Pvc Flooring Off Gassing

Freed strongly advises clients to skip the vinyl which is a petroleum product that will off gas and instead opt for natural linoleum which offers most of the same benefits but not the health related drawbacks.

Pvc flooring off gassing. Five steps to correct unacceptable levels of formaldehyde gas traced to laminate flooring or similar floor covering products. However it is made of new or recycled polyvinyl chloride or pvc. Pvc is one of the most environmentally hazardous consumer materials produced. In 1999 there was no way to prove this right or wrong.

Vinyl flooring can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. Indoor pollutants inside the home are likely to be five times higher than levels found outside according to studies conducted by the environmental protection agency. Pvc is known to off gas releasing volatile organic compounds that harm indoor air quality. Then very sensitive customers began complaining about off gassing.

For two years all was well. Called outgassing these fumes are emitted from vinyl over time and are just one cause of indoor pollutants. Vinyl on the other hand is a petroleum based synthetic product made from polyvinyl chloride pvc resin along with additives such as plasticizers stabilizers pigments and fillers. Pvc flooring and other pvc products can contribute to poorer indoor air quality as pvc products can off gas chemicals called volatile organic compounds vocs.

A study by the california air resources board found forty chemicals some of which are toxic off gassing from pvc flooringxxii. It has been commonly used in home products for decades in everything from certain types of wood flooring to. Hirshberg the manufacturer said. This article discusses possible steps to remove formaldehyde gas and formaldehyde gas emitting laminated floor or other outgassing products in order to improve indoor air quality in homes.

Manufacturers are responding to this problem by producing vinyl flooring with some percentage of post. People confuse vinyl and linoleum but they re not at all the same says freed. Luxury vinyl tile lvt flooring has recently become popular due to its durability price and unique looking surfaces. When we began to sell bamboo flooring many years ago we were told that it was safe and had no off gassing of toxic ingredients.