The ecology of the house today is poor. Indeed, many finishing materials contain toxic substances. Components harmful to humans are added to dishes, household chemicals, and fabrics. In addition, household appliances emit negative radiation, and air is polluted by all kinds of gases. How to create a healthy atmosphere in the house? This is what will be discussed later.
Home ecology
At home, modern people spend most of their time. Therefore, everyone wants the home to be not only comfortable, but also safe. Studies have shown that in many apartments the air environment is much more polluted than outside. In order to reduce the content of harmful substances in the air, doctors advise ventilating the living room at least twice a day.
The ecology of the house depends not only on the air, but also on the finishing materials, the raw materials from which the furniture is made, the radiation of household appliances and many other factors. Mold and fungus under the walls, as well as dust, contain a large number of harmful bacteria. Wiring done incorrectly, together with a large number of household appliances, forms electromagnetic radiation, which is several times more than permissible. Many surrounding objects can serve as sources of radiation. And tap water is not of high quality. Contains harmful elements such as iron, chlorine and mineral salts.
Ecology at home requires materials that do not contain toxic substances. Furniture made from natural raw materials, without chemical impurities. Old furniture needs to be disposed of. It can serve as a source of bacteriological contamination.
To create a safe home, it is important to use air and water purifiers. They will help to tidy the house. The problem of the ecology of the living space depends on the area where it is located. Housing should have a good soundproofing and sound absorption system. The environmentally friendly home environment has a positive effect on the health of the whole family.
Safe materials for construction
Environmentally friendly materials are very important for creating a safe home. Today's market offers a huge selection of building materials, which are divided into two groups. It:
- completely environmentally friendly;
- eco-friendly shareware.
Environmentally friendly materials include wood, cork, stone, natural drying oil, leather, bamboo, straw, etc. If natural raw materials are mixed with non-natural substances, then it is believed that it partially or completely lost its properties.
Wood is a natural material. A special microclimate and wonderful aroma are floating in houses made of such raw materials. But a tree often undergoes rotting, pests. Moss, fungus or mold may appear on it. Therefore, it is impossible to use a tree for building a house without special treatment, which will protect it from biological damage. After processing, it will become conditionally environmentally friendly.
Stone is the most durable and reliable material. Despite this, he is able to accumulate radiation. Before use, it should be checked for radiation background.
For the roof, experts recommend choosing a slate. It is environmentally friendly. Natural. It has a layered arrangement of minerals. It is considered the most expensive roofing material and lasts a long time.
Conditionally environmentally friendly raw materials are made from natural materials. It is characterized by high technical performance and is not harmful to health. These are ceramic blocks and bricks, as well as cellular concrete. These materials are made of clay without the use of chemical components. They are durable and highly resistant to negative environmental influences.
Aerated concrete block is a type of cellular concrete. This is a stone made of cement. On the outside, it has evenly distributed pores. The material is light and durable. It has good soundproofing abilities.
Another relatively environmentally friendly material is tile. It is made of clay. Natural. It is a very expensive and heavy building material. Her styling requires special skill.
Environmentally friendly materials, of course, are important for building a house, but do not forget about the finishing of the premises. Here, you also need to use natural building materials.
Safe floors
The floors in the house are not always safe for health. They can be made of low-quality material that releases toxic elements. The floors in the house should be from:
- a tree;
- traffic jams;
- laminate class E1;
- linoleum from natural raw materials;
- parquet flooring.
As a rule, despite the naturalness of the material, wood or parquet is often varnished so that the floor has a beautiful appearance and is durable. Here you should not save, but you need to choose high-quality varnish from well-known manufacturers.
If linoleum is to be used for flooring, then it must have a certificate of hygienic conformity, which indicates the class of emission and material. E1 class has the minimum amount of formaldehyde and is the safest. The linoleum classes E2 and E3 are used only in non-residential premises.
A laminate can be used to cover the floor. It is made of 80% paper and wood shavings. The remainder consists of synthetic resins. Despite the natural raw materials, the laminate is coated with formaldehyde resins. Safe is considered a coating with acrylic resins. Formaldehyde in the laminate should be no more than 0.12 mg per 1 m 3 .
Wall decoration
For wall decoration, the safest are ordinary paper or non-woven wallpaper made from pressed paper. Vinyl wallpapers are considered toxic. In a residential building they are not recommended.
If you use paint to decorate the walls, then you should not purchase the first one that comes across. The product intended for surface painting may contain hazardous substances, lead pigments, and volatile solvents. Inhaling these substances is hazardous to health. Solvents for paints are also harmful to humans ; they contain volatile compounds. Alkyd paints are considered the most harmful.
Wall insulation
In addition to decorative wall decoration, an important role is played by the insulation inside the house. Expanded polystyrene in this case is unsafe. It releases carcinogens - styrenes.
The safest materials are fiberglass, polyurethane foam, ecowool, cotton, linen, moss and other natural materials. They have excellent insight, have heat and sound insulation.
What windows should I choose?
Despite the fact that many manufacturers indicate the safety of plastic windows, some residents after their installation note a deterioration in well-being. The harm of plastic windows is obvious, because the polyvinyl chloride from which they are made is a toxic component. In the manufacturing process, polyvinyl chloride is mixed with harmless chemicals, as a result of which it loses its activity, and the toxicity of the windows becomes minimal. There is lead in the windows, but in minimal quantities.
