Not really off topic but...6

[greenpassion]

WOW!!!

[Orchid Whisperer]

Estación seca, I have a 1972-built house. By comparison to what you describe for yours, I feel "modern", but if I could afford it, I would either do a serious remodel, or start over, due to inefficient energy use.

[greenpassion]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

Estación seca, I have a 1972-built house. By comparison to what you describe for yours, I feel "modern", but if I could afford it, I would either do a serious remodel, or start over, due to inefficient energy use.

I'm totally with you on that Orchid Whisperer. I've been trying to do tiny little upgrades for years, and I'm set back from that because of having to do repairs. The electrical wiring in my house is totally illegal. The list goes on. Too bad I don't play the lottery...

[Dollythehun]

I use more electricity than my efficient neighbors...gee, I wonder why?

[greenpassion]

[Mountaineer370]

There's another side to the coin of those modern, energy-efficient homes. They are built to be practically airtight, resulting in toxins in the indoor air you breathe that can cause health issues. Modern building materials emit formaldehyde fumes and other VOCs into the air inside your home. The fire-resistant chemicals required by law on certain items emit other carcinogens. The extreme airtightness also increases the likelihood of mold in your home.

You may be able to improve the indoor air quality by running ventilation systems constantly, which sort of defeats the purpose of energy efficiency, or keeping windows open whenever possible, which will help some, but is not possible for many months of the year.

It's a double-edged sword. Old houses certainly have their safety and health issues, too. Old houses can be improved with new insulation, new energy-efficient windows, updated electrical and plumbing, but of course that is expensive.

I'm not suggesting all new houses are bad and all old houses are good, only that we should weigh the pros and cons and make informed decisions when it comes to our homes.

[greenpassion]

I work in a large mental health facility that has been around for about a hundred and seventy years or so. It's a beautiful old building that looks like it could do some sort of the New England College or something. Anyway about four years back they decided to do some remodeling on the units, what we left with are windows that won't open at all. So there's no fresh air ventilation. And policy has changed so much regarding patient care of late, but they are not even allowed outside for fresh air more than once a day in the afternoon. Nothing in the evening. I think we are all getting sick there because we're all breathing the stale air is constantly just getting recycled and recycled. The question arose the other day how often do they clean the filters? I'm guessing there must be filters or hoping there must be right?

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I use more electricity than my efficient neighbors...gee, I wonder why?

LOL! I get the same letters from AEP! My usage is way above my neighbor's and they can help...yea, right.

[Dollythehun]

As I was going to bed last night, I was thinking about exactly what Mountaineer just said. In another post, Cherie, you asked about former lives.

I worked for a major University for 20 years. I learned a lot (about how not to supervise) in book knowledge and life knowledge.

My boss had a competition going with another branch of the same University. The wager was on who had the lowest energy consumption. (OW correct me here) I think by OSHA law the building was supposed to have a complete air exchange 20x an hour? Ours was 4x. Our ducts and vents were never cleaned. Due to my job, I handled chemicals and sometimes at night when the air exchange was completely off. If one person got sick, everyone got sick. Many got cancer. I developed Multiple Chemical Syndrome.

I went to an allergist who prescribed something and wrote (numerous) letters to my employer. He finally told me to quit my job, which I did. My high water oint was when I refinished the hardwood floors in this house. I literally crawled out onto the deck and laid in the cold air until I could get up.

I developed severe headaches in response to deoderant, perfumes in any kind of beauty products, carpet, new construction, cleaning chemicals, insecticides and, I could not even walk through the treated lumber in Lowe's. I was very sick. Gradually, my body healed itself, although sometimes traffic fumes still make me ill and give me stabbing headaches.

Keep your new homes. I'll stay where I am. Our home is cute and clean and functional and if my windows keep weeping, I'll replace them, it's better than being poisoned.

(As an aside, a number of years later, my boss sought me out and apologized in tears for what he had done to us, that takes character).

[Mountaineer370]

Wow, Carol, what a terrible workplace situation you were in. I can empathize since I also have multiple chemical sensitivities. I have the same kind of bad reactions to perfume, cleaning products, insecticides, and on and on. Right now, I'm in a quandary as I need a new mattress and I'm struggling to find one that is not made with memory foam, fire retardant, and all the other things that make me sick.

Greenpassion, it is a dilemma, isn't it? We have beautiful old buildings, but sometimes they are no longer considered safe or efficient, so they are remodeled. I think the designers need to consider the human needs and not just economic and regulatory requirements.