell you exactly what the foam is, you really can't find out what's in it.
But there are basically three kinds of foam with regards to choosing a mattress.
1. POLYURETHANE FOAM
This is made from polyol and diisocyanate. Both are petrochemicals. These are combined and passed down through a pipe into a nozzle head, Blasts of carbon dioxide make the foam. Memory foam is a visco-elastic polyurethane foam, still polyurethane. Polyurethane foams are typically very flammable and require fire retardants.
2. LATEX FOAM
This is made from natural latex (milk of the rubber tree) or synthetic latex (rubber made from crude oil). Almost all natural latex is processed into foam using sulfur.
3. SOY or BIO FOAM
This is polyurethane foam with some of the polyol replaced with soy oil, or is a mixture of soy with other oils, such as corn and sunflower. These foams are typically 5-50% natural oils.
If one wanted a foam mattresses, latex foam would be the best of the three as it is the only one that is not polyurethane.
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!
How Do You Make Homemade Air Freshener?
QUESTION:
Recently on our Facebook page, a community member asked:
“Any suggestions on how to make homemade air freshener?”
ANSWER:
Healthy Child's Answer:
First of all, eliminate the source of offending odors. (Baking soda can be used sprinkled on carpets before vacuuming - or in the bottom of garbage cans or litter boxes. Vinegar is also effective for toilets, drains and other offenders.)
After reducing odor sources, you can make a spray using a very diluted vinegar mixture with a few drops of essential oil. Grow house plants. Boil scented herbs or essential oils in water on the stove. It really depends on what you're trying to tackle and what your personal preferences are as far as scents.
Our community answered too!
Kerrie: "I burn essential oil in a small oil burner. Or mix essential oil with water in a spray bottle to mist the air."
Wendy: "There are recipes for reed diffusers on the internet Im going to experiment with that( diffuser oil and essential oils)."
Jennifer: "great ideas!! Thanks I am super snesitive to scents and have to be carefulwhat I use, however hubby is allergic to vinager so I use a lot of tea tree around the house.. you can also use it (diluted in a spray bottle) to freshen the air.. but of course getting rid of the offending odours is best!! I like to make hot apple cider tooo that makes the house smell great!!"
Kerrie: "Oh, when I was little my mom would simmer orange peels and cinnamon stick. Perfect Christmas scent!"
Aidee: "Putting Orange peels after eating an orange:D in the garbage disposal mks the sink smell nice:) I hate the smell of cigarettes & someone borrowed my car & smoked in it & I couldn't get rid of the smell! I tried everything until I left a bowl of vinegar sitting in the car & it COMPLETELY REMOVED THE SMELL!!! Natural All the way!!=)"
Michele: "Lighting a match or a candle will help destroy odors. I stick with the beeswax candles for the most part, so I don't get the air pollution from the regular candles. You can also use diluted vodka in a spray bottle to spray on fabrics, and it will help get rid of odors."
This answer was provided by our fabulous Chief Communications Officer, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!
How Long Do Products Off-Gas?
QUESTION:
Being the last of my friends to have a baby, I can literally borrow everything I need from cribs to swings to clothing. However, I know none of them bought anything organic or non-toxic. Most of these items are anywhere from 2 - 5 years old so I am wondering how long items offgas. From what I've read on your response to older posts it seems that if there is not an odor, it is safe. Is this the guideline I should use? How long do items offgas? Do I need to just start from scratch and buy all of the expensive non-toxic baby items?
Thanks,
Deanna
ANSWER:
"If there is not an odor, it is safe," is usually a good rule to follow, but it's not 100%. There could be chemicals outgassing that you cannot smell, for one reason or another.
Furniture with particleboard and standard finishes do outgas over time. You can certainly smell the difference between new particleboard furniture and particleboard furniture that has outgassed. How long that takes depends on the conditions of the room where the furniture has been.
Clothing that has been washed many times is likely to be OK, if it hasn't been washed in highly scented detergent.
I think you need to examine each item and see if it seems OK to you.
But I would be very careful and err on the side of caution. Babies are extremely vulnerable to toxic chemicals as their detoxification systems are not yet fully developed.
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!
What are the dangers of Linseed Oil fumes?
You need to find out if the linseed oil is RAW linseed oil or BOILED linseed oil. Linseed oil is oil squeezed from the flax seed.
Raw Linseed Oil is 100% pure flax oil, packaged with no additional additives or preservatives. Linseed oil sold for wood application is not edible. It dries very slowly, taking weeks to fully cure. It helps wood retain its natural moisture content, which reduces cracking, checking, shrinking, and aids water repellency.
Boiled Linseed Oil contains chemical solvents to speed film drying and hardness.
It is not actually boiled, the term just indicates chemicals have been added.
