My Chemical-Free House
A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home
1. Built by Non-Experts Highly skilled builders are rare. They tend to focus on upscale houses because that extra work and time they spend to build something right does translate to more expensive homes. Most tiny house companies I have seen were started by contractors who don’t have much experience, they certainly don’t have the …
The following are concrete and natural earth-based wall build systems that do not off-gas toxins and are suitable for the chemically sensitive. These are alternative build types, the options for building a healthy home apart from the standard timber frame, fiberglass, and gypsum boards. Pumicecrete Walls A mix of pumice and concrete is poured into …
This article is for general information only and describes my personal experience. It is not a blueprint, building plan, or safety guideline. The shelter approach shown does not meet building, electrical, mechanical, fire, or housing codes and may be illegal or unsafe in your location. Do not use space heaters or other heat sources inside …
There is a very unfortunate certification for faucets which is named “lead-free” but means the faucet can contain 0.25% lead. If you are concerned about lead you want to look for 100% lead-free faucets if you’re getting new faucets. This post contains affiliate links, upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost …
This is an interview with Solona, a fellow Canadian, who I have known in the online world for a few years. I have followed her journey from severe MCS, to planning effective toxin avoidance, to 85% recovery in just 4 months. She’s still in the journey, but is recovering quickly. Update! After one year of …
Those who are building and have moderate to severe chemical sensitivities have a number of factors they need to consider in the very early stages of the planning of the build. You could easily end up between a rock and a hard place without considering these details in advance. I have seen it many times! …
I have been helping folks create healthy homes for over 8 years now! A certified Building Biologist Practitioner, I began this journey with the build of my own tiny, chemically safe house, the place in which I started to recover from mold illness and severe chemical sensitivity. My main expertise lies in materials available in …
Related posts:1. Regular-sized non-toxic prefab homes 2. Mobile homes on wheels for those with sensitivities 3. Emergency shelters for those with sensitivities Simple, Small Modular and Custom Homes for those Sensitive to Mold and Chemicals These are small and tiny houses (not on wheels) that are suitable for those with extreme sensitivities to mold and …
A Guide to Choosing Pressed, Engineered and Laminated Wood Products and their Formaldehyde and VOC Levels. This post will cover pressed wood and laminated wood (engineered wood) products used in construction and in household items like furniture and doors. We will look at which adhesives are used and what chemicals they off-gas. Formaldehyde levels will …
This post is an overview of interior and exterior door types, what they are made of, and the potential off-gassing of VOCs of each type. We will look at which types are non-toxic and safe, with zero to little offgassing. The post will focus on outlining the types of doors you will find at big …
If you are wondering what size or how “strong” or how “big” of an air purifier you need, these two calculators will help. To properly size an air purifier or filter for your home or room, the main value you are looking for on an air purifier’s specs is how much air it moves. This …
This article is a comparison of linseed and tung oils: I review the following oils: Summary: Safety: Linseed oil and Tung oil in their purest forms are all-natural, food-safe (“GRAS” here and here) and are considered non-toxic, says Dr. Mudgal, Toxicologist. Those sensitive to chemicals may not do well with the natural aldehydes, hydrocarbons, peroxides, …
Drywall is also called gypsum board, sheetrock, plasterboard, or more generally, wallboard. We are going to look over the types and brands, and which chemicals they contain. Which ones have the least toxic additives, don’t off-gas, and are the healthiest choices. What is Drywall Composed of? The main ingredient in drywall is gypsum, so let’s …
The Effectiveness of Ozone Generators on Mold, Mycotoxins, Fragrance, and Smoke Ozone kills and denatures mold on surfaces, and breaks down many VOCs and odors such as perfume. It can also remediate smoke smell in certain materials. Ozone has also caused a lot of damage, not just to the breakdown of certain materials in a …
This post covers converting a cargo van into a camper for those sensitive to mold and chemical offgassing. I will focus only on a few key areas: Building a camper that will be both mold-free and chemical-free is tricky! Keep in mind a cargo van can be anything from a metal box with a bed …
Converting a Cargo Trailer into a Travel Trailer – Mold Preventative, Low-Toxin Design I tried to convert a small cargo trailer into a tiny trailer that can be used for sleeping and living. In the end, this failed miserably and I would suggest not trying to convert a cargo trailer. The cargo trailer was a …
This is a complete guide to a non-toxic bathroom – safe for the chemically sensitive. I cover: shower tiles, shower types, bathtubs, shower curtains, bath mats, caulk, grout, and water filtration. I recommend all of the products here, some products have affiliate programs and some do not. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission through …
That new house smell is a mix of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) coming from the building materials. Strategies to mitigate and reduce the VOC levels range from diluting the air, absorbing the VOCs, speeding up the off-gassing, sealing in the off-gassing, and lastly chemical breakdown of VOCs. Of course, you will need different strategies for …
How to Conduct a Mold Avoidance Sabbatical: Using the Locations Effect This article will provide guiding principles to choosing a location and type of lodging for a Mold Avoidance/Locations Effect sabbatical. Those two sabbaticals are not always the same thing, but here I am talking about them as if you are doing both at the …
This list is a result of ten years of working with and being in community with chemically sensitive folks. I have also tested these products when I was sensitive myself. I continue to update this post with new products or new favorites amongst the chemically sensitive. I have a related post on air fresheners for …
Updated February 2026 PCO Air Purifiers – Which Ones Reduce Mold and Which Ones Are a Scam Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is a technology that breaks down mold, VOCs as well as some pathogens. My interest in these air purifiers comes from first-hand accounts of this benefiting homes with low levels of mold and volatile organic …
I want to talk about composting toilets and greywater systems from the standpoint of the chemicals involved, how likely they are to grow mold, the costs, and the benefits for someone with chemical sensitivity to being semi (or totally) off the grid. This post contains affiliate links to some of the products I use and …
Sheathing, decking and subfloors for those with chemical sensitivities. Including formaldehyde-free and non-wood options.
I have been trying and testing the most cost-effective non-toxic, biodegradable personal care products for those sensitive to chemicals. I started with a more DIY approach, but in time I found ready-made products I liked more and were easier than making things myself. Here is what I use and recommend now. This post contains affiliate …
