Hi, welcome to the forum, your symptoms are suggestive of irritant dermatitis. FloorScore is a certification from SCS Global Services that tests finished flooring products for 35 individual VOC emissions (including formaldehyde). Read more: How To Improve Air Quality At Home. It naturally resists mold, mildew, and bacteria and is easily maintained, like hardwood floors, with a dust mop and appropriate cleaner. Your home is your castle. Most of it is phthalate-free now though phthalates were replaced with alternate plasticizers. Engineered hardwoods are most frequently glued down using adhesives. Many of the microscopic allergens we discussed are trapped and even furthered with carpet. Plus, vinyl siding is approved for use in all types of construction1, including non-combustible rated structures up to 40 feet tall, one hour fire-rated assemblies, wild fire zones, and other fire resistive construction. Hardwood floors is an additional amazing option for hypersensitivity sufferers. 5 Best Places At Home To Install Solar Panels. More than the trapped allergens during daily life, I am extremely concerned about the replacemtn flooring exuding VOCs and other such material What exaclty should I be looking to avoid if I use hardwood or carpet and how do I know who to use? GREENGUARD tests flooring and many other products for over 10,000 chemicals to certify that they give off low emissions. As you can see, there are significantly more allergy-friendly flooring options than one might initially think. When we were researching we ran into the query Does vinyl flooring produce VOCs?. Luxury vinyl plank and vinyl tile flooring are one of the hottest new trends in flooring in recent years. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. Nor does the author in any way guarantee or validate the validity, totality, or efficacy of any claims and will therefore not be held responsible for the content of any claims. are held more in the carpet than in any other flooring material. Carpeting can also retain moisture, which encourages the growth of mold and mildew. Concrete? When it comes to construction inside your home like the installation of new flooring, the EnviroKlenz Air System will be able to pull the contaminated air from the toxins produced from the new flooring and filter out the VOCs, formaldehyde, PVC and other chemicals that are off-gassed into the air as well as break down and neutralize the odors created from these released chemicals. However, prolonged exposure to this chemical may lead to several health issues like reproductive health issues. The reaction can cause coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, a runny nose, and a scratchy throat. It did prove that I was allergic to dust, pollen, molds etc, dogs and cats. Linoleum is another non-toxic surface type. Notably, it releases dioxins, which are highly toxic compounds that pollute the environment and can cause serious human health problems. Im not sure if that product existed at the time I wrote the allergy issue. Has the floor been tested for harmful chemicals? As far as deep pile carpet, it does need almost daily vacuming to keep dust and soil out of it. The only meds that seem to alleviate the itch and hives are prednisone and benadryl- which I cannot live on. This makes woven vinyl flooring a great option for allergy sufferers. In severe cases, rashes, hives, low blood pressure, breathing trouble, asthma attacks, and even death have occurred. But for allergy sufferers, even the home can be a minefield of triggers and health concerns on a daily basis. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) is the foremost poisonous plastic for our well-being and the environment. Call Now and save. I think am suffering from Cholinergic urticaria. The varied widths of the boards can give each room its own style. Cork / Bamboo. MedHelp is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. Mold, mildew, dust, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, dirt, grass, leaves, and even chemicals. What are the pros and cons of engineered hardwood? I hope that helps. Off-gassing can last between six months and five years depending on the household item and the chemicals used to treat it. Additionally, look for other low-chemical products to use in your home. Theyre here to help with all your questions from allergy-friendly product selection, to installation and maintenance. Waterproof floors are a great solution for those needing a durable floor that doesnt trap allergens and irritants. The scent can be natural, as from a pine tree or a fresh orange. Besides, this report shows commercial products containing phthalates are safe and will not be harmful to the human body at a typical exposure level. Thats a tall order, as you can imagine, so lets start on the ground level. If you're allergic to allergens in your carpet, symptoms can include: 2 Runny nose Congestion Sneezing Red, itchy eyes Swollen eyes and/or lips Rash Wheezing Chest tightness Shortness of breath Coughing Symptoms of VOC Exposure Exposure to VOCs can cause: 3 Eye, nose, and throat irritation Nausea Vomiting Bleeding from your nose Shortness of breath NO!!!!!!! My heart was set on laminate, now what do I do? PVC can also readily contaminate water bodies like streams. Solid wood, bamboo or eucalyptus flooring would be excellent allergy friendly floors. The Floor Should have a Very Low VOC Content. A cleaning product that we recommend is Real Clean Floors. Ceramic Tile. The cost is usually thirty to fifty percent less. Vinyl plank floors have a shorter lifespan than wood floors, not eco-friendly and hard to recycle, emit gasses into the air called VOCs (volatile organic compound), hard to repair, and overall have inconsistent qualities. These chemicals have been associated with critical healthiness