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Since early 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has been contacted by more than 1,000 residents of 27 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia about possible chemical emissions from imported drywall that was used when their homes were built or remodeled. Most calls were from persons in Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia.

At this time, experts believe that defective drywall imported from China was installed in homes built or remodeled after 2003.

The number and location of all affected or potentially affected homes are not yet known.

CPSC is leading the federal investigation into complaints about imported drywall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are providing technical support to CPSC and several state health departments. CDC and ATSDR are working with other federal and state agencies to identify what chemicals are in the drywall and if these chemicals are a health risk to persons living in homes containing this drywall.

How can I find out if my home has imported drywall?

Corrosion: Are any of your home's copper pipes, plumbing fixtures, or uninsulated electrical wires at light switches or receptacles corroded? Have your air conditioner evaporator coils failed early? Metal or copper corrosion of these types may mean there is defective drywall in your home.

Odor: Does your home have an odor that smells like rotten eggs, matches, or fireworks? A sulfur odor in the home might mean defective drywall is present.

Label: Can you see the back side of your drywall? Some drywall from China is stamped with "Made in China" on the back. However, some Chinese drywall does not have a label or markings.

The Florida Department of Health developed a guide for residents to help them identify drywall problems.

What has been found in the air of homes that contain imported drywall?

State and federal agencies are testing the air inside some homes in Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi. They are testing homes in which homeowners suspect they have contaminated drywall and, for comparison, other homes in which no problems have been reported. State and federal agencies will evaluate these results to determine whether there is a health problem. This evaluation is expected in the fall of 2009.

How can Chinese drywall affect my health?

Some persons are more sensitive than others to possible chemical exposures. An exposure that causes no problems for some people can make other people sick or uncomfortable. Persons most likely to get sick from breathing contaminated air include the elderly, children, and people with asthma, allergies, lung disease, and heart problems. Until federal agencies get more information from the indoor air testing, it is not possible to determine if the symptoms people are experiencing are possibly from drywall.

What else should I do if I may be having health problems from imported drywall?

See or call a doctor if you are experiencing health problems and say that you are concerned your illness might be related to imported drywall. Tell your doctor about the health care provider fact sheet for imported drywall. A fact sheet from CDC tells your health care provider how to get more information.

• Go outdoors to get fresh air. Scientists do not know what, if any, benefit there is to opening windows to allow fresh air to come into the home.

Are there other problems I should watch for in my home that may be related to imported drywall?

• Some homes with imported drywall have had damage to exposed wiring. We do not know of any house fires that have occurred related to the drywall. If you experience unusual electrical problems in your home (such as appliances or light switches not working), ask a licensed electrician to check out the problem.

Where can I get additional information?

You can report a drywall problem to CPSC  by calling them at 1-800-638-2772.

Since early 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has been contacted by more than 1,000 residents of 27 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia about possible chemical emissions from imported drywall that was used when their homes were built or remodeled. Most calls were from persons in Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia.

At this time, experts believe that defective drywall imported from China was installed in homes built or remodeled after 2003.

The number and location of all affected or potentially affected homes are not yet known.

CPSC is leading the federal investigation into complaints about imported drywall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are providing technical support to CPSC and several state health departments. CDC and ATSDR are working with other federal and state agencies to identify what chemicals are in the drywall and if these chemicals are a health risk to persons living in homes containing this drywall.

How can I find out if my home has imported drywall?

Corrosion: Are any of your home's copper pipes, plumbing fixtures, or uninsulated electrical wires at light switches or receptacles corroded? Have your air conditioner evaporator coils failed early? Metal or copper corrosion of these types may mean there is defective drywall in your home.

Odor: Does your home have an odor that smells like rotten eggs, matches, or fireworks? A sulfur odor in the home might mean defective drywall is present.

Label: Can you see the back side of your drywall? Some drywall from China is stamped with "Made in China" on the back. However, some Chinese drywall does not have a label or markings.

The Florida Department of Health developed a guide for residents to help them identify drywall problems.

What has been found in the air of homes that contain imported drywall?

State and federal agencies are testing the air inside some homes in Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi. They are testing homes in which homeowners suspect they have contaminated drywall and, for comparison, other homes in which no problems have been reported. State and federal agencies will evaluate these results to determine whether there is a health problem. This evaluation is expected in the fall of 2009.

