Formaldehyde in Flooring and Cabinets

We all have desks, bookshelves, kitchen cabinets and flooring in our homes but do you really know what your furniture and flooring contains? Many people, probably just like yourself, think that your home is completely safe but your furniture and flooring contains a toxic chemical, known as formaldehyde that can be very dangerous to your health. Formaldehyde is a high volume chemical that is used as the adhesive resin to hold composite woods, including particleboard, plywood and fiberboard together. It can also be used as a common disinfectant, but is most commonly found in the home in your furniture, flooring, cabinets, some fabrics and even makeup. There are some things you should know about formaldehyde to know how safe you are from its effects and whether you should consider green remodeling.

What to Know About Formaldehyde

One of the most important things that you must know about formaldehyde is that it volatizes very quickly when it is heated. Formaldehyde is found in every type of wood, however, so there is no real way for you to avoid it. You will find that the amount of formaldehyde emitted from your furniture is measured by parts per billion (ppb) so that the amount is actually very small. It is also found in urea adhesives, which are used to hold cabinets together. If you should be bothered by the formaldehyde when it gets hot, like it will in your kitchen, it can cause you to become allergic to other chemicals that you may not have been in the past.

What You Can Do

Even though formaldehyde exposure can be a huge problem, there are things you can do to limit your exposure. You should first and foremost use lower emitting pressed wood products when you are remodeling your home, and be sure that they have no added formaldehyde in them. You will also want to use cabinets in your home that display the KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program’s certification seal so that you know they are 100% CARB pressed woods. These have these lowest emissions in the entire world. You should also look to increase the ventilation in your home, especially after you have brought new sources of formaldehyde into the home. You should utilize air conditioners and de-humidifiers to keep the temperature and humidity levels where they should be in your home. You can also look for products that are laminated because they emit the lowest amount of formaldehyde.

If you already have an issue with being allergic to formaldehyde or you just want to be sure your home is emitting the least amount of this toxic chemical as possible, you now have some ideas as to how to go about it. It is never worth putting your health at risk, so be sure to take all of these things into consideration when you are remodeling your home, adding new furniture or redoing your flooring. A home with the least amount of formaldehyde possible is a healthier home for both you and your family.

Further, you can read about the Lumber Liquidators-Formaldehyde case here.