Do ask the dealer. Boiled Linseed Oil would cure faster and shouldn't have an odor after several weeks. If it's raw linseed oil, it's likely you are smelling the linseed oil itself, which isn't toxic.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
Is a live Christmas tree the best option for your home and if so, how does one decorate it?
I always get a fresh-cut tree myself, though a live tree is even better as you can plant it after the holiday. For nontoxic ornaments, you can use regular glass ornaments, home baked gingerbread cookies, popcorn strings, wood ornaments, fabric ornaments, paper chains--anything natural. I would just stay away from plastic ornaments.
Personally, I just decorate my tree with white lights and put a metal gold star on the top. It's very simple, but always magical for me.
That's the short answer. But there are many details to consider about the health and environmental effects of a Christmas tree.
A good place to start is with my Christmas Trees excerpt from the new revised edition of Home Safe Home. It discusses the basic health issues and gives some suggestions on how to enjoy an "allergy-free" Christmas tree.
Then you need to decide what type of tree you want. Choosing a Tree outlines the environmental benefits and harm of the different options. Fresh Cut Trees and Living Trees have more details on these two choices. Make Your Own Recycled Tree tells how you can make a "tree" by recycling scrap evergreen boughs.
I've got lots of suggestions for nontoxic and earthwise Tree Ornaments and instructions for decorating my favorite holiday tree--a Tree of Life.
And finally, How To Recycle Your Holiday Tree and, if you're interested, The History of Holiday Trees celebrating the season with evergreens is a lot older than Christmas!
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
What are the best ways to protect your child from mattress off-gassing?
Mattresses outgas less over time.
A polyethylene wrap will help and off-gasses less than the mattress itself.
A cotton/wool mattress cover will not block off-gassing fumes.
Probably a combination of both would be your best bet. The polyethylene would block more emissions, and the mattress cover on top would give more comfort.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
What Should I Do with an Off-Gassing Bookcase?
QUESTION:
Hello,
I recently bought a bookcase from Big Lots for my 2 year-old daughter’s room. It said that it was made from nontoxic paint, but it smells terrible. Even putting it together made me nauseous-- I am chemically sensitive. It is made from pressed wood so I'm not sure if it is from the formaldehyde or from the plastic that it was wrapped in. After assembling the bookcase, I immediately moved it to another room, hoping that the smell would off-gas. I would like to know if there is another way that I can speed up the process or if I should try something else. I obviously don't want to risk my daughter's health and the bookcase will be placed right next to her bed. Please give me some opinions or suggestions. Thank you!!
ANSWER:
My suggestion would be to dump this bookcase entirely. If it's going right next to your daughter's bed, you want a bookcase that is as safe as possible.
You could try using heat to off-gas the chemicals or apply a vapor barrier sealant, but the best choice would be to use a solid wood bookcase or a metal one. Readers, any other suggestions?
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
How do I reduce off-gassing in hardwood blinds?
QUESTION:
I special ordered white American Hardwood blinds. I got them in November and although there is no longer a strong smell, my nose burns when I sit near them and I've been getting headaches. My husband and two toddlers don't seem bothered by these blinds, but because these are in my kid's bedrooms I'm concerned about the effects of the paint.
The company I bought them from told me that I could cure in the smell by washing the blinds with Murphy's oil or Lemon Pledge. My concern is that this will smell worse.
I'm wondering if they could still be off-gassing? Do you think they may need more time to completely off-gas?
ANSWER:
It can take quite a while for wood finishes to completely cure, especially in colder weather. Finishes can cause symptoms, even if you can't smell the finish. Even though finishes can be "dry to the touch," they are still curing and still releasing chemicals.
I suggest heat, as heat makes the chemicals outgas faster. I would take down the blinds and hang them in a small room, like the bathroom, if you have a second bathroom. Then place a couple of space heaters in the bathroom, and "bake out" the finish.
Personally, I wouldn't wash them with Murphy's or Lemon Pledge. These could add additional odors and wouldn't actually contribute to drying out the finish, which is what is required to end the out-gassing.
Debra :)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
Does Olive Oil Release Toxic Smoke During Cooking?
QUESTION:
I have heard cooking with olive oil can be toxic when it smokes from the pan. I have also heard that the NON extra virgin is better for cooking because it can take high heat better and the cold pressed extra virgin should be used for salad eaten raw. What do you think?
ANSWER:
All the various oils withstand heat in different ways. There is an excellent guide on which oil to use for which temperature at Spectrum Oils Kitchen Guide.
As to whether olive oil is toxic when it smokes, well, it's burned, and most things produce toxic substances when they burn. For high heat cooking, coconut oil is an excellent choice.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
How Long Should I Let Freshly Coated Walls and Floors Off-Gas?
QUESTION:
We are moving to a new house and had the floors redone with a water based coating (3 finishes) and rooms painted with low VOC paint. I am six months pregnant and have a 3 year old daughter. How long should I stay out of house to prevent harm to my baby?
