Health, Happiness, and Homes with Tee of the Green Living with Tee Podcast

Everyday Green Home

Finding a new home is not easy. We all want to live in a comfortable place that keeps us in good health and wellness, but many of us do not even know where to start because there are so many factors to consider.

I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and today I am sharing the podcast with Tee (Therese Forton-Barnes), the host of the Green Living with Tee Podcast. Both Tee and I have a strong desire to help people make their homes healthier, so we decided to introduce our two audiences to each other by co-hosting this show.

In this episode, we will be diving into some simple and straightforward ways to ensure that your home is safe, healthy, and comfortable for you, your family, and the whole community.

About Tee

Tee lives in Buffalo, New York. She has the Green Living with Tee Podcast, a business called The Green Living Gurus, and a product line called Tee’s Organics, which will launch soon.

Tee came out of college as a party planner. She ran a party and wedding planning business for thirty-five years. When the pandemic started, it was the perfect time for her to start helping people get toxic chemicals out of their homes and introduce them to a new and healthier product line.

Why should you have a greener home?

The air inside your home could be between five times and a hundred times more polluted than the outdoor air. To live your best and healthiest life, you need to control what you bring into your home. Take everything you use in your home, like cleaning supplies, laundry detergents, and even air fresheners and candles into account because the chemicals in those could weaken your immune system and potentially cause cancer or other illnesses.

One thing at a time

Talking about toxic chemicals can be scary for some people when they realize that there could be toxic items in every room.

One thing at a time

The only way to tackle the task is to do just one thing at a time and do the best you can.

Baby steps

Buying a new house is the perfect time to do a healthy detox inside the house. If you feel overwhelmed, start with baby steps, and have fun while you are doing it!

Doing it better

Having a greener home means doing things better! Regardless of where you live- if it is in a small apartment in the city or a large house in the country, there will always be things you can do to clean the air, lower the toxicity, and make your home safer and healthier for yourself and your community. Every little bit counts!

Regulations

There are currently no strict regulations for the chemicals that get used in our homes.

Understanding your home

Green homes can be certified by the National Green Building Standard, endorsed by the National Association of Home Builders. The requirements for that certification include homeowner education and homeowner documentation to prove that the people living in the home know how to operate it and keep it at its best.

Location

If your home is near factories that produce pesticides, you could find some of those toxins venting into your home. Toxins (like those found in dryer sheets) could also be venting out into the environment, and your home, from other homes nearby.

Structure

There could be toxic chemicals in the products used to construct the walls and roof assemblies of your home.

Moisture

Ensure that your home was built to keep the moisture out. That will prevent poisonous molds from growing inside the house. When buying a house, look out for any wet spots on the walls, ceilings, and floors. Also, look out for wood rot around the windows and doors.

The Hayward Score

The Hayward Score can be used to assess the overall toxicity in your home.

Ventilation

Having good ventilation in your home is essential. It is vital to have fresh air circulating in your home, especially if it is air-tight. Opening a window just a crack will improve the overall air quality of your home.

Systems

Have a fresh air intake put onto your HVAC system, and use the best filters that you can. A great trick I learned is to turn on the blower fans when I dust and vacuum to suck the dust out of the air. Remember to replace the filters regularly to ensure that the heating and cooling system keeps on working efficiently.

Air purifiers

Air purifiers can catch some of the chemicals that you cannot prevent from entering your home.

How to make things better and reduce the risk of getting sick

• If you buy a new house, give it some time to off-gas before you move in.
• Leave dry-cleaned clothes or any new items outside for a while to off-gas before bringing them inside.
• Choose interior surfaces that are easy to clean and durable. That will prevent having to use chemicals to clean them.
• Paint your walls with low or no VOC paint.

Tee’s top three tips for healthier homes:

1. Ditch the dryer sheets and change your laundry detergent for a chemical-free option.
2. Use only chemical-free cleaning supplies or make your own.
3. Filter your water and stop buying bottled water.

Light bulbs

Use LED light bulbs. They are recyclable, last for years, and use less energy.

Toilet paper

Use tree-free toilet paper so that you do no longer flush trees down the toilet.

Labels

Read your labels and get to know the ingredients in everything you buy.

Remember- it all starts with clean air, clean water, and natural light.

Referral Links:

FREE Download - Health, Happiness, and Home: How to Pick a Home that Truly Works FOR You

My website Green Home Coach

Green Living Gurus

Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home

Green Living Gurus Do You Think Your Home is Healthy?

Book: Living Green Effortlessly

What is a Healthy Home?

BONUS for RENTERS

Award-Winning Spec Home Healthier

Healthy Home Buying from Wellness Mama

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