Homeowners Can Green the Mortar and Sealants in Home Improvements
You’ve chosen a sustainable flooring material to put a new floor in your home. You’ve chosen new kitchen and bathroom countertops that are made out of recycled materials. You’re doing everything you can do make your home renovations and improvements eco friendly. So, avoid wrecking the process by also choosing to use eco friendly sealants and mortars.
Say No to Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs)
Sealants, mortars, thinset and many other home improvement materials contain volatile organic chemicals. These chemicals degrade the quality of the air in your home—and the air that you breathe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) backs up the fact that these types of chemicals reduce the air quality in your home and are linked to cancer-causing agents.
The Cost of Green
It’s no secret that green and eco friendly products tend to be more expensive than traditional products. The same holds true when it comes to eco friendly sealants and mortar. While you may pay about $2.50 for a tube of traditional sealant, a no-VOC tube of sealant will cost you about $8 per tube. Find out what kind of materials your installation company uses to see if a no-VOC option is available.
Considerations
If and when you decide on eco friendly materials, then you need to know your options and what you should consider. First, you can choose from water-based or solvent-based options. Second, you should consider that the eco friendly options do take longer to set and dry. This means that will need to allot slightly more time to complete a home improvement project or installation that uses eco friendly sealants and mortars. Finally, you should know that the quality and performance of the no-VOC materials are just as high as materials with volatile organic chemicals.
If you decide to use green products to remodel your home, you should also consider eco friendly sealants and mortars to install these items. Choosing these products improves the air quality and environment of your home—your sanctuary—and helps out the environment in the process.
