POLLUTION-FREE HOUSING

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We used ceramic tile throughout for the floor of the house. It is inert (nonreactive) and has proved quite attractive. I mixed the mortar and grout myself from cement, sand and water, to avoid the synthetic additives common to most premixed commercial products. The thinset did contain some undesirable ingredients, but by the time it was covered with tile and the joints were grouted, it proved tolerable. Cotton and wool area rugs are used instead of synthetic fibers.

There are no 100% nontoxic insulations available. In order to avoid outgassing chemicals, we used foil-backed dry wall over fiberglass insulation and took extra pains to seal around doors, windows and electrical boxes. As a result, the insulation is totally separated from the living space. All exterior walls were insulated, dry walled and sealed before interior walls were built, to make sure that the barrier was complete. We used extruded polystyrene insulation under the four-inch concrete slab, which effectively seals the insulation from the indoors.

All the water supply lines are copper, but the drains are PVC plastic, which does out-gas. Similarly, residential electrical wire has plastic jacketing. These materials are inside the uninsulated interior walls, and we were unsure if they would present a problem. So, as a safety measure, I wrapped all such plastic with aluminum foil to minimize outgassing.

The paper facing on dry wall is made of recycled newspaper, which presents a problem because of ink residues. Fortunately, we were able to find a primer that effectively sealed the dry wall. Most commercial dry-wall joint compounds contain vinyl, fungicides and antifreeze—all potential problems. We were able to use a specially formulated nontoxic compound made in Texas. The paint we selected was imported from West Germany. It is made from "all natural" materials, but it outgassed for three months after the house was complete. Eventually, the house aired out and became tolerable. Because of the problematic materials involved in dry walling, unpainted plaster could be used instead. It is more inert, but it's also more expensive.

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