Posts Tagged ‘Eco-friendly’
August 8th, 2010
With the increased awareness about global warming, people are choosing Environmentally Friendly Product options in every aspect. More and more homeowners are opting for green flooring option for their house. There are many green flooring options available today, which offer homeowners a wide range of options to choose from. They can choose the one which best suits their budget and complements the interior of their home. Installing green flooring options is not only beneficial for the environment but also helps you earn tax benefits and rebates; thus helping in saving substantial amounts of money which offsets the overall installation cost of the green flooring at your home. In addition, you can also gain better financing for your new floor or home.
There are different types of green flooring options available in the market amongst which you can choose as per your budget and preference. Bamboo is a green flooring option which is increasingly gaining popularity amongst several homeowners. This beautifully imitates the look of wooden floor, and is an inexpensive option. It is a highly sustainable and rapidly renewing resource which matures in just three years. Bamboo is also highly resilient and durable which can easily withstand high foot traffic. Since it is moisture resistant, it can be used in any part of your house, including bathroom and kitchen.
Another popular green flooring option is the cork which is becoming a common flooring choice for many homeowners. It is very resilient, hypo-allergenic, inexpensive and easy to install. Since cork gets easily damaged, it cannot be used in areas with high foot traffic. Also, since cork is also not resistant to moisture, it should not be used in bathrooms or areas where risk of exposure to moisture is high. However, because of its cushioning quality it is a great option for kitchen, where it reduces the risk of breakage of crockery on falling. In addition, it offers insulation because of its heat-retaining qualities, which helps in keeping the house warm and saving on electricity bill during the winters. It also helps in reducing noise because of its sound-deadening qualities.
Linoleum is another great flooring option, which many homeowners confuse with vinyl. It is a green flooring option which is made from natural material like resin, wood & cork flour, linseed, jute as well as ecologically responsible pigments. An added advantage is that all the natural material is available in abundance. This natural flooring is soft and highly durable as well as easy to maintain and clean. Linoleum flooring is available in a wide range of vibrant colors which do not fade with time. Other benefits of using linoleum is that it is naturally fire resistant, anti -static, hypo-allergenic, biodegradable, and can be recycled as well.
There are some other green flooring options as well which include sustainable woods, wool carpets, sisal, jute and sea grass amongst many others. With a whole world of choices, you can select the right flooring option which, not only suits your budget, but blends well with your home’s decor.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com
July 2nd, 2010
Stone flooring is not a new concept and has been extensively used in buildings and structures around the globe. Stone flooring is renowned for its rich visual appeal as well as high durability and sustainability. Along with these benefits, stone flooring is also moisture resistant and does not release harmful by-products. It is the combination of these benefits and the green preposition offered by stone flooring that it is widely being used in households.
Stone flooring is a naturally green option that can significantly change the atmosphere inside your house. However, a number of households refrain from installing stone flooring due to the relatively high cost of stone as compared to other options. Even with its high cost stone flooring can easily become a part of your green home remodeling plan.
As far as the high cost of stone flooring is concerned it is the main factor that deters households from option for this option. However, experts are of the opinion that the cost of installing stone flooring is not more than that of installing tiles. Furthermore, benefits such as low maintenance, high durability and a healthier home cover for the comparatively high price of stone flooring.
Another benefit of stone flooring is its high thermal mass, which makes it ideal for a green heating and cooling scheme. During winter days stone absorbs the solar heat to ensure that the floor remains warm for a long period of time. Similarly, during summers, stone flooring does not get excessively warm and uncomfortable. Along with these benefits, the high thermal mass of stone flooring makes it ideal to be used along with a radiant floor heating system. A radiant floor heating system beneath a stone floor will be more effective and will consume less electricity.
You can make your stone flooring even more Eco-friendly by installing it in a proper manner. Using recycled stone flooring can be beneficial since it would be available at a lower price and would offer similar aesthetics as a new one. It is also advisable to purchase stone from a local quarry to minimize the labor and fuel costs associated with transportation.
While installing the stone flooring you can take several steps to ensure a completely green installation. Using a low toxic sealer and applying seal grout in high moisture areas are some of the ways to get maximum benefit from your stone flooring. Traditional sealers give off, toxic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and contribute to a number of health issues. Using a green sealant will eliminate all such issues. Similarly, grout can be a potential breeding ground for mold and mildew. Applying sealer can ensure that your stone flooring remains free from such problems for a long duration of time.
It is evident that stone flooring has a number of distinct advantages, and is a green option as well. The green benefits of stone flooring can further be extended if proper care is taken during the installation process. These benefits will ensure that you get maximum value for your investment in stone flooring.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com
April 17th, 2010
The environment friendly products and materials are increasingly being used these days as it helps in reducing global warming & pollution. It is the responsibility of each & every individual to contribute towards making the environment clean & healthy. Hence, make your contribution by going green and using eco friendly products for building or renovating your home.
One must make use of natural stones, which can be used for building both the interiors as well as the exteriors of the house. Marble and graphite are good examples of natural stones that are widely used for building homes; these are durable and require minimal maintenance. Moreover, these stones provide an elegant outlook and are highly reasonable when it comes to price.
You can also paint your roof in white or light colors. Not only will this look elegant, but will also help in reflecting back the harmful radiation; this is also good alternative to keep your house cool the natural way. The US Secretary of Energy and a Nobel prize-winning scientist Steven Chu stated that the green house effect can be minimized by making a building reflective where the sunlight gets bounced back into space.
