It’s the sneezing, itching, wheezing allergy season and whatever moulds and pollens are in the air and on grass right now may very well be in your carpet too.
It’s the sneezing, itching, wheezing allergy season and whatever moulds and pollens are in the air and on grass right now may very well be in your carpet too.
The Alberta Lung Association recommends that those suffering from allergies remove carpeting from their home. Fortunately, new trends in flooring make that option more attractive than ever.
Check out local show homes and flooring stores and you’ll quickly see that hardwood flooring and cork flooring are fashionable.
Hardwood and cork floors are often advertised as being low-VOC (volatile organic compounds.) That label means the manufacturers have conformed to government stipulations that limit the amount of off-gas a product may have.
“If they say they have low VOC, well that is now limited by government regulations,” said Titan Flooring owner Gerry Daechsel, who suggested looking for the Green Label program on flooring to confirm low VOCs.
The glues used in flooring are what usually produce off-gassing. Allergy sufferers should check how much glue is used in the flooring and also what type of glue is used.
Look for formaldehyde-free options in wood flooring. Natural hardwood is usually allergen free but engineered wood, which is made from multiple layers of glued wood, may contain formaldehyde and other chemicals.
Engineered flooring is popular because it doesn’t shrink in the same way that other hardwoods do in our Alberta climate. If possible, find out what glue is used in the manufacturing process. If allergies are a concern, it may be better to purchase a snap-together floating-floor installation instead of a glue-down installation.
Germ control
At least two Canadian hardwood floor manufacturers treat the boards with an antimicrobial agent to discourage and destroy bacteria and fungi.
Preverco Floors, available locally at Alberta First Flooring, are treated with a product called Ultra-fresh, which was developed 50 years ago by Thomson Research Associates of Canada. For many years it was only used to treat fabrics used in clothing to make them resistant to bacteria. More recently the product has also been used on wood flooring.
“It’s not a spray. It’s part of the product. It makes the flooring resistant to mildew and it’s done as part of the finishing,” said Art Vesterdal, the Alberta territorial manager for Preverco Floors.
“We measured off-gassing and measured what particulates came off of the floor and there was no measurement. The only off-gassing may be if there is a fire but that is still being tested,” Vesterdal said.
Silhouette Hardwood Flooring, available at Timbertown Building Centre in Edmonton, is treated with Contour Guard and is also advertised as being germ-resistant.
Cork flooring
Cork is the new “in” flooring because it looks different than hardwood flooring and it is easy to walk on. When you stand on it, it seems soft and has give to it, in the same way that a cork in a bottle has give when you squeeze it between your fingers.
“When you lay down on cork it doesn’t hurt your elbow or your knees. It’s nice to walk on and you don’t feel joint pain. It feels warmer than hardwood so it’s good in the basement,” said Bahador Mehrabi, owner of Alberta First Flooring.
You can lay cork flooring over old linoleum, although if allergies are a problem, it’s best to remove the old flooring first.
Cork is the bark from an oak tree and most of this material comes from the Mediterranean region. The bark grows back every nine years and the harvesting does not damage the tree. Therefore it is a renewable resource.
“Cork naturally has antimicrobial, anti-fungal properties. It contains a waxy substance known as suberin that the plant uses to regulate the water supply to the tree. It’s that substance that gives it antimicrobial properties,” said Daechsel of Titan Flooring.
Stone and ceramics
Stone flooring, especially slate, marble and granite, adds a natural beauty to the home that cannot be duplicated.
“Stone feels warmer than ceramic tile, but if you have allergies choose smooth stone such as marble or choose a ceramic floor,” Mehrabi advised. “The rough stone has pockets that can attract dust that may be a problem for you.”
It may not be possible to eliminate all chemical odours and allergens from your home, but easily cleaned hard flooring is an option to be considered.
Just remember, it may not be the glues or the finishing materials that cause you the most problems. It may be the flooring material itself. If you find you sneeze in lumberyards, maybe a hardwood floor is not the best choice for you.
