Formaldehyde: Is Your Flooring Making You Sick?

Formaldehyde: Is Your Flooring Making You Sick?

Are your flooring choices making you sick?  When choosing our home flooring options, many of us tend to lean towards laminate flooring as the affordable option.  But, is it the safest option?

Studies have shown that laminate and engineered wood products consistently were found to have higher levels of formaldehyde release when compared to pre-finished solid wood flooring options.

As a human carcinogen, formaldehyde can be found in significant concentrations in a wide variety of environments and exposure to elevated levels should be avoided whenever possible.  Formeldehyde exposure has been known to cause a wide variety of potential health symptoms such as: nausea, difficulty breathing, respiratory irritation, asthma attacks, burning and watery eyes, and cancer.

Consumer Reports did a study in which laminate and engineer wood flooring was tested for formaldehyde release. Check out their video below to see their results and to find some tips to reduce formaldehyde exposure within your home.