Your House, Your Health: A Non-Toxic Building Guide

WARNING! If you find the subject of formaldehyde fumes in your domicile disturbing, you may not want to read further. John Bower, builder, author, and founder of the Healthy House Institute, is the host for this eye (and nose) opening look at indoor pollution. In his introductory remarks, Bower points out that many new houses may contain as many as 200 potentially harmful chemicals located in common building materials. These chemicals can exude pollutants which, in turn, may cause allergies, chemical sensitivities, and possibly worse. Using the three principles of "Eliminate," "Separate," and "Ventilate," Bower takes viewers through a 1568 square foot model home that features a wide variety of health-conscious improvements. Beginning with the garage (site of noxious fumes which can be transported into the house), Bower does a complete walk-through pointing out his reasons for favoring tile over carpet (the latter is laced with chemicals), steel cabinets over wood cabinets (the latter often exudes formaldehyde fumes), and choosing a water-efficient toilet (1.6 gallons per flush as compared to the standard nearly 5 gallons per flush water hog on many toilets). In addition, the video addresses the advantages of electric baseboard heating, outlines the basics for an impressive ventilation system, and advises viewers to use the kind of smoke detectors that contain no radioactive material. Although Bower freely admits that the model house might be a tad more than the average homeowner would want in a healthy house (although Howard Hughes would have been in seventh heaven), Your House, Your Health's real strength lies in making people aware of the problem and the available options. Recommended. (Available from: The Healthy House Institute, 7471 North Shiloh Road, Unionville, IN 47468; (812) 332-5073.)