Flooring

(ARA) – Your home is supposed to be your sanctuary, a place of rest and tranquility. But for many people, indoor environments can be full of allergens that can cause a variety of problems. This is especially a concern for families with children.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America one out of four, or 60 million Americans, suffer from asthma and allergies. Approximately 75 percent of all allergy sufferers have indoor and outdoor allergies as their primary allergy. How do you create a healthy environment for you and your family?

One of the most effective ways to create a healthy home is to get rid of carpeting, which houses a number of allergy triggers including dust mites, pet dander and mold spores which are very hard to remove. Vacuuming only cleans the carpet minimally and can distribute these triggers into the air and throughout the house. Shampooing the carpet cleans the surface, but usually does not get down to the base of the carpet or the padding.

Hardwood floors are one option but they require delicate care so as not to damage their surface. A family with pets and kids can take its toll. Vinyl flooring is another option that is easy to clean, but subject to nicks and tears. In addition to looks and durability, another feature to consider is the health aspect of these various floorings.

Most carpets and rugs are made of synthetic fibers and use synthetic backing and adhesive for installation, which means they are not especially ecologically friendly. Vinyl and hardwood flooring, although not as hospitable to allergens, require maintenance and cleaning with detergents, waxes and refinishing materials that can be toxic.

A better option is Marmoleum Click, an all-natural flooring made from linseed oil, wood flour, rosins and limestone that has antibacterial properties that prevent breeding of many microorganisms.

Marmoleum is a perfect choice for an active home. Because the color is solid throughout the entire material, any scratches easily blend. It is a simple-to-clean hard surface floor, but is warm to the touch — good for crawling toddlers or sprawling teenagers. The floor also adds beauty to any room of the house, so you can have a healthy home that is also stylish.

Homeowners can choose from 18 colors to create a custom floor that expresses their unique style. Ecologically friendly pigments are used to create the floor’s beautiful, vibrant colors. Available in easy to install 1-by-3-foot planks and 1-by-1-foot squares, Marmoleum Click can be installed over existing flooring or sub flooring.

Best of all, upkeep is simple. Dirt and spills will not be absorbed into fibers as they would with carpet, so basic dusting and damp-mopping are all that’s required to keep the floor clean. That’s good news for busy families who want to stay healthy.

Hospitals have used Marmoleum for years, and it is recommended by many medical professionals for anyone with allergies, asthma or other respiratory disorders. For more information contact Forbo Floorng Systems at (800) 842-7839, or visit the company’s Web site at www.themarmoleumstore.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(NC)-Growing concern for global warming is causing consumers to pay more and more attention to environmentally responsible products for the home.

This awareness is behind a surging homeowner interest in cork flooring.

The many benefits of cork start with its unique natural structure. Composed of millions of tiny cellular air pockets, cork is extraordinarily lightweight and low in density. Those who own cork floors know this is the key to their warmth, comfort and quietness.

You can enjoy these benefits knowing that cork is truly a renewable resource.

Cork floors are made without destroying a single cork oak tree. Cork is grown mainly in managed forests in Portugal and Spain where the bark is carefully harvested, once every nine years, in a centuries-old tradition with hand tools, a process that ensures the forests will remain undamaged. It is not unusual to have a 200 year-old tree still producing cork bark.

When it comes to the home, here’s another surprising feature: indoor air quality actually improves with cork flooring. It is hypo-allergenic and insect resistant. Mites and even termites are repelled due to a naturally occurring substance in cork called suberin.

Cork also reduces heat loss in rooms, and body heat loss through the feet. Cork maintains a comfortable ambient temperature, never too hot or too cool. Walk barefoot on a cork floor and the warmth is immediately apparent.

The eco-friendly nature of cork is catching on with Canadian consumers. Some flooring companies are just now adding cork to their product lines. Only a few companies, like TORLYS (torlys.com) in Mississauga, Ontario, have complete lines, proven experience and knowledge.

Cork flooring is an easy way to add warmth and beauty to your surroundings and feel good about the environment at the same time. When you know all the facts, it’s hard not to give cork a second look.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Tags: Cork Flooring

One of the newest types of floor covering to hit the market, bamboo flooring is popular for those who love the look of wood floors and want to be environmentally responsible. The idea of bamboo flooring may spark images if Gilligan’s Island with round poles tied together with twine lying on a sandy floor. However, manufacturers have found that with the appropriate processing methods the flooring has the same appearance as well as appeal as laminate flooring.

It also made to be stronger than many natural hardwoods of the same thickness and bamboo flooring is made in the same sizes as most laminate flooring materials, making it a popular choice among do it yourself homeowners and installers. The major difference is laminate flooring snaps together and requires no nails or glue. With bamboo flooring, installation is on top of a solid sub floor and help in place by nailing or gluing. It should also not be installed below grade as the humidity can damage the flooring materials.

While bamboo is often thought of too soft for flooring use, manufacturing processes using glue and high pressure along with impregnation with water resistant materials make them stronger than most laminate materials and some of the most used hardwood. Most of the bamboo flooring materials are also water resistant, although spills should neve be allowed to accumulate on bamboo flooring.

Special Care Instructions For Bamboo

While bamboo flooring is a viable alternative to traditional wood, there are some special instructions needed to be followed for proper care to insure it lasts an average of 25 years. Following installation, the floor should be cleaned with a damp mop to remove any dust and small aggregates that can damage the surface. Many manufacturers use a scratch resistant coating on their bamboo flooring, but some materials such as sand can cause damage to the finish.

Many people with bamboo flooring use small throw rugs to catch these materials from shoes, especially at entry doors, or in other areas with heavy traffic. The use of furniture pads under heavy pieces may also prevent depressions from forming in less expensive materials and should also be used when moving the furniture to prevent scratching.

Daily dust mopping with an occasional pass of a soft bristle broom will help protect the floor from damage. A vacuum cleaner can be used on bamboo flooring, providing the beater bar does not come into contact with the finish and is use to vacuum up any materials that may be harmful to the flooring material.

Tags: Flooring