Healthy Homes

Air quality and home maintenance

Guide

Detergent-free eco friendly Laundry balls

Do Laundry balls work?

Ecohome's little sister, Ecohabitation in Quebec, tested eco-friendly detergent-free laundry soap balls, read our review and see the results in the Ecohome Building Guide. While walking through a home show not long ago I came across a product that has always intrigued me, the laundry wash ball, some kind of magic…

Smart Homes, Technology & UV can Help Reduce COVID-19

Keep homes cleaner & safer with smart home features & UV light

Smart homes can help reduce the transmission of bacteria and viruses by reducing the number of surfaces we touch in our homes, and for most things we do touch we can zap those with UV light and sanitize without chemicals. Coronavirus or COVID-19 is changing how we live, obliging us to practice social distancing and…

Which Houseplants are Best to Clean Air & Remove Toxins?

Which houseplants are best for purifying air? Ecohome investigates

We explore the oft-touted notion that air-purifying house plants remove toxins & improve air in homes. As much as we like a little interior greenery, we're forced to conclude it's a whole pile of compost in the making. Do house plants clean indoor air? The idea that house plants filter and clean indoor air is at…

HEPA filters & SMART Air Filters catch airborne dust, pollen, allergens, viruses

Buying guide for home air filters in furnaces - HEPA, SMART or Regular?

Finding the right high-efficiency home air filter for furnaces & ventilation systems is essential for keeping indoor air clean, healthy & protecting us from allergens, animal dander, pollen, mold spores & maybe worse. What are home air filters used for?   Air filters on air handling units such as furnaces, HRV and…

MDF Formaldehyde Free Alternatives - Made from Rice Stalks

The formaldehyde-free MDF non-toxic alternative made of natural rice-stalks

Formaldehyde-free & Eco-friendly MDF alternative interior finishing wood products such as Rice Stalk MDF panels are coming to the USA & Canada. Zero VOC to improve the indoor air quality of homes and protect our health. Formaldehyde-free MDF made from rice - available at distributors in USA & Canada There is a…

Poly vapour barriers in air conditioned houses can cause mold and rot

Why you should Never Install Air-Con in a Home with a Vapor Barrier

The practice of putting polyethylene vapor barriers in houses was intended to keep them dry, but it ends up keeping them wet. It's time to explore alternatives and to reconsider how to keep homes cool in summer. Vapor Barrier + Air-Con = Damp Moldy Walls So here's a little known fact that most HVAC installers won't…

Finished basements can lead to mold and mildew

Why are basements moldy? How to fix or Prevent a Moldy Basement

Basement mold and mildew can easily be avoided with better designed walls. Common building practices trap moisture in wall assemblies preventing them from drying. That musty, moldy basement smell that we have come to accept as unavoidable, is actually quite avoidable. The solution is really quite simple - stop…

Wildfire Smoke & How to Keep it Outside Homes

How to keep wildfire smoke out of Homes with mechanical ventilation systems?

Normally Homes & Indoor Spaces Should be Ventilated with Outdoor Air - But What Should we do when It's Smoky Outside? How to protect our Health when our high efficiency Homes have HRV, ERV or Central Aircon Systems. How to protect indoor air quality from smoke during wildfires in homes with HVAC? As we move towards…

Preventing radon gas in homes starts with testing for radon - the only sure way

Radon Gas Awareness - Up to 10% of North American homes tested have unsafe radon levels

Long-term exposure to high levels of radon gas in homes is the second greatest cause of lung cancer after smoking - that's 25000 preventable deaths a year from radon exposure - has your home been tested. Why is Radon a Problem in USA & Canada? Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and…

DIY Natural Earth Pigment Paint, Making it at Home is Easy

DIY recipe for natural healthy paint

Natural paint is non-toxic, cheap and easy to make & provides a beautiful texture to walls. Ditch the VOC's & improve interior air quality for your family with these tips on making Eco-friendly natural paint at home. Making Eco-friendly paint at home is easy when you know how If you want to decorate your home with…

Crawlspace radon barrier installation for radon mitigation

Removing radon gas from basements and crawlspaces

Removing radon gas from existing basements and crawlspaces can be very effective, here are different options for different situations. Radon Gas in Crawlspaces & Basements - why is it a problem? Radon gas was not high on the radar of builders and home owners over the last few decades, but as it is the second leading…

Advice

Wooden floor - how to take care?

Posted by Roman Petruchyk April 25, 2023 Healthy indoor air quality 1 response

Does radon gas have an odor?

Posted by Linda Chisholm Feb. 17, 2023 Radon in Homes - Mitigation 1 response

How do you make a home with clean air quality?

Posted by Megan Hensler May 5, 2022 Healthy indoor air quality 3 responses

Can foam boards cause a chemical reaction?

Posted by Joel Clipsham Sept. 30, 2021 Healthy indoor air quality 1 response

How do you fix radon in a basement?

Posted by Ej Weiss Aug. 11, 2021 Radon in Homes - Mitigation 3 responses