New-Carpet Odors Can Make You Sick

“New” can be a wonderful scent. A new car with leather interior, a homemade pasta sauce simmering on the stove, newly sprung spring flowers, or even the smell of coconut oil applied after a shower or bath.

“New,” on the other hand, can be highly over-rated. New coats of stain and varnish on a hardwood floor can leave you gasping for fresh air. And then there’s new carpeting. Whether you like that odor or not, the fumes can be bad for your health.

Many carpet makers still include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the carpet and padding manufacturing processes. That familiar smell can last for weeks or months, which means all that time you’re breathing in pollutants such as formaldehyde, ethanol, carbon disulfide, and others you’re probably not familiar with, but still not meant to be inhaled.

Carpet odor emission also is known as off gassing. No matter what you call it, the net effect can be severe allergy and asthma problems. The fire-retardant neurotoxins found in some carpets also can cause fatigue and rashes.

So, before you make your next purchase, do a little research. One thing you’ll discover is that since 1993, carpet manufacturers are required to label their products with a health advisory that reads as follows: “Some people experience allergic or flu-like symptoms, headaches, or respiratory problems, which are associated with the installation, cleaning or removal of carpeting.”

Better yet, confine your search to carpeting that bears the Green Label or Green Label Plus symbol. Green Label carpet products have been certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) as the lowest emitting carpet, adhesive and cushion products on the market.

One more thing. When it comes to improving the quality of your indoor air, carpet off-gassing is only one of numerous airborne pollutants that combine to make indoor air up to 5x more polluted than the air outdoors. Germs, bacteria, viruses, chemical cleaning by-products, dust, pet dander, insecticides, and so many more.

So, in addition to purchasing Green Label carpeting when the time comes, contact Correct Temp Heating & Cooling today to learn about our several whole-house, indoor air quality solutions. There’s one ideally suited to every size and style of home, including yours. Helping families like you breathe fresher, cleaner air is one of the things we do best.