| INDOOR AIR QUALITY By Shirley Holden, BIDS Contributing Writer, Owner/Principal of SallisDesigns, Albuquerque, NM. (This is the first of a three part series regarding air quality as it relates to your home.) As we enter into the ‘Green Age’, the questions regarding indoor air pollution and its relationship to your health are plentiful. Today’s homes are constructed to keep most things out, including fresh air. Have you ever walked into your home or a particular room in your home and immediately your eyes begin to smart and/or you begin to sneeze? How about your skin crawling? There are plenty of studies to confirm that the level of indoor biological pollutants can be higher than outdoor air. How we manage our indoor air contributes significantly to our indoor quality of life. Sallis Designs sat down with Dr. Yanga Dijiba, Ph.D., Analytical Chemist, to discuss this issue. Sallis Designs: Dr. Dijiba, should the level of biological pollutants inside a home be cause for concern for the average person? Dr. Dijiba: I don’t know what you mean by just the average person but for everyone living in the house there is no immunity. For any person young or old, biological pollutants will affect everyone. It does not matter if it is a child or an older person. The level and the strength of pollutants can probably play a key role in who will suffer. Sallis Designs: Why is that Dr. Dijiba? Dr. Dijiba: Let’s say in a typical example, in terms of the immune system the response will be different from one person to the next. But it does not mean that everyone will get sick. At the same time it does not guarantee that you will not get sick. Sallis Designs: So from a consumer standpoint, what can be done to minimize indoor pollutants? Let’s say for example the one thing most of us never think of and that is the refrigerator drip pan. Dr. Dijiba: The best way to minimize this area is to weekly clean the drip pan with a green detergent using hot water, making sure the floor area is cleaned as well. Before the pan is reinstalled, make sure the pan is completely dry, for anytime there is moisture, bacteria can easily develop. Sallis Designs: Dr. Dijiba, are there any bacteria that is naked to the human eye which can find its way into the refrigerator via drip pan? Dr. Dijiba: Being invisible is not the issue; the issue is to avoid the accumulation of bacteria. Of course bacteria can find its way into the refrigerator by this method. Keeping in mind the temperature of the refrigerator can play a role as well, but that would require a separate discourse. Sallis Designs: Funny, funny. Dr. Dijiba we thank you for your advice. Dr. Dijiba: Thank you very much for inviting me to speak to this issue and answer some of your concerns. Where Biological Pollutants May Be Found in the Home 1. Dirty air conditioners 2. Dirty humidifiers and/or dehumidifiers 3. Bathroom without vents or windows 4. Kitchen without vents or windows 5. Dirty refrigerator drip pans 6. Laundry room with unvented dryer 7. Unventilated attic 8. Carpet on damp basement floor 9. Bedding 10. Closet on outside wall 11. Dirty heating/air conditioning system 12. Dogs or cats 13. Water damage (around windows, the roof or the basement) Dr. Yanga Dijiba, Ph.D., is an Analytical Chemist currently teaching Chemistry at the University of New Mexico, Valencia County. He is available on a consultant basis and can be reached at yangakd@yahoo.com. Contact Shirley Holden at sallisdesigns.com for more information about green design and related topics. |
The Advantages of Hiring a Staging Professional Excerpted by: Carnela Renee' Hill, Owner & Designer, Interiors by Renee' & Associates, Raleigh, NC www.interiorsbyrenee.com The “Staging and Design Professional” can help you locate some of the best contractors (electrician, painter, flooring installer, etc.) that are licensed and bonded. Plan for renovations and landscaping…The goal is to make the house desirable and a must buy. The plan is not to break the bank. You must know what investments will help sell the house. The Staging and Design Professional will help you. Areas of high importance include bathrooms, kitchen, and master bedroom and do not neglect the public areas including the living, dining and family rooms. These rooms will add cash value and appeal to the prospective homeowners. Define/Know your target buyer, what they expect, how long a house has been on the market in the area, and what the current market is like. Investors: Networking is highly important. Make friends with a great realtor, lawyer, banker, appraiser, and accountant/financial advisor. They will each play a major role in the process and help you achieve success. On the average, builders sell a neighborhood faster with model homes that are staged. Why? The average consumer makes a decision based upon how the house makes them feel. Decisions are based upon seeing and feeling. If it feels like home then they are more likely to buy it… ”Making a House a Home”. If it looks pleasing and inviting, they will more likely buy it. Take the advice from the builders and “stage” your investment property before you try to sell it. Appeal sales a home. Staging a home can make a difference in the maximum amount you receive for the house. So, spend the extra cash to make the house more appealing. According to the 2006 National Association of Realtors Staging Statistics, - Staged homes sell 50% faster than un-staged homes - Staged homes sells for an average of 6.9% to 10% higher over listing price. Investors: A fixer upper that is ugly, dirty and smells can be a great opportunity. If you know how to maximum the benefits. A newer house may not require a fresh coat of paint, but may only require you to power wash the outside. Spend a little and get a lot. Never hire a contractor that is not licensed or bonded even if it is your brother or sister. Never hire a contractor without a contract. Require the contractor to provide a start and finish date with penalties for project delays caused the contractor. Create a budge of renovation expenses; compare all expenses (renovations, carry the house before it sales, and unexpected surprises) to expected profits. Obtain estimates for the renovation work before you purchase the property; Aim high on the estimates. A good rule of thumb is to triple the amount of the estimate to prepare for delays and surprises. Paint with color and eliminate the apartment white paint. Choose a great neutral color that makes the home feel appealing and intimate. Add other colors throughout the house that is soothing like greens and blues. You do not want to frighten the potential buyer instead make them feel at home. A Staging and Design Professional will help you appeal to the senses of the potential homeowner. Color is everywhere, bring it into the home and do not forget to paint the outside. Appearance and appeal tells the prospective buyer, the owner cares about the look inside and outside. Curb appeal alone can prevent the buyer from going inside. Photos on the internet is critical, so what does your property say about you? Perception is more powerful than reality. Remember it is about the buyer’s perception, not yours. Did the pictures on the internet represent your house at its worst or did you eliminate the pictures. The details matter not only in the décor but appealing to the prospective buyers. The extra touches make a difference and could be the final touch to selling your property. Try fresh baked cookies or bread and bottled water. This keeps the potential buyer in the house a little longer to check things out. |
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| Green-Collar Jobs Campaign: ELLA BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS The "green wave" is coming. A new, multi-billion dollar economic sector is emerging, bringing new opportunities in green construction, clean technology, urban agriculture and energy. Our goal: ensure that this green economy is strong enough to lift people out of poverty. Green-Collar Jobs Campaign creates opportunities in the green economy for poor people and people of color through policy advocacy, public outreach, and an employment pipeline - the Green Jobs Corps. |
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| Black Buying Power: $744 Billion (2007) Black U.S. Population: $38.3 million Top Expenditures: - Housing & Related Costs $110.2 billion -Household Furnishings & Equipment $10.7 billion -Appliances $1.7 billion -Housewares $596 million |




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