issues, including respiratory problems, neurological issues, epidermis irritation, and cancer. I would expect those surfaces to bounce and break. Her work has made her a famous name in this Livingproofmag.com is as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Stay toward natural products, rather than man-made, to avoid chemicals. Pet hair itself is not an allergen. Its also wise to stay awayfrom lower end products as those tend to have more chemicals and fumes. If you are allergy sensitive, then choosing the hardwood floor will be your best option. One note of warning on bamboo: it is technically a member of the grass family, rather than a tree product, so if you are looking for flooring friendly to grass allergies, this may not be the best choice. Spoiler Alert: Carpet is the worst. My question is how do I verify this allergy- is there a test- and how do I treat it??? In reality, the off-gassing should be the strongest during the first two weeks and continue to off-gas for up to months after it is placed into your home. It is made of natural materials mixed with sustainable elements. The EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System is the ideal air purifier for a wide variety of airborne pollutants that can be found in your air from allergens, noxious odors, chemicals, and microorganisms. Get more details about these certifications here. 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. Top Brands and Manufacturers that make the safest LVP floor. Lets go over some aspects to consider when looking for a new allergen-free, waterproof floor: Because waterproof flooring is a hard surface, it wont trap dust mites or allergens like pollen, mold, dust and pet dander. Laminate flooring, like vinyl plank, is likewise tremendously long lasting and is a good choice for residences with infants and pets. Hardwood floors can be refinished, and with care can last a lifetime or more. Its easy to clean and holds up well to water. Now, you may ask- do you want to say vinyl flooring has no side effects? My daughters are allergic to Willow and oak trees. 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. 623-404-4444. Get Additional $250 OFF Now*. Be sure to check the VOC content of both the flooring (due largely to its petroleum base) and (for glue-down options) the adhesive used to install it, as these can be potent sources of allergy-inducing fumes. Flooring adhesives can also contain high amounts of VOCs. Why is Renting Furniture a Smart Decision? As with any of these products be careful to note the VOCs on the sealant and the adhesives used during install and adjust your product selections accordingly. Runny, stuffy nose. However, this type of flooring although it seems like the perfect flooring to select in your home, it actually is packed full of toxic chemicals that can pollute your indoor air and possibly effect the health of those exposed to this environment. Even though weve narrowed it down to hard surface flooring, there are a lot of options to consider. This chemical is used in hundreds of personal care products, furniture, or other applications. Its believed that this exacerbates the indications of these conditions. Sheet vinyl floors additionally involves phthalate plasticizers for flexibility. Theyre durable, can be refinished, versatile for use throughout the home, and for our purposes, theyre allergy-friendly. In the case of allergies, this is a short list, however, well get into more detail as we go through each option. Any information that is provided on this website is not for the use by any commercial or personal entity without expressed written consent of the blog author. The 'new smell' may disappear after a week or so but the fumes are still being emitted they're just much more subtle. How do I stop my windows from sweating in the winter? The relieving fact is- home improvement companies now produce phthalate-free vinyl flooring. I hope everything works out well for you in your home. Over the past several years, some waterproof and laminate floors have developed a reputation for having high levels of VOCs. However, prolonged exposure to this chemical may lead to several health issues like reproductive health issues. But, yes how you treat the floor (e.g. Your email address will not be published. Ceramic, Porcelain and Glass Tile Ceramic, porcelain and glass tiles are durable possibilities for solid-surface floors and are good for rooms with a good number of moisture, like loos and kitchens. Todd Thanks for your input. And allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. Floorings that are high in VOCsaka volatile organic compoundscan be harmful to everyone, but they are especially hard on those who already have sensitive allergies. 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. Truly a you-get-what-you-pay-for situation. Hang on to your antihistamines, this piece will give you everything youve ever wanted to know about selecting the best allergy-friendly flooring. Its the preferred flooring surface for homes in Westchester County and the East Coast. Bamboo Floors - Touted as one of the most allergy friendly floors, bamboo floors can work well for allergy sufferers. What is change between vinyl and linoleum? Phthalates are known toxins, exposing both humans and pets to the risk of asthma, cancer, kidney, lung, and even reproductive health problems. So many of the homes are using the vinyl plank flooring it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a safe non toxic home. These chemicals have been associated with serious health issues, including respiratory problems, neurological issues, skin irritation, and cancer . However, formaldehyde emissions decrease over time, making the floor less and less poisonous as it ages. 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