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My Chemical-Free House

A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home

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healthy appliances

Heaters for the Chemically Sensitive – Low Offgassing Options 2022

April 7, 2021 by Corinne 14 Comments

pinterest image that says "non toxic space heaters" and has some line drawings of household appliances

Types of Heaters 

Generally, space heaters with fans are the most difficult here are some other options organized by type. 

This post contains affiliate links to products that I recommend. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission though at no extra cost to you.

1. Heat Dishes/Infared Heaters

a radiant heat dish heater

Optimus dish heater is one I have used before. Others very sensitive have found that this type of heater has very little to offgas and does not take a long time.

It does burn things if it is too close to objects and that is a risk.

There are a number of brands selling similar dish-style heaters on Amazon.

One super sensitive person did well with this tripod infrared heater.

2. Ceramic Heaters

A square flat panel ceramic heater

For the extremely sensitive, universal reactor, the Ceramiciruit portable space heater is the way to go.

This is the most tolerated that I have seen, and I have not seen anyone not tolerate it yet.

But it is very costly at $988 plus shipping (approx $50 to ship to many parts of the US). If you are not a universal reactor I would try some of the other options from Amazon first.

Update: In Winter 2020/21 this is no longer listed on their website.

Another type of ceramic heater is the one pictured above. This is a wall panel that is quiet and low profile. I tried that one and it did have an odor at first (I had to put it outside for 24-48 hours). I found it fine after that amount of time.

It’s not as good for the chemically sensitive as the Ceramicircuit above but I like this style a lot.

Keep in mind it’s only 400 watts, so you need three of them to make up one regular space heater.

3. Cadet Portable Baseboard Heater

A baseboard heater

Another great option for the highly sensitive. Baseboard heaters are normally wired in but this one plugs into a regular outlet.

It’s 1500 watts.

Check Amazon and Home Depot for availability.

4. Quartz Heaters

A quartz heater space heater

The next best-tolerated type is quartz heaters. Some sensitive folks have recommended the Optimus tower quartz heater.

There are other types of quartz heaters, but simpler is better. Optimus also makes a lower-profile version that others have liked.

While space heaters with fans are not always the top choice, I have used some successfully with a few days of offgassing. Other sensitive folks have found this Vornado series (VMH10  to VMH600) to be very good.

5. Convection Heaters

A small convection heater that is a utility heater

The Patten Utility Heater was tolerated by someone who could not tolerate other convection heaters after some offgassing.

It has been reported as noisier than others. There are a number of metal housing utility heaters. Some report only needing a couple or a few days to offgas them.

Dyson, heater/fan/HEPA filter is also well tolerated by some.

6. Radiator Heaters

A portable oil filled radiator heater

Oil-filled radiator heaters are used by many EI folks. The oil is well sealed and should never leak out. I have seen it happen once but that is a major defect and failure.

They look inert but they do offgas through the small vents in the front piece. Depending on your level of sensitivity I would say these heaters need to be offgassed for a while.

Not having the noise of a fan is a plus for most people. You can find inexpensive versions. If you plan to run this and offgas it for a while, I would get a good quality one so that it will last you a long time.

7. Glass Heater

This heater is two pieces of glass with a 500-watt heating element in the middle. I have not seen it myself but I would expect it to have no to very little offgassing since glass is a perfect block of VOCs.

Emergency Heat Options

A biomat heating mat

Heating blankets (can take a very long time to offgas), biomats (a little more tolerable) – those two won’t work for the most sensitive.

Mold and HT-sensitive folks have liked the Biddenford brand of electric blankets the best.

But the most tolerated hot water bottle is the Japanese Yutanpo metal water bottles. The least toxic plastic hot water bottles are the Fashy thermoplastic line.

It’s a good idea to have emergency hand and feet warmers (really good to take out with you or for power outages – I find them totally non-toxic).

Other Heating Options for the Chemically and Mold Sensitive

Propane Heaters

A small propane wall heater that normally goes in the wall of a small structure

Non-Vented

The first type, the kind that is not safe for sensitive folks, in my opinion, is a portable propane heater like the Mr. Heater Buddy Heater.

They use air from inside your living space to burn, then vent the combustion gases inside your living space.

These are designed to be used outside or in a garage or space with lots of ventilation. They are not really intended for indoor spaces.

B-Vent

The second type called “B vent” or Natural Vent uses some air from inside your living space, but vents the combustion gases outside. This is similar to a gas fireplace. They’re usually used in residential houses or mobile homes which are large enough to have oxygen to spare and ample make up air.

Direct Vent Heater

A direct vent heater has an exhaust and an intake. The device is a sealed system, using no room air for combustion. Exhaust fumes vent out of a side wall or roof.

This type is safest (and most efficient) for small or tightly sealed spaces.

It takes air from outside and uses it for combustion, while also bringing in air from inside and heating it in a sealed heat exchanger before sending it back inside.

Indoor air is never used for combustion and it’s physically impossible for the combustion gases to get inside. Technically all combustion takes place outside of the building envelope.

Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump

All of the components of a mini split heater

This unit does not exchange inside and outside air. There is not much offgassing compared to other heating and cooling units.

Carl Grimes suggests if new AC equipment like heat pumps have an offgassing odor then that could be from heavy oil on stamped metal parts.

It can be removed with a petroleum solvent, rinsed with hot water plus a non-toxic detergent, then water only.

Keeping a mini-split heat pump mold-free: 

There is some debate on whether a mini-split can be kept clear of mold. I find these units easier to keep mold-free than any other type of AC.

The unit should come with a fine mesh filter on the front, once you take off the front panel you can access the coils. Keep that filter clean. Clean this filter once a week.

I never got dust and mold on the coils in my mini-split. If your coils start to get dirt, grime, or mold, clean them. Make sure your unit is easily accessible.

