KC Health Home | contact KC Health Home | 10 questions to ask your builder

If you are planning to build a new home, here are 10 simple questions you can ask your prospective builder to determine how concerned they are about the issues of indoor air quality and energy efficiency. If your builder cannot answer these questions quickly and directly or if they state that they build homes that “comply with local building codes”, politely inform him/her that it is just not good enough. Both the American Lung Association Health House and Energy Star standards are far beyond what is required by standard building codes. At H&S Covenant Homes, we are building more advanced homes to help you save energy and live healthy for years to come.

1	Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer according to the U.S. Surgeon General. How will you protect me and my family from radon gas in my new home?

2	What steps will you take to ensure that mold will not find any place to grow in my new home?

3	Do you utilize sealed combustion mechanicals and appliances to protect my family from dangerous carbon monoxide infiltration?

4	Do you use foundation waterproofing and capillary breaks to ensure that moisture does not enter my basement or do you merely use dampproofing?

5	Do you utilize sealed ductwork in your HVAC system?

6	Do you utilize sealed ductwork or the typical “wall cavity” system for return air?

7	How will you substantially reduce the amount of formaldehyde and other VOC (volatile organic compounds) pollutants in my indoor environment?

8	Have you been certified or do you have any focused training in the construction of healthier homes?

9	Will you be conducting both a blower door and HVAC system pressure test to ensure compliance to Energy Star standards?

10	Will you be utilizing an independent third party engineer to inspect your work and guarantee it meets Health Home and energy efficiency standards?