Page 59 - Green Builder Homeowner's Handbook 2016

Exteriors / Roofing / Structure / Insulation / IAQ / Windows / Heating / Lighting / Appliances / Faucets & Fixtures / Finishes / Cabinets & Tops / Alternative Energy

What makes FINISHES green?

Clean-Air Paints Caulking Considerations
Use only no-VOC or extremely Certain types of caulking can contribute to indoor
low-VOC paints in the home. air pollution. But in our view, caulking quality matters
Bear in mind, however, that too. If you use a 100% silicone product, it will offgass
low-VOC products can still quickly. Once it dries, you’re in the clear.
contain toxins. Sometimes,
VOCs are replaced with
something worse. If you want
truly toxin-free you’ll have to
go with something such as a
milk-based or organic paint.

Floor Finishes Formaldehyde-Free Millwork
Whenever possible, order pre-finished floors, whether hardwood It’s more challenging than you might think to
or bamboo. Finishing them at home without creating a lot of find cabinetry and shelves that are not loaded
air pollution is tough. The Lauzon Pure Genius flooring pictured with chemicals and other ingredients harmful
here uses a titanium finish that reacts with sunlight to break down to human health. Ask for CARB-approved
VOCs and other chemicals. plywood or real-wood shelves and sides. If the
only products available are medium-density
Lauzon Pure Genius Flooring fiberboard, make sure you choose a brand
that has very low formaldehye content. Seal
Forget smartphones, Lauzon’s Pure Genius unfinished sides with AFM Safecoat Hard Seal or
flooring is a smart floor, cleaning the air in your some similar product to contain the offgassing.
home by breaking down airborne toxins, such
as VOCs. The filtering power of Pure Genius PRO TIP:
flooring is the equivalent of having three mature
trees in your home, purifying the air up to 85 Tile Is Always an Option. Floor tiles, installed carefully
percent and reducing potential carcinogens produce almost no harmful offgassing. Some brands,
that may lead to allergies and asthma. such as Crossville’s Virtue line, contain 4 percent
www.lauzonflooring.com recycled content and are Green Square certified. The
porcelain tile also can be treated with Hydrotect, a fired-
on coating developed with TOTO Corporation, that’s
comprised of a triple silver-copper-titanium dioxide
mixture. The coating has antimicrobial, dust-repelling,
self-cleaning and even air-purifying effects.