You spray the coils down with water and cleaning products. Companies can come and do this part for you since it’s a little tricky.

You can also do this as a preventative cleaning.

MIAQ says to do this every two years as you might not see the mold unless you open this up and take a flashlight to it. You can do this every year if you are sensitive to mold.

If you are there for the installation, make sure the condensation tube is not too small. It should have a straightforward route out and where it empties should be easily accessible for you.

You can pour hydrogen peroxide down the tube to clean it or you can also blow it out with pressure or suction it out.

Don’t wait until it’s plugged and overflowing to clean it. If that becomes moldy it may be impossible to perfectly clean so preemptively cleaning it is a good idea.

You could ozone the unit a couple of times without damaging it.

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Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

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Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy appliances, healthy interiors

Non-Toxic Kitchen Appliances for the Chemically Sensitive

March 31, 2021 by Corinne 31 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Non-Toxic Refrigerators

The chemically sensitive person will want to avoid gas and propane appliances. Especially gas stoves, which will be the largest emitter of fumes.

A propane-powered refrigerator should be OK if you do not have enough amps to power an electric one. Propane-powered fridge vents fully to the outside and could be acceptable in a trailer with a small electrical load.

Consider using a bar sized, or apartment sized refrigerator to reduce EMFs and save on your electric bill. My fridge is 3.1 cubic feet and it’s a perfect size for me.

I left mine running in a garage for a month before using it. Some people find stainless fridges offgas less than the plastic ones, others disagree.

Even top of the line glass door fridges don’t necessarily offgas less than regular ones. You will want to sniff as many brands as you can.

Buying the floor model is beneficial for some people. Washing out all residues from new fridges can help. Recently (2019) I have heard reports of GE being a more tolerable brand but I would go and sniff them yourself unless you are only mildly sensitive.

Another very sensitive blogger, Janis reports that Sunfrost Refrigerators use fiberglass instead of plastic. But, they will bake it at high heat before they ship it to offgas it in advance. Their fridge uses less electricity than normal a fridge (fewer EMFs). They are pricey at $3000-$4000.

Some like the whirlpool brand two-door stainless models. 

Offgassing Stoves

It’s a good idea to have a range over your stove that vents to the outside to reduce humidity and prevent mold in the home.

It might be better for some to use a two-burner hot plate and small convection oven.

Gas appliances can release carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxides, and aldehydes into the air. While some highly EMF-sensitive folks prefer gas appliances like gas stoves, most chemically sensitive folks prefer electric.

Less Toxic Dishwashers

Dishwashers with a stainless steel interior like those made by Bosch, Miele, and Whirlpool use bitumen or asphalt as an insulation and sound dampening layer.

Many Sensitive folks can pick up offgassing odors from these.

Some bitumen layers are between blanket reflective sound barriers, others are baked or sprayed on.

They used to use fiberglass or mineral wool.

The other option is a plastic (polypropylene) interior. Not everybody sensitive has done better with the plastic option, and some do prefer the stainless steel dishwashers.

Polypropylene does not usually contain BPA, BPS, or phthalates. I consider this a safe plastic. It should not have asphalt or bitumen sound insulation like the stainless steel interiors. They do often have fiberglass around the plastic.

It could pick up secondary orders more easily than stainless – so if you’re in a rental or if you’re buying secondhand this may not be ideal.

Some brands that folks have liked include Electrolux, Frigidaire, and GE Integrated models. I have the Frigidaire FFBD2406NB which is plastic on the interior with no bitumen on the exterior, only fiberglass.

Another very sensitive person recently found this model to be good: Samsung Storm Wash 24 stainless steel, model number: DW80R5061US.

Look for nylon-coated wire racks (not PVC). Most racks are now made with nylon.

Leak-Prevention on Dishwashers

Miele and Bosch have internal leak detectors. You should also install a metal pan with a drain under the dishwasher.

Non-Toxic Sinks

Some stainless sinks have a sound absorption layer under the sink which you can see very clearly when looking at the underside. It could be a foam and/or bitumen layer.

Porcelain and enameled cast iron sinks have glazing that can contain lead. Sinks made prior to the 1980’s are a higher risk, but current day sinks can still contain heavy metals.

As the glazing wears down these toxins can leach. The lead testing post has more detail.

Non-Toxic Trash Compactors

Many trash compactors come with a built-in deodorizing system that may contain VOCs in the form of formaldehyde, phenols or paradichlorobenzene.

Less Toxic Ovens

All new ovens that I have seen have a fairly prominent offgassing odor. I’m not aware of which brands may be preferred. If you’re in a rental I would certainly clean out any harsh cleaning products that may have been used before you turn on the oven.

If it’s brand new I would suggest running this in a garage or outside of your space to offgas it for as long as needed. Before moving into my tiny house my new oven was offgassed for a month. It needs to run to offgas.

How many hours you need to run it would very much depend on your level of sensitivity. Be sure to take safety precautions and not run it for too many consecutive hours.

Self-cleaning ovens produce carcinogenic polynuclear aromatics.

Less Toxic Washing Machines

Although not necessarily in the kitchen, with washing machines it’s best to go with a top loader.

Though a front loader can be carefully maintained and cleaned in many cases for mold prevention.

For a top loader it is best to use a model with a metal drum. Look for gear drive, not belt drive.

Some of the Samsung models have been recommended by chemically sensitive folks. Many very sensitive folks like the Speed Queen.


a banner advertising posters for sale. it says "20 printable posters for a healthy jobsite, buy here" it shows examples of 4 posters. click anywhere on the banner to go to the store to buy it.

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy appliances, healthy interiors

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Hi, I’m Corinne, I am a Certified Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 years of experience helping people create healthy homes.

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