Why you should look for FloorScore®

We tend to think of air pollution as a risk faced outside, but the air we breathe indoors can also be polluted. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that levels of indoor air pollutants are often 2 to 10 times higher than outdoor pollutant levels, and as many as 6 out of 10 homes and buildings are actually hazardous to human health. Alarmingly, in some cases these levels can exceed 100 times that of outdoor levels of the same pollutants. With the recent influx of stay at home workers, kids being homeschooled, and home occupants using more and more chemicals in the home, the quality of indoor air quality is becoming a higher and higher concern. But what can we do to improve it?

While most of us are very conscious of how healthy the food is that we put in our bodies, very little attention is given to what we put in our homes.

Shampoo, body lotion, dishwashing soap, wall paint, room deodorizers, household cleaners, even furniture and children’s toys, are just a few of the thousands of consumer items that may contain dangerous chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and allergens. VOCs are liquids or solids used in consumer products that turn into gas when exposed to air and sunlight. Some VOCs have been linked to asthma, cancer and reproductive and developmental harm as well as damage to the liver, kidneys or central nervous system. According to the EPA, exposure is often higher in the home, where “…concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors,…”.

A study found that over 5,000 tons of 33 potentially harmful VOCs were emitted in 2020 in the state of California, which measures exposures to potential carcinogens and tracks volatile organic compounds in consumer products.

Carpet & Vinyl Luxury Tile among the most harmful to humans and animals.

Rarely considered, but which occupies the largest volume of space in a home or building, is the affect of flooring on indoor air quality and overall risk to health. Both carpet and luxury vinyl tile (LVT or LVP) can release VOCs, such as phthalates and formaldehyde, especially as they age and break down. These chemicals are primarily used in the manufacturing process as treatment chemicals. This gradual release of gaseous chemicals is known as off-gassing. The backing of wall-to-wall carpeting, which is usually made of plastic, vinyl, or rubber, is a major source of VOC emissions. The backing may also be treated with an antimicrobial chemical that increases VOC pollution. The adhesive used to glue the backing in place is also a source of VOC emissions.

Carpet has also been known to be worse for allergy sufferers due to dust and pollen.

Hardwood Is Healthier.

In contrast to other flooring options, natural materials such as real hardwood and bamboo are known to be healthier in the home. They release significantly less VOCs than carpet and LVT. And are not only healthier for the home but also the planet, as wood flooring stores carbon, and naturally decomposes when it has reached the end of its lifespan.