Theyre here to help with all your questions from allergy-friendly product selection, to installation and maintenance. Now thats not to say carpet is bad. Vinyl floors is accessible in a wide selection of color and pattern options. Always check your VOC contents on all the products involved in the installation and look for low- or VOC-free options for adhesives and sealants. For example, a website that ranks on Google First page uses this, to ensure phthalate increases the risk of allergies for children, How to protect yourself from the toxic vinyl floor. This can cause many of the symptoms you're experiencing including headaches, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, and asthmatic reactions. There are many reasons for this. Most scientists will tell you that vinyl flooring is not suitable for your health because of the component ( PVC) it contains. During the production of materials such as vinyl, the use of chemicals within this item will lead to a process that will occur in this indoor space called off-gassing. These adhesives will contain lead and other VOCs that once it becomes acclimated to room temperature will turn into a gas and consequently off gas into the air. Was planning on installing laminate flooring. Linoleum is another non-toxic surface type. If, however, you plan on going synthetic such as vinyl, or laminate flooring, you should check its material safety data sheet (MSDS). If there is anything disturbing you on the ground, such as dust or dirt, then it will be reflected on your floor and can cause health problems due to allergy. Vinyl also does not provide any increase in property value (but . Nonetheless, the top part that would be exposed is vinyl and should be okay. As the modern vinyl flooring plank is made from phthalate-free materials, they have a minimum risk to your health. Read more here. Carpet is a digital magnet for allergens like dirt mites, pet dander, mildew spores and different potentially annoying proteins. Hardwood floors can be refinished, and with care can last a lifetime or more. Researchers have found that children living in homes with vinyl flooring and sofas treated with fire retardant chemicals show increased levels of certain toxic chemicals. Cork is a well-kept mystery in the world of kitchen flooring. curtains, and horizontal blinds. Your flooring and remodeling professionals at The Good Guys can help you with all aspects of the flooring process from selection, to purchase, to installation. What are the different types of waterproof flooring? Unlike carpet, hardwood doesnt trap allergens nor does it provide an environment for them to grow. Vinyl gloves, being devoid of natural proteins, can also be used by people allergic to latex proteins. Vinyl flooring, on the other hand, is widely available . Besides, this report shows commercial products containing phthalates are safe and will not be harmful to the human body at a typical exposure level. Linoleum is also a natural product that also is a good option for those with allergies or asthma. My heart was set on laminate, now what do I do? These problematic gases are found in paint, glue, caulk, cleaning supplies, or formaldehyde. Use solid wood. As the modern vinyl flooring plank is made from phthalate-free materials, they have a minimum risk to your health. Here are some other articles that might interest you: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(529392, '2310777b-aa0a-4b06-87dd-dbcb05f672bd', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Dane is the owner and manager at Eckard's Flooring Savannah GA. Does vinyl flooring come in different widths? We recommend you vacuum the Carpeted surface regularly. How do I stop my windows from sweating in the winter? Bamboo Floors - Touted as one of the most allergy friendly floors, bamboo floors can work well for allergy sufferers. Dust mites and mold spores like heat and humidity. After installation, clean the floors regularly, keep a healthy home environment, and use other products that dont use irritating chemicals. Because of this, many homeowners are worried about having these products in their homes. Here are six tips to reduce allergens throughout your home: Control indoor temperature and humidity. Weve created a free guide that goes through everything you need to know when buying a waterproof floor. Dioxins and Vinyl Flooring Those substances pose a overall healthiness danger to anyone whos uncovered to them. To a non-allergy sufferer, the flooring in your home may come as an afterthought. Do you think that putting vinyl or laminate over existing (relatively thin) carpet would work? However, prolonged exposure to this chemical may lead to several health issues like reproductive health issues. But, hardwood or cork (or other hard surfaces) are generally much better options. If you are planning to update the flooring within your home, consider using allergy-friendly options that are also low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds). But, it may have a tad of wood shavings in the core. If your home has wall-to-wall carpet and you are living with someone suffering from allergies, you could be inadvertently making their allergies or asthma worse. So, you can install it in your home without any hesitation as it is non-toxic. You may get a cold a few times a year, but those are not allergies. By Dane Eckard | Nov 13, 2015 7:58:00 PM | Allergies and Flooring. Among flooring options for homeowners, one of the most popular options is vinyl flooring that will give your home a new, clean refreshing look. Besides, Lowes, Menards, and Build.Com are other trusted brands that offer safe PVC (vinyl) surfaces. Once at home, clean these items as