Can Vinyl Flooring Make You Sick

Can your floor make you sick.

Can vinyl flooring make you sick.

The flooring industry has come a long way in addressing the potential dangers of vinyl flooring by offering phthalate free vinyl flooring which while more expensive won t expose your. Carpeting may feel warm and cozy but it can present a variety of dangers in the home. Bad cheap flooring can kill. By now you ve likely heard something of the recent brouhaha over lumber liquidators laminate flooring.

In terms of consumer exposure we found only very low levels in the air and on wipes we ran across the 17 vinyl samples and one sample of wood flooring we tested. Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring substance that s used in the manufacture of pressed woods glue and preservatives. First fibers easily trap dirt dust and bacteria which can make you sick. Vinyl flooring often contains phthalates which are possible endocrine disruptors chemicals that.

What s worse is that you won t even know about it. If the material is still in good shape and not crumbling it is. It can make you sick. There are potential health issues that can creep up in other flooring materials as well.

If you re looking to begin a more natural flooring choice don t even consider vinyl floors. If this flooring is cracked or you attempt to remove it asbestos is released into the air. But even if you can keep the carpeting in your home free from this kind of dirt you have to be careful what it is made of and how it is bound and installed. It s dangerous for you and its by products are contamination hotbeds for areas around production plants factories.

Instead look for eco friendly choices like cork bamboo hardwood. Actually remove vinyl items of any type whenever possible. But according to recent press reports some laminates imported from china produce potentially hazardous emissions of formaldehyde a known carcinogen. Whether it s laminate that has formaldehyde or it s vinyl floors that have toxic phthalates these products can harm you.

Asbestos wasn t banned from home building materials like insulation until the late 1970s. The company stands by the safety of its product and maintains improper tests were conducted. A 60 minutes report claimed laminate flooring produced by lumber liquidators in china contained dangerous and illegal levels of formaldehyde a known human carcinogen.