![]() ![]() You could go with totally custom-made wood windows, but they are more expensive and you still have to consider what kind of sealer you can tolerate on the inside and outside.įor an exterior sealer see my post on paints and sealers. Loewen is one of the brands that uses Accoya wood and allows you to choose your paint brand. They use no chemical fungicides or mildewcides and they claim this process helps to reduce shrinking and swelling compared to most solid wood windows. Safer WoodĪccoya wood used in some window brands uses a non-toxic process called acetylation to naturally provide rot resistance. You could use a sealer that seals those chemicals like AFM Safe Seal, AFM Transitional Primer, or Zinsser Shellac (the Bullseye Shellac is waxed and harder to paint over, the SealCoat is dewaxed and easier to paint over). Wood windows are usually treated with fungicides, pesticides, and insecticides. The gaskets are made out of rubber or PVC. Some baked-on enamel finishes and paints can offgas, the other two are considered safe. The finishes I have seen on aluminum windows are baked-on enamel, resin paints, powder-coated, and anodized. The most extremely sensitive clients can pick up the seal, PVC glass stop and some glues used. Marvin has a line called Modern which is fiberglass on the outside, and aluminum on the inside (either powder coated or anodized) which some sensitive folks have liked. Non thermally broken aluminum windows are not a good idea to use as they conduct heat and cold and easily condensate.Īluminum clad means there is an exterior of aluminum which usually has wood inside. Thermally broken aluminum windows are all aluminum with polyurethane inside. What is used in the windows as a thermal break is blocked by the glass and metal so there is no need to worry about much offgassing. High-end aluminum thermally broken window brands include Western, Arcadia, and Fleetwood. Milgard is a popular brand that makes thermally broken all aluminum windows (US and Canada). You can also use decorative moldings around the windows. On the interior, I added wood framing trim. It is what I used in my tiny house (pictured above). Some have reported these having no smell and others more sensitive still can pick up the new fabric smell.Īluminum windows in my tiny house CC BY-NC-SAĪluminum windows are the healthiest, safest option. You can remove that new fabric smell by washing them. Sleep Well company that makes polyester curtains does not guarantee no flame retardants, but they do claim no chemical fabric coatings. These Eclipse polyester curtains from Amazon do not contain flame retardants, can be washed and aired out, and should be tolerable after washing and airing for most people. Someone sensitive to chemicals did well with these. West Elm has been improving their eco-credentials lately. They still have that new fabric smell but will air out with some time. West Elm 100% polyester curtain liner is an extra layer of polyester that goes under their other curtains, they contain no PVC or foam. If you can wash and/or air them out first that will help. It’s not perfect right out of the box, but it doesn’t take long for the chemicals to dissipate. Polyester with no PVC backing will work for many people. This brand has an American and Canadian website. Some of them are listed as PVC and some do not indicate the type of plastic used. The composite sample I got from Blinds Chalet was very low in offgassing (Premier Composite Shutters).Ĭomposite blinds from Blinds Galore don’t explicitly say what kind of polymer (plastic) is used. From an aesthetic point of view, they are almost impossible to differentiate from the composites.įaux wood blinds are usually PVC, but composite blinds can be made of safer plastics mixed with wood. Real wood blinds made of basswood are extremely light. ![]() Only the very sensitive would be able to pick this up. I could pick up only very minor offgassing which did come to completion in a few weeks.Īll of the thin 2 inch real wood blinds from Blinds Galore were also very low in odor, just like other major brands. The real wood blinds from Blinds Chalet are very light and thin (Signature 2 inch in Carmelia). Real solid wood is best used as shutters. Real wood blinds are also prone to warping. I have not found wooden blinds with a 0-VOC finish since this is so hard to accomplish with something that holds up to UV. Interview: Healing MCS with Mold Avoidance.The Locations Effect – Caribbean Campsites.The Locations Effect – Canadian Locations.Traveling with Environmental Sensitivities. ![]()
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