There are so many wonderful and resilient materials for building your new home! Unfortunately, there are a lot of older materials which aren’t very useful, or which are out of date. If you’re building a home, you need to know which materials aren’t very useful anymore. What are some home materials you should generally avoid?

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam can look like a simple and fast solution to an insulation issue, and there are some few types and usages where it’s still applicable. However, it can be complicated and problematic. Many types can add a huge toxic load of poisonous gasses to your attic. This can be an issue, obviously! Spray foam is permanent, and it seals up all air leaks in the home. This can sound like a good idea, but it also means that any moisture in the home becomes trapped there.

Wood Roofs

Wood roofs are some of the most expensive to repair. They could make your home look quaint, but the problems could also be quaint…medieval, even! When you have a type of specialty roofing which is only done by a few technicians, you have to have all repairs done by those who still do that type of work. Likewise, although wooden roofs seem ecologically healthy, because they have to be repaired and replaced far more quickly than modern roofs, they are less so than it would seem. Instead, look at tile, traditional shingling, or modern metal roofing for beautiful options that last a long time.

Plastic Everything

When it comes to attempting to not use materials which might not be healthy for your family in a home, it’s important to think about how much plastic and other man-made materials are going into your space. Some aren’t bad! However, you want to be thoughtful about what you will need to both install, replace frequently, and the off-gassing involved in those products. This can include countertops, laminate or plastic tiles as flooring, and using carpeting, which is plastic based. Unlike outdoor materials which need replacing quickly, indoor materials are made of natural substances.

The best rule of thumb is that outdoors materials need longevity and to not be made of natural materials, although metal roofing stands the test of time. Indoor materials, instead, need to be as natural as possible, and not have as many toxic gasses. Talk to your contractor about your concerns and ask their expertise, of course!

Read this next: Interior Design Tips that Every Homeowner Needs to Know