Plastic double-glazed windows adversely affect air exchange. Their tightness increases the dust content in the house, prevents the weathering of vapors. In the summer, for the same reason, a musty smell may form in the room.
Experts note that only poor quality windows made of cheap plastic have a negative effect on the body. Well-known companies are constantly improving their products, so their double-glazed windows are practically safe for health.
The best option for home ecology are windows with wooden frames. They are environmentally friendly. They do not emit harmful substances and are durable.
House air purification
Impossible without cleaning the airspace ecology at home. Plants help cleanse the air and improve the energy of living spaces. In this situation, indoor plants are indispensable. Absorbing carbon dioxide, they enrich the air with oxygen. These plants include chlorophytum, sansevier, ivy, pelargonium, dracaena, ficus, anthurium and others. They operate more efficiently than many household appliances. One large plant is used per 10 meters of area, one small plant per five square meters.
There are plants that not only purify the air, but disinfect it, since their leaves contain essential oils (geranium, myrtle, laurel tree, lemon).
An air purifier can be used to clean the air. It cleans the air of dust and toxic substances, disinfects and ionizes it.
Household chemicals
The safety of household chemicals in the ecology of a residential building plays an important role. Most household cleaning products are unsafe for health and contain cationic and anionic ionic surfactants. They are often used in detergents, so non-ionic surfactants should be preferred. The percentage of cationic or anionic surfactants should not exceed five.
If environmental friendliness is in the first place in a house, then when buying household chemicals pay attention to products containing natural substances. You can also wash dishes with natural soap, soda or mustard.
Washing powders should be selected phosphate-free with zeolite content, which replaced phosphates and are considered harmless. Enzymes and polymers are also added to eco-friendly powders. They are used to get rid of stains on clothes.
Household appliances
Complete ecology in everyday life cannot be achieved until electromagnetic waves that negatively affect health are neutralized. They destroy the structure of cells, affecting the nervous system and muscle tissue, cause insomnia, disruption of the gastrointestinal system.
Typically, most appliances are located in the kitchen. Many of them emit electromagnetic radiation. This is a microwave oven, electric stoves, refrigerators that do not create frost. So that radiation does not have a negative effect on a person, household appliances must be positioned in the correct way. Their impact should not affect places where people spend a lot of time.
Sockets are recommended to be located as close to the floor as possible. Warm electric floors should not be used in the nursery and under the bed. Household appliances must be disconnected from the outlet, as even in standby mode it emits electromagnetic waves.
And what about the phenomenon of harm to microwaves? Myth or reality of their negative impact on humans? Experts say that the microwave oven emits non-ionizing waves that do not have a radioactive effect. Magnetic radiation from the microwave is indeed present, and quite strong, but during cooking. It is believed that at this moment should be at arm's length from the device. Then the radiation will not have a negative effect.
When cooking, is microwave damage harmful? Myth or reality of their harmful effects on food? Scientific studies have shown that microwave does not change the structure of products and does not make dishes carcinogenic. After all, it allows you to cook unroasted food without the use of oil. Dishes in the microwave are cooked quickly, therefore, they are less heat treated and retain more nutrients. The danger of this device is more of a myth than reality.
In addition to the microwave oven, they often use an electric kettle, a slow cooker, a TV, a toaster, a computer, a coffee maker and other devices. With their simultaneous inclusion, there is a probability of the imposition of one electromagnetic field on another. If it is impossible to completely abandon household appliances, then their use should be minimized. It is necessary to change the filters on the air conditioner in a timely manner, otherwise it can be hazardous to health and emit toxins, will serve as a source of various infections.
TV is a gift of civilization. But in addition to the pleasure of watching it, you can get magnetic radiation. To minimize the negative impact of the device, you need to spend at the screen no more than three hours and be at a safe distance from it.
Do not place household appliances in places of sleep and rest. You should not sleep next to the equipment, the distance to it should be at least three meters. It is not necessary to allow the imposition of one magnetic field on another, since in these places the radiation will be twice as large.
Rules of ecological life
Creating a safe home, you should not save on repairs. As a rule, cheap materials for decoration often contain toxic substances. Wallpaper, like other materials, must be of high quality and meet safety standards. They must have a special marking indicating that the product has passed certification.
For the home, you need to choose furniture made of natural wood, since plastic, particleboard and synthetics often emit harmful substances. Do not save on household appliances. Large manufacturers take care that their equipment is safe and not harmful to health.
In order for the house to be environmentally friendly, wet cleaning is often necessary. A lot of dust accumulates in the living room. Wet cleaning cleans the air, prevents the reproduction of dust mites and mold spores.
Humidifiers and ionizers should be used to clean the air. In summer, when the air conditioner is working, and in winter with central heating, the air in the house becomes dry. These devices moisturize the airspace, create a healthy atmosphere.
All household appliances must be unplugged. It is not necessary to place equipment in places of sleep and rest, and its use should be minimized.
To make a safe home, you need to conduct an environmental assessment of housing. It will reveal not only the fungus, but also radiation, electromagnetic radiation, the presence of toxic gases.
An eco-friendly residential building is one where people are attentive to their health, try to minimize the presence of negative factors and improve their quality of life.