ANSWER:
I can't give you a definitive time, as the amount of time it takes for a finish to completely cure depends on the conditions, but you want to allow time for the finish to completely cure and stop outgassing volatile vapors.
Heat will speed the process. I would say that if you heated the rooms for about a week, they should be safe at that point.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
What is the difference between petroleum distillates and petrochemicals? Is one more toxic than the other?
Petrochemicals are any chemicals made from coal tar or crude oil.
Petroleum distillates are petrochemicals that have been distilled in a refinery and then usually processed further and purified in some manner. There are many different types with completely opposite characteristics and uses.
Distillation is the basic process used to separate and purify the components of crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with impurities like sulfur, nitrogen and small amounts of metal. During distillation, the oil is heated in a large closed vessel called a still. The lighter components boil off first and rise to a higher point inside a tower above the still. The heavier components boil off at higher temperatures and condense back into liquids more quickly. These products are captured on trays at each level and pass out of the tower. The lighter and more volatile products are used in gasoline or as solvents, the next heavier might be used as diesel or stove oil and the next as lubricants, and so on.
Though all petrochemical products start as a distillate of petroleum, not all petrochemical products fall into the classification of "petroleum distillates." Specifically, petroleum distillates include mineral spirits, kerosene, white spirits, naphtha, and Stoddard solvent. These products may contain trace amounts of benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene which have similar toxic effects.
Any product that contains a petroleum distillate in its formula must be labeled with the phrase "contains petroleum distillates" regardless of the actual distillate used. This is so doctors and emergency medical personnel will know how best to treat those who might accidentally drink the product. If a product contains petroleum distillates, the medical personnel may elect not to induce vomiting.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
The toxicity of petroleum distillates and other hydrocarbons affects the respiratory system. Aspiration of small amounts of these chemicals directly into the lung, or into the lung during vomiting of an ingested chemical, can cause chemical pneumonia, pulmonary damage, and death. Petroleum distillates with low viscosity, such as gasoline, kerosene, and mineral seal oil, possess the greatest potential for aspiration.
All household products that contain 10 percent or more of petroleum distillates, or benzene, toluene, xylene, or turpentine, are required to have hazard warnings by regulations under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.
"Petroleum distillates" can also be an ingredient in a product. In this case, it is a mix of petrochemicals that are all petroleum distillates. The mix can vary from batch to batch, so we don't know exactly what is in it. It may contain chemicals of varying toxicities. Pesticides commonly contain petroleum distillates as well as the actual pesticide itself, making them doubly toxic.
I'm not a chemist, so if anyone reading this would like to jump in and correct any errors I've made on this or explain further, please do so!
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
How do I get rid of the smell from not-so-recently refinished wood floors?
QUESTION:
I recently moved into an apartment that, back in November of 2008, had the hardwood floors refinished with what I think is polyurethane. When I first looked at the place, there was a fairly strong chemical odor that I thought was from the recent painting of the apartment, but now that I've moved in I'm realizing that it hasn't dissipated. I've put my nose to the hardwood floors and there is definitely a sharp chemical smell coming from them. Do you know what would cause floors to smell this strongly months after they've been refinished? Is there anything I can do now to dispel the odor? Thank you.
ANSWER:
It could be polyurethane, but the toxic kind.
If it were water-based polyurethane, the odor would have dissipated by now. But there are still oil-based wood finishes on the market that continue to outgas for several years.
Heat treatment is the best way to handle this. Just remove people, pets, and plants from your apartment, close everything up, and turn up the heat as high as you can. It may take a few days or a week of heating to cure the finish so it no longer outgasses. Then open all the windows and air it out before you move back in.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
Should I seal my particle board cabinets?
QUESTION:
Our home has a lot of particle board cabinets with white laminate. Is there something non toxic I could use to seal it and prevent glue molecules from leaching into the air?
ANSWER:
I don't think it's necessary to seal your cabinets. If laminate is covering the particleboard, I don't think formaldehyde will go through the laminate. Nor would glue molecules leach through laminate. If you do have any exposed particleboard. AFM Enterprises makes a product called Safe Seal that will block emissions from particleboard.
Debra
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
How safe is silica?
Silica is the chemical compound silicon dioxide, an oxide of silicon. Silica is most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz, as well as in the cell walls of diatoms (as in diatomaceous earth. It is the most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust.
Silica is used primarily in the production of window glass, drinking glasses and bottled beverages, as well as optical fibers for telecommunications. It is a primary raw material for many ceramics including earthenware, stoneware and porcelain, and industrial Portland cement.
Silica is common additive in food products, where it is used primarily as a flow agent in powdered foods, or to absorb water.
I know of no harmful effects from digesting silica in foods or supplements. In fact, it is sold as a mineral supplement.