While constructing or refurbishing your home, make use of eco friendly products such as environment friendly flooring material. Recently, these eco friendly products have become quite a rage since these are attractive, durable as well as affordable. Moreover, you have so many options to select from, such as bamboo which gives a wood like effect. Other options include cork flooring, linoleum flooring, stone flooring, ceramic or glass tiles. All these are eye catching options, come in variety of colors and are sturdy as well as long lasting. Apart from this, you can use radiant electric floor heating systems, based on the principle of thermal heat radiation. This is more beneficial than using other heating options, such as electric base board heat, gas furnaces, wood and boilers. Electric floor heating systems consume less energy and prove to be highly economical.
Moreover, you can use eco friendly cleaning solutions which do not contain harsh and harmful chemicals. The harmful chemicals present in traditional cleaning solutions can cause breathlessness, dizziness and uneasiness along with having long term side effects such as cancer. Apart from this, chemicals such as chlorine bleach, ammonia, sodium hydroxide and phosphates found in traditional cleaning solutions are harmful to the environment. Hence, make use of eco friendly cleaning solutions, made up of biodegradable constituents, with a neutral pH (7) as for cleaning your home.
The eco friendly products are not only beneficial for humans but also for the environment and if each one of us realizes the significance of these products, our planet will definitely become a cleaner place to live. Therefore, for your own benefit and for the benefit of mankind use eco friendly products for your home.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com
March 25th, 2010
A number of people complain of dizziness, breathlessness and general uneasiness while using a cleaning solvent. One of the primary causes for this could be due to the harmful chemicals that are present in cleaning solutions used by you. Apart from such short term effects, harmful chemicals in traditional cleaning solutions are known to cause serious conditions such as cancer.
Ammonia, Chlorine Bleach, Phosphates and Sodium Hydroxide are some of the chemicals that are found in cleaning solutions. These chemicals are not only harmful to humans, but cause severe damage to the environment as well. It is for this reason that you are recommended to use eco friendly cleaning solutions instead of traditional ones that contain harmful chemicals.
A number of eco friendly solutions are available in the market these days; however, it is important to carefully analyze their constituents in order to be sure of their eco friendly nature. A few things that you should consider while selecting an eco friendly cleaning solution include their pH levels, level of solvents and their biodegradable nature. Cleaning solutions that have pH levels of either more than 7 or less than 7 are considered to be highly corrosive; therefore, you should look for a cleaning solution that has a neutral pH level. Solvents such as PGEs (Propylene Glycol Ethers) and EGEs (Ethylene glycol ethers) are also considered to be harmful and should be avoided in a cleaning solution. Finally, it is important to consider the biodegradable nature of your cleaning solution to ensure that it does not harm the environment.
Use of eco friendly cleaning solutions will benefit you & your family by reducing the risk of allergies as well as toxins. Children and the elderly are generally more prone to allergies that are caused by chemicals found in cleaning solutions. Bleaches, phosphates and perfumes found in most cleaning agents are known to cause severe allergies. It is important to realize this correlation between allergies and such chemicals, and to reduce the use of these harmful chemicals by purchasing eco friendly cleaning solutions.
Most of the traditional cleaning solutions contain toxins that can cause severe conditions such as cancer and respiratory problems. Such solutions, when sprayed or applied to the surface, pose a risk of inhalation, and severe medical conditions in the future. In order to ensure that your house stays free of such toxins, an ideal solution is to phase out the use of traditional cleaning solutions and replace them with eco friendly ones.
Not only are eco friendly products safe for humans and for the environment, their eco friendly nature enhances their cleaning capacity. Such solutions contain effective alkaline formula to ensure that they are safe as well as effective to use on all kinds of stones and tiles. With the numerous benefits of green cleaning solutions becoming apparent, more & more people are opting for the green way of cleaning their house. You too can eliminate the source of toxins and allergens in your house by replacing your traditional cleaning solvents with eco friendly ones.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com
March 11th, 2010
As an owner of your new house you must have surely planned a unique appearance for your entire home. One area where your unique style can be displayed is your bathroom.
The concept of designer bathrooms is gaining popularity around the world today. Modern day bathrooms are a blend of utility and creativity and are a focal point for today’s home buyer. When designing your bathroom you want to create an effect which transcends the boundary between natural and artificial elegance. Your shower area is one space where you can begin to make this a reality. How you ask? By adding a ready to tile shower bench!
A shower bench is a great idea for many reasons. It offers a way to use your shower as a personal retreat to sit back and relax. A bench allows you to replicate the effect of a spa in your bathroom and wash away all the worries under the stream of warm flowing water. With the development of sophisticated shower columns a bench is almost a necessity in your bathroom as it offers a completely refreshing experience.
The most commonly found shower benches are the free standing ones which can be easily lifted. Folding shower benches have been used in the past, but in recent years built in shower benches have gained a lot of popularity. These benches have a great load bearing capacity and also blend in perfectly with the architecture of the bathroom. The shower seats are ready to tile and can easily be added to your existing shower.
Our ready to tile shower seats offer a few distinct advantages. They are made from heavy duty high-density expanded polystyrene or metal which give them a superior load bearing capacity and reduces the chance of breakage. They are also treated to make them water resistant so that there is no requirement for additional waterproofing at the time of installation. Granite or marble models offer an elegant look and add real value to your shower. These are just some of the reasons why a ready to tile shower seat is a smart buy.
The installation process of shower seats has also been revolutionized over the years. Modern shower seats can be installed easily as they are very lightweight. The triangle shape helps them get fitted easily into your shower and also blend perfectly with the bathroom. These seats are perfect for places where the walls are plumb. A normal leveling of the wall will ensure that the shower seats can be installed easily.
The current trend in bathrooms is out with the old and in with the new. The insights of some of the most renowned designers like Antonio Bullo and David Chipperfield are lending a bright new concept to bathrooms. A shower is no longer just a bathing area but your own personal space which can help you unwind and relax. So stop standing in that old, tired looking shower. Add a ready to tile shower bench and relax in elegance.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com
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