This is the checklist I developed and used while I was looking for a healthy home over the past year.
Post by Amy Ludwigson.
When you have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, creating or finding a safe home can be one of the hardest challenges you have to face. As you become aware of the toxic chemicals in your environment, it seems like everywhere you turn there is something that could be contributing to your illness. You feel vulnerable, afraid, and helpless. People do not believe you, so you feel as if you are alone. As you are awakening out of your previous ignorance about chemicals you begin to realize how little you still know. You start making changes. Some you feel make a dramatic improvement in your health, some make you feel even sicker (which you never thought was possible). This was my story. This is my story.
I have spent the last 10 years of my life working on creating a safe home for myself. I have made plenty of mistakes, yet I have learned a lot in the process. I have studied with many of the experts in healthy home design, getting certified as a Building Biologist on the way. I have also traveled and studied forms of Feng Shui and Space Clearing, which both look at the energetic health of our homes. This checklist that I have created is by no means exhaustive, yet it is something that you can use as a guide to create your own when you are looking for a home.
This is the list I developed and used while I was looking for a healthy home over the past year. After each item I had a column for no concern, slight concern, severe concern and extreme concern. This really helped me to break down the places that I was interested in and make sure that I was not making any compromises. I sure had a lot of deal breakers, which my realtor sure got a kick out of. Yet, I was so fortunate to find a realtor that found me fascinating and not crazy! And I am happy to say that I found a beautiful studio in my favorite neighborhood in Chicago, I have been here for a month and couldn’t be happier.
So here is the checklist:
Proximity to:
Industry
Highways
Parking Lots
Golf Courses
High Tension Power Lines
Substation
Transformer
Cell Phone Tower
Radar/FM/TV station
Site Assessment:
Sprinkler system
Site drainage pattern
Rain gutter
Basement/crawlspace
Air conditioning unit
Water entrance
Electricity entrance
General Building:
Age
Remodeling
Pesticide Use
Neighbor Habits
Building Orientation
Garage Location
Materials – Inside
Materials – Outside
Insulation
Flooring Materials
Wiring (knob and tube?)
Laundry
Kitchen:
Electric or Gas Appliances
Adequate Ventilation
Age/Outgassing
Location of Appliances
Moisture:
Windows
Bathroom
Ducts
Kitchen
Indoor Air Quality:
Heating System
Cooling System
Ventilation
Duct’s Clean?
Return Vent
Combustible Gases
CO2
Humidifier
Leaks
Crawl Space, Vapor Barrier
Refrigerator Drain Pan
Plants, Mold
Exhaust in Bath/Kitchen
Filter
Other IAQ:
Asbestos
Lead
Radon
Mold
Pesticide Use:
Yes?
Storage
Neighbor Habits
Water Quality:
Age of Building
Filtration System
Local Water Report
Cleaning Supplies:
Which ones?
Storage
Electromagnetic:
Antennae Search
Visual Cell Phone Towers
Circuit Breaker Location
Geopathic Stress
Wireless (Neighbors)
Cordless Phones
Work Habits:
Computer Use
Printer Use
Hobbies
Other:
Lighting
Sunlight
Noise
I know this checklist can create a lot of questions, and probably needs a book to explain. Yet, I hope it will be a good guide for any of you looking for a place right now.
What else would you add to the list?
Come visit me at my blog Pure Habitat.
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