Silicosis is a disabling, nonreversible and sometimes fatal lung disease caused by overexposure to breathing large amounts of crystalline silica, such as amounts you would be exposed to in workplace exposures.
It is not toxic, it is a particle hazard. You wouldn't be exposed to this amount at home.
Debra :-)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
What are Safe Options for Portable Heaters?
I had someone ask this week about portable heaters. I had written that I have a "ceramic heater" with a metal housing and she didn't know what a ceramic heater was, or what to look for. So I'm going to give you a little review here of different types of portable heaters that come with metal housings, including pictures, so you know what your options are.
First, though, I want to say that with any portable heater with a meal housing, there will be an initial odor from the paint that is not fully cured. These paints are heat cured during manufacture, but there can be residual outgassing as the paint it dry to the touch, but not fully cured. Once the paint is fully outgassed, you can use these heaters with no problem.
About outgassing heaters...From reading your comments, I see that some of you are not outgassing them long enough. It requires a lot more than a few hours. I gave mine to a friend to use all winter. Others have just run the heater outdoors or in the garage. How long you need to outgas the heater depends on the model and even within specific models there are differences. Just heat it until it doesn't smell any more. But we're talking about 100 hours or more of heat before the smell goes away.
You can buy some of these heaters used, like on eBay or try your local Craig's List. A used heater will already be gassed out and you'll save money too.
I don't think you will find a heater on your local store shelves that does not smell initially. But if you bake it out, the smell will eventually burn off and you will have a good serviceable heater. There are some heaters you can buy online that are unpainted.
Ceramic heater
I have two ceramic heaters with metal housings that I purchased more than ten years ago. But I have not been able to find them recently in stores.
A reader wrote in that the Pelonis Disc Ceramic Heater Model # PF1212-B6A1 is in a metal housing. She called the company to confirm it was all metal.
I've noticed now that the ceramic heaters in metal casings are called "utility heaters." Here are some that say "all metal construction" in their description.
There are a lot more. The way I found these was I did a Google search on "utility heater" and it gave me Goggle search results for utility heater. I just started clicking and reading descriptions. Sometimes I had to read descriptions from several different vendors to find out they had metal housings. If any of you would like to continue to check through this list and find more, please post what you find as a comment.
These utility heaters are the least expensive heating option, around $40. They are not beautiful, but they will heat your room.
Radiator heater
These are oil-filled heaters that look like old radiators. The oil is completely sealed in and should not leak. I have one and it works very well to heat up one room. And it's totally silent. Has no fan. These are made by many different brands.
Baseboard heater
Baseboard heaters are filled with water or other substances. One reader wrote that she moved into an apartment with 50-year-old baseboard hot water/oil heaters that also contained glycol, which was leaking. She and her cat got very sick. So that's something to watch out for.
Another reader wrote that she installed Cadet Soft Heat baseboard heaters throughout her house and there is no odor.
Radiant heaters
A reader recommended radiant heaters from Radiant Electric Heat. They have stainless steel models "which produces no chemicals, dust particles, odors or fumes." They have portable models and models that attach to the wall. Company is experienced working with people with MCS.
Infrared Heaters
The heat produced by infrared heaters and the heat produced by sun are very much alike. The heat we feel on our planet is infrared heat produced by the sun. In contrast to most heaters, Infrared heaters do not heat the air in the area and do not cause circulation of the warm air--instead they heat objects directly. The rays produced by an infrared heater penetrate the skin and warm your body beneath the skin.
I don't have any experience with these, but a reader recommended them. They are the heat source for far-infrared saunas.
In looking at these online, I think the trick would be to find one that doesn't have a plastic or particleboard cabinet, or one with toxic finishes on a wood cabinet. But the technology seems workable.
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!
Where can I buy Zeolite?
QUESTION:
I have used all natural Zeolite Powder by the Dasun Company (also their zeolite bags) for many years. They are now out of business. Does anyone know where I can find these? Thank you.
ANSWER:
Zeolite is still alive and well and available to use as an adsorbant to remove chemicals, metals, and even radioactive materials from the air. I wrote all about it on page 130 of my book Home Safe Home. If you want to learn more about zeolite, check out this website: The Zeolite Group of Minerals.
To purchase zeolite powder for odor control, visit these websites: Bramton Company Zeolite Odor Removing Granules and Bear River Zeolite.
While searching for these links, I noticed that zeolite is now being sold for body detoxification. I have no experience using this, but it makes sense to me that if it adsorbs pollutants from the air, it would also adsorb them from the body. I saw lots of "liquid zeolite" being sold for this purpose as well as powder. Liquid zeolite does not make sense to me, as it is the adsorbant ability of the mineral itself that does the adsorbing, a liquid just mechanically wouldn't do that as far as I can see.
Debra :)
This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.
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