needed. Give the floor planks time to adjust and acclimate with the house, Youll need at least 352 square feet of sheet vinyl. Those are poisonous substances, and they have been linked to reproductive and respiratory overall healthiness problems in people who have lengthy publicity to them. at the desks, chairs, etc). Often, the flooring can be the biggest source of allergens. Your email address will not be published. If you are still having doubts about picking out an allergy-friendly flooring option for your house, get in touch with Healthy Home Flooring, and we will help you make the right decision. I hope everything works out well for you in your home. E-mail-custserv@timilon, Learn More About The EnviroKlenz Air System. Also, the floor has cadmium, lead, and other dangerous things, but in small numbers. Researchers have discovered that children living in residences with vinyl floors and sofas handled with hearth retardant chemical substances show accelerated levels of certain toxic chemicals. However, especially when it comes to vinyl, you get what you pay for, and lower end vinyl flooring is often manufactured with VOCs which create emissions and hence an allergen risk or other breathing challenges. Laminate flooring is toxic, because the wood-bonding adhesive and top layer contain and emit chemicals, which are harmful to our health. This naturally occurring substance inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, bacteria and other allergens. A recent study that was conducted found that vinyl flooring contains toxic chemicals that include phthalates, lead, flame retardants, and VOCs like formaldehyde that will off gas into the air after the installation process in a home and taint the indoor air quality to hazardous levels. However, as it emits a level of VOC, it may be dangerous to your health and cause asthma or other issues. By the way, you may also find this article helpful: The Top 5 hardwood cleaning productsand the one I recommend to my customers. While concrete does emit VOCs, the emissions are significantly lower than that of most other building products, as reported by the Portland Cement Association, a policy, research, education, and market intelligence organization serving Americas cement manufacturers. To wrap it up, you have to know that vinyl plank floors are not that toxic not unless you get a heavy expose. Vinyl is produced using petroleum, which isn't a renewable resource. In reality, the off gassing ought to be the strongest in the course of the 1st two weeks and preserve to off gas for as much as months after it is positioned into your home. Your partners at The Good Guys can help with navigating some of these tricky allergy-free products. Ok, lets start with the bad news first. Flooring is an item inside your home that can be filled with a mix of different chemicals that can release into the air and pollute the air quality indoors. These substances are broadly called allergens. That base layer is often man-made materials bonded together with a chemical adhesive. Steam . Thats allergy-friendly? Vinyl tile flooring is constructed of new or recycled polyvinyl chloride or PVC that is known to be one of the most environmentally hazardous consumer materials that are produced for flooring. 5 Best Places At Home To Install Solar Panels. I am currently in the market for a new home and will not even consider a home with vinyl flooring. Firstly, open the window for a day after installing the LVP surface to get rid of most of the VOCs. Vinyl is a good allergy-friendly alternative as its hard surface qualities make it easy to clean of dust and debris and don't lend towards trapping allergens. Armstrong Alterna Mesa Stone Canyon Solar D4112. Do you have plywood subfloor or wood in the house? First, the production of PVC causes the release of toxins into the environment. The off-gassing of vinyl flooring chemicals will be a painstakingly slow process that can progress for some time after the installation the duration of time will depend on a variety of factors such as the number of chemicals released into the air, the ventilation in the space, and the size of the environment that is impacted by the off-gassing. Many of the microscopic allergens we discussed are trapped and even furthered with carpet. MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION IS CARPET IF ITS THE CORRECT STYLE, IS THE BEST CHIOCE, when it comes to most areas of your home. A full-bond floor will have adhesive applied to the entire surface area. While linoleum is all natural, vinyl is an artificial product made with a variety of poisonous chemicals, certainly polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. New flooring has been found to contain a large number of different chemicals within its composition that when installed into an indoor environment like a home it will off-gas and release these chemicals into the air of this enclosed area leading to a dangerous level of pollution in the air that could have long-lasting effects on human health. One of the worst offenders in allergy magnets for your home is carpeting. Cork floors are a wonderful alternative to hardwood. The scent can be natural, as from a pine tree or a fresh orange. Fax | 941.866.0428 The materials contaminate the air, and when you breathe in, it goes into your body. Certain foods can cause irritant contact dermatitis. However, as phthalates are used during the final production, it may emit VOCs that may be harmful to human health. Thus, Vinyl plank flooring is toxic and easily contaminates indoor air, water, and surfaces. The growth of mold, mildew, bacteria and other dangerous things, but small! 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