Healthy Home Build

Bathroom

Waterproofing: Creating a maintenance-free, watertight shower is crucial for modern, healthy building design. Ensuring a waterproof and reliable shower assembly prevents water damage and mold growth, contributing to the longevity and overall health of the building. This is why we have selected Schluter®-KERDI and DITRA products and their lifetime warranty when installed with their thin-set. Here is a high-level overview of what we learned so far:

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Porcelain Shower Panels: Creating a stunning, maintenance-free shower is a cornerstone of modern, healthy building design. Ensuring that shower installations are both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional contributes significantly to the overall well-being and longevity of a building. This is why we are integrating large format tiles from MSI into our shower designs.

We plan to use MSI’s 4-panel Onyx 31.5 in. x 94.5 in. polished porcelain marble tiles for our showers, the same trusted brand from which we will purchase our kitchen quartz slabs. These tiles feature a cool, white background with a polished finish, offering the luxurious look of marble while providing the performance and affordability of porcelain. Engineered to be scratch-resistant and durable, these tiles can withstand the dampness and humidity of any bathing space, ensuring long-term resilience and minimal maintenance.

What sets MSI’s tiles apart is their GREENGUARD indoor air quality certification, underscoring their commitment to creating healthier living environments. The large format of these tiles, also available in a 31.5×63 size for flooring, minimizes grout lines, enhancing the seamless, elegant appearance of our showers.

To complete one of our bathroom showers, we will need six tall panels and five shorter tiles. The panels require wet cutting for precise installation, and despite their weight and the careful handling they require, by choosing MSI’s large format tiles, we are investing in a product that guarantees not only aesthetic excellence but also long-term durability and ease of maintenance.

For our Primary bathroom we are still searching for the right sized solution. The shower is 44″ x 72″. As we get to each stage of construction we’ll update this post with actual photos, products, and building information.

Shut-off Valves and Access Panels

Strategically designing access panels where there are plumbing fixtures is a crucial feature in modern, healthy building. The panels provide immediate access to shut off water during plumbing emergencies, preventing extensive water damage which can lead to mold growth. They also facilitate easy maintenance and repairs which reduce the risk of leaks, conserve water, and extend the lifespan of plumbing fixtures.

While we have hired the best plumber in town, we are preparing for potential long-term issues that could arise in a decade or more. We plan to install four access panels: 1) in our Primary Bath shower which lacks service stops in the valve 2) for our deck-mounted tub fixture located on a furred wall 3) on the back of our bidet wall to allow for installation after the dry wall is up, and 4) for our PFP riser in the Garage. Toilets, kitchen sinks, and bathroom sinks all have accessible shut-off valves on their pipes so they won’t need access panels.

We selected Envisent brand access panels because they stand out for their sleek, modern, and seamless design. The “flush” mud-in style, blends functionality with aesthetic appeal. They can be installed without the need for a stud for support, thanks to built-in folding inner tabs that grip the drywall and hold the panel securely in place. Installing these panels during construction allows for seamless drywall mudding and painting, integrating them perfectly into our building’s design. Best of all, the panel attaches magnetically, so no need for screws or hinges that protrude. The superior quality, durability, and design innovation will improve the functionality of our building and contribute to its long-term sustainability and aesthetic appeal.

Tub: We are installing a double slipper cast iron free-standing tubs. To be honest, our preference was to have a sleek modern-looking acrylic tub but there are plastics and glues that may off-gas. So we traded aesthetics for health. New cast iron tubs are made free from lead so no leaching into the water and into your body while bathing. A tub finished with a premium porcelain enamel has a hard surface that is easy to clean, highly durable, resistant to scratches and cracking, and retain heat longer. While cast iron tubs are heavy and can be on the pricier side, once it is installed we will be able enjoy it for decades to come. We went with a lesser known brand in order to save on cost. We’ll share more details once we know if the trade-off was the right choice.

Tub drain: Our healthy home is constructed as slab on grade, so the tub and drain are one of the first decisions we had to make in order for the plumber to dig the trenches and lay the pipes correctly. We purchased a compatible toe topper pop-up drain so if two people are bathing no one has to sit on an elevated drain fixture. The drain is constructed of solid brass and a premium finish that resists tarnishing and corrosion.

“One of the biggest problems with tubs is that they don’t legally have to provide a Safety Data Sheet like other products are required to provide.” https://healthyhouseontheblock.com/non-toxic-bathtub-materials.html

Plumbing fixtures: California has a law that went into effect 2023 that prohibits manufacturing and selling of drinking fixtures made with lead. (Here’s an article explaining more.) While bathroom faucets used for drinking water are “lead-free” due to the 2014 Safe Drinking Water ACT which allows for up to 0.25% weighted average of lead, tub faucets are not. The Kohler and Delta valves that we are considering are the ones made in the USA and with brass. We will share more details as we get to that stage of the building process…