Home Improvement : Test Can Resolve Fear About Formaldehyde
QUESTION: I would like information regarding urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) in walls. We are thinking of buying a house and are afraid of settling on something not knowing if formaldehyde is present.
ANSWER: UFFI was installed in most homes