How can Chinese drywall affect my health?

Some persons are more sensitive than others to possible chemical exposures. An exposure that causes no problems for some people can make other people sick or uncomfortable. Persons most likely to get sick from breathing contaminated air include the elderly, children, and people with asthma, allergies, lung disease, and heart problems. Until federal agencies get more information from the indoor air testing, it is not possible to determine if the symptoms people are experiencing are possibly from drywall.

What else should I do if I may be having health problems from imported drywall?

See or call a doctor if you are experiencing health problems and say that you are concerned your illness might be related to imported drywall. Tell your doctor about the health care provider fact sheet for imported drywall. A fact sheet from CDC tells your health care provider how to get more information.

• Go outdoors to get fresh air. Scientists do not know what, if any, benefit there is to opening windows to allow fresh air to come into the home.

Are there other problems I should watch for in my home that may be related to imported drywall?

• Some homes with imported drywall have had damage to exposed wiring. We do not know of any house fires that have occurred related to the drywall. If you experience unusual electrical problems in your home (such as appliances or light switches not working), ask a licensed electrician to check out the problem.

Where can I get additional information?

You can report a drywall problem to CPSC  by calling them at 1-800-638-2772.

I mentioned that even though I've been researching and writing about windows and doors, I still wasn't sure whre "fenestration" came from.  I mused in front of the wrong person!!!

Fenestration

Here's my version:  The term is derived from an 18th century contractor who wasn't very good at his job, but who livened up the workplace as  the butt of all jokes... George Fenester, the window guy, could not install a window without breaking at least one pane of glass.   On a particularly troubling day, he fell backwards and shattered an entire stack of glass panes.  His buddies kidded him by asking, "Hey George, feeling a little Fenestration today?"  It was followed by howls of laughter...they found it humorous, most likely because they were uneducated laborers who did not have access to fine comedic programming...or even to TV for that matter.


By David Hylton

I mentioned that even though I've been researching and writing about windows and doors, I still wasn't sure where "fenestration" came from.  I mused in front of the wrong person!!!

Fenestration

Here's my version:  The term is derived from an 18th century contractor who wasn't very good at his job, but who livened up the workplace as  the butt of all jokes... George Fenester, the window guy, could not install a window without breaking at least one pane of glass.   On a particularly troubling day, he fell backwards and shattered an entire stack of glass panes.  His buddies kidded him by asking, "Hey George, feeling a little Fenestration today?"  It was followed by howls of laughter...they found it humorous, most likely because they were uneducated laborers who did not have access to fine comedic programming...or even to TV for that matter.


By David Hylton

California regulators have approved using residential "gray water" by issuing an emergency decision that allows residents to create simple water-reuse systems without a construction permit.

The California Building Standards Commission had expected an overhaul of gray-water rules to take effect in 2011. But on Thursday, it adopted the regulations on an emergency basis due to the deepening drought. Local health agencies may adopt stricter conditions than the state's after they hold public hearings.

Gray water includes wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, laundry tubs and washing machines, but not from toilets, kitchen sinks or dishwashers.

Homeowners still must follow state guidelines for installation and use. The rules require minimal contact between people and the gray water, for instance by covering the water-release point with at least 2 inches of rock, mulch or other material.

'GRAY WATER' FACTS

New state rules provide permit exemptions for some residential gray-water systems, but people still have to follow several requirements. They include:

 The system must allow users to direct water to an irrigation field or the sewer.

 Ponding and gray-water runoff are prohibited.

 Gray water can be released above ground, but the discharge point must be covered by at least 2 inches of mulch, rock or other material that minimizes human contact.

 Water used to wash diapers or other soiled garments must be sent to the sewer.

 Gray water shouldn't be used on root vegetables.

Online: For more information about California's new standards for gray-water systems, go to uniontrib.com/more/gray.

Roughly 1.7 million gray-water systems are installed statewide. Most are illegal because homeowners almost always avoid permits and the associated fees.

Do-it-yourselfers can build a gray-water system for $200 or less, but permitting-process costs can more than double the expense.

