The new R-Plus Insulation from Terminix is like the kid in high school who did everything well. As most plodded along pulling B's and girls' braids, this Renaissance Man hit home runs for the baseball team, played drums for the popular high school rock band and wrote brilliant plays in rhyming iambic pentameter. So does Terminix's new insulation relegate all others to the realm of mediocrity. What, your insulation only keeps out the cold? Boooooring.
Here's a bulleted list of what R-Plus has going for it:
- Saves the environment. R-Plus is made from 87% recycled materials, like old newspapers.
- Kills termites. The insulation is bonded in a patented process with boric acid, which controls pests like termites, cockroaches, ants and silverfish.
- Qualifies for Federal Tax Credit. You could save up to $1500 by purchasing R-Plus.
- Saves up to 20% in heating and cooling costs. R-Plus is Energy Star-rated. Ever heard of it?
It's quite a resume. Sadly, R-Plus could not be reached for comment. It was volunteering at the local soup kitchen before heading off to a Chemistry study group.
Would you consider R-Plus for your insulation needs? How about for Homecoming King?
It might be too late to spare China's embarrassment over the contaminated drywall mess, but apparently it isn't too late to right their wrong.
That's what Sabre Technical Services is doing, with their chlorine dioxide decontamination process which -- once injected into the tainted drywall -- renders the problematic reduced sulfur compounds inert.
The company claims that the process requires homeowners to vacate their home for less than a week and costs less than the "rip and rebuild" alternative, which doesn't sound like much fun at all.
What would you do: Hope this is a great fix or start from scratch with new drywall?
The company that redefined "clean" is taking the flu head-on, by giving away 1,500 free shots at the South Central Family Health Clinic in South Central, Los Angeles, on Wednesday, October 21. The free flu shots will be available from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, and both adults and children will be eligible.
Clorox seems intent on preparing its faithful customers for Outbreak 2010, with an entire page on their site devoted to the latest flu strain.
With homeowners sealing up their windows, doors and walls against the oncoming winter and all its accompanying germs, viruses, and what-have-you, it's a good time to evaluate the indoor air quality (IAQ) of the home. Now might be a good moment to consider an air purifier, or run down this list of the top 10 contributors to poor indoor air quality.
In the meantime, are you getting the flu shot and/or the H1N1 shot this season?
Here's a convincing argument for chlorine-free pools: Children who spent more than 100 hours swimming in chlorinated pools are up to six times at risk of having asthma and allergies as other teens. "There is little doubt that pool chlorine is an important factor implicated in the epidemic of allergic diseases affecting the westernized world," said head researcher Alfred Bernard. According to Bernard, chlorine in swimming pools affects children's respiratory health more than secondhand smoke.
The study surveyed 814 teens ages 13 to 18 before arriving at the surprising (to this writer) conclusion. Researchers speculate toxic chemicals in the water and hovering in the air promote respiratory allergies. No coincidence that the most cases of asthma are in the countries with the most swimming pools. Learn more about switching to a self-cleaning chlorine-free pool.
Kathy Hemenway's home in Snowflake, Ariz. has no paint, carpet or TV. It was built without plywood, particleboard or tar paper. Such is the price she is willing to pay in an effort to create the completely non-toxic home. Born with extreme chemical sensitivities, Hemenway has been on a lifelong quest to rid her environment of chemicals. Now she lives in a remote desert town in a steel-framed home made of masonry blocks, with a ceramic tile floor. It reminded me of a more extreme version of the allergen-free American Lung Association Showhouse Bob visited in season two of Bob Vila.
While Hemenway's home highlights important concerns researchers have about indoor air quality, other researchers "worry that consumers' fears are getting ahead of the scientific evidence." What do you think, a visionary or a modern day Howard Hughes?
The case of the Chinese drywall keeps getting bigger and bigger. While the Sun Sentinel estimated it cost Miami home builder, Lennar Corp., $99,500 per house to fix the tainted drywall, a Florida politician estimated that 100,000 Florida homes may be facing similar problems. The USPSC has received more than 550 complaints about the drywall, which include a rotten egg smell and wiring corrosion. It is unclear where the manufacturing went wrong, but investigators are pursuing the matter.
Is there a link between air conditioning and asthma? This report in the April 2009 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives suggests there might be. Over a thirty year period, the number of homes with air conditioning went from 15 percent in 1972 to over 60 percent in 2002. Over the same period the nation has witnessed a doubling of the number of asthma cases, from 3.4 percent to 7.8 percent. The authors concede they cannot tell if air conditioning directly causes asthma or if other factors, such as the more indoor-based, sedentary lifestyle that may go along with it, are to blame. But they do assert that reduced fresh air infiltration and increased exposure to airborne particulate matter (dust, etc.) may negatively impact indoor air quality. For tips on how to counteract this, read our article "Is Your Home's Air Safe" and this one on cleaning air ducts.
