healthy home news

03.18.09
CNN | Chinese-made drywall ruining homes, owners say
Jason Hanna: "The Florida Health Department, which is investigating whether the drywall poses any health risks, said it has received more than 140 homeowner complaints. And class-action lawsuits allege defective drywall has caused problems in at least three states -- Florida, Louisiana and Alabama -- while some attorneys involved claim such drywall may have been used in tens of thousands of U.S. homes."

01.14.09
Air Quality Sciences | Protecting Indoor Air Quality Required as Homes Go Green
"Homeowners cited lower operating costs through energy savings (91%), having a healthier
place to live (84%) and environmental concerns (80%) as the top three most important reasons for buying green homes." Read white papers on Energy Conservation and Indoor Air Quality: Benefits of Achieving Both in Homes, Partnering to Protect Public Health, Lessons From the Past Have Relevance for the Future.

01.12.09
National Center for Healthy Housing | New study shows housing improvements benefit health
"The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently completed the first U.S. scientific review of healthy homes interventions. The results are available in a new report titled Housing Interventions and Health: A Review of the Evidence."

01.06.09
CNN Money Magazine | Your house can make you sick
Kate Ashford: "Chemicals found in common home furnishings can cause asthma and flu-like symptoms, and your basement or bathroom may be harboring allergy-induced mold. You could even be experiencing a reaction to a more dangerous substance that could cause kidney damage or cancer."

12.07.08
Parade | A Deadly Bug Invades Our Towns
Dr. Ranit Mishori: "MRSA caused more than 94,000 life-threatening infections and nearly 19,000 deaths in the U.S. ... New strains of MRSA ... are showing up all over the community: in homes, schools, gyms, military bases, prisons, or any place people get in close proximity with each other."

11.13.08
WCCO-TV | CBS Minneapolis-St. Paul affiliate: Radon in Countertops?
Dr. Daniel Steck, St. John's University: "We've found some materials with radon-generating potential."

10.25.08
Bloomberg.com: Beaches in U.S. Host Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Researchers Find
Elizabeth Lopatto: "If people with compromised immune systems, such as those who have undergone cancer therapy, play in sand with the bacteria, they could potentially contaminate themselves or their households, the researchers said."

10.17.08
San Francisco Chronicle: Environmental Hazards Around the House
Alison Rood: "We like to think of our homes as havens, but how safe are they?"

10.09.08
The New York Times: Dealing Safely With Asbestos
Jay Romano: "The first thing to do is to avoid disturbing it ... Since it is dangerous when airborne, it is usually best to leave the material alone if it is not flaking or crumbling."

09.14.08
USA Today: Federal agencies start summit on healthy homes
Wendy Koch: "The U.S. government is ramping up efforts to promote the building of healthy homes free of lead, chemicals, mold, moisture and pests."

09.05.08
NBC's Today Show: Are Granite Countertops Dangerous?
" ... experts say if you are concerned you should have your countertops tested, especially if you are pregnant or have young kids in the house."

08.28.08
Granville Magazine: Healthier Homes - Give Your House a Checkup

07.25.08
CBS The Early Show: Granite Countertops a Health Threat?
"If you have granite countertops in your home, you might consider testing them for the amounts of radon gas they give off."

07.24.08
The New York Times: What's Lurking in Your Countertop?
Kate Murphy: "...the Environmental Protection Agency has been receiving calls from radon inspectors as well as from concerned homeowners about granite countertops with radiation measurements several times above background levels."

03.00.08
Interiors & Sources Magazine: The Air We Breathe
Anthony Bernheim: "By understanding the complexities surrounding indoor air quality, and by following certain priniciples, design professionals can play a crucial role in improving IAQ ... "