A standard home generates about 160 gallons of gray water per day, or nearly 60,000 gallons per year, state officials said. A family of four could reuse 22,000 gallons a year by tapping the rinse water from its washing machine.

Take the Guesswork Out of an FM Approved Roof

Even though we spend as much as 95% of our time indoors... humans still respond positively to daylight.  We awake in the morning light and we get sleepy in the dark.  That genetic reality can be used effectively at work and at home by maximizing the use of natural light.

When used in conjunction with photosensor or light-dimming controls, skylights such as Carlisle's DryLight can provide significant energy savings by reducing the use of artificial lighting, minimizing peak electrical loads and reducing overall operating costs. Because of its eco-friendly characteristics, natural light skylights such as Carlisle's DryLight can significantly contribute toward LEED® credit requirements in three categories.

Studies have shown that daylighting increases productivity in the workplace, improves learning in schools and increases purchasing by 5-8% in retail stores.

Carlisle SynTec
http://carlisle-syntec.com

• Nearly half (49%) of U.S. homeowners are not aware if the cleaning products they use are environmentally safe.
• 58% are likely (likely/very likely/extremely likely) to purchase "green" cleaning products.
• 63% of homeowners are concerned (concerned/very concerned/extremely concerned) that cleaning products may be made with chemicals that may be hazardous to their health. One in five (21%) are extremely concerned.
• Carpet is the most common floor covering in U.S. homes. The majority of U.S. homeowners use carpet in bedrooms (80%), living rooms (65%), offices/dens (68%) and family rooms (63%).
• The majority (52%) of survey participants indicated the primary advantage of carpet is that it's comfortable. 41% say the biggest drawback is that it shows soil.
• Among homeowners who replaced their carpet, 49% did so because of wear while four in 10 (38%) replaced carpet due to soiling and staining issues.
• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. homeowners have rugs in their homes.
• Half of U.S. homeowners (50 percent) say it's extremely or very important to hire a professional cleaning service that is certified by a professional organization.

About the IICRC
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is an ANSI-accredited non-profit certifying body for the flooring inspection, floor covering and specialized fabric cleaning and disaster restoration industries.

How Healthy Are National Green Building Programs?, The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) compared green building and indoor air quality guidelines.

The study recommends the following improvements be made to several programs to reduce contaminants:

• Avoid the use of mold susceptible materials in areas likely to get wet (bathrooms). Use dense glass gypsum board instead of paper-backed gypsum board.
• Require sub-slab depressurization systems [radon mitigation system ] in new homes to help reduce soil odors.
• Set the hot water heater to 120 degrees F. This is primarily a safety issue although setting the temperature to 120-140°F vs. 160-180°F saves 10% energy as well.

Except for the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) all programs require compliance with the ventilation standard ASHRAE 62.2. NCHH recommends NAHB add this requirement to their guidelines.

You've probably noticed the side-loading clothes washers and wondered if they really save energy and water!

Yes, and YES!

Horizontal axis clothes washers cut power by 30% or washing and reduces water use by requiring less in the tub for each load.

You can also reduce dryer energy by 10 to 20% by using the new appliances designed for energy efficiency.  Look for the ENERGY STAR label to ensure that you're getting models with the best energy efficiency.

If you have Solar PV cells or a Solar Thermal system...run your wash in the afternoons with solar hot water and solar power!

You can also save energy by hanging your clothes to dry.  Indoors.  Outdoors....take your choice...they are both zero energy options!

Energy Star Dishwashers
If you're the kind of cook who absolutely refuses to wash your dishes in the sink -- which is far more energy and water efficient than an appliance -- be sure to select the highest efficiency model using Energy Star rating.  Look for the Energy Guide label.

Where you place your dishwasher and clothes washer can also save you money.  By keeping the (Insulated pipes, of course!) plumbing lines to the waer heater SHORT, you save temperature cooling.  And consider designing your water heater close to both kitchen and bathrooms for greatest building and energy economy!

Designing your energy and water infrastructure for efficiency is step one in energy savings.  Nothing can make up for large houses, long distance plumbing, or inefficient applieances.  And you can end up paying many times the initial cost of the construction in your rising energy bills!  Think ahead to save for years to come.