A Remodel Shouldn’t Take Your Breath Away

A breathtaking new kitchen is one thing. But the materials and methods your remodeler uses shouldn’t make it hard for you and your family to breathe for years to come.

It should make you breathe a little easier to learn that manufacturers like Neff of Chicago are taking steps to reduce and eliminate toxicity in our products and processes. That means minimizing the amounts of urea formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that can be emitted over the lifetime of your kitchen.

Here’s a “clean air” checklist you may find useful when you begin shopping for your new kitchen or bath:

*CARB regulations, by the way, have nothing to do with the foods many of us try to avoid.  CARB is the California Air Resources Board. Their regulations for eliminating Formaldehyde in the manufacture of engineered wood are followed by 49 U.S. states and several countries.

The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) established The Environmental Stewardship Program in 2006 to encourage industry policies and pr practices that benefit the environment. The rigorous review process covers all aspects of manufacturing:

• Control of air quality and emission levels
• Use of certified and sustainable materials
• Energy efficient manufacturing processes
• Waste and recycle management
• Social Stewardship

Companies that are ESP-certified can display the group’s green tree logo.

Planning and implementing your new dream kitchen is going to be stressful to some degree. There will be things you just can’t anticipate or control. Future air quality in your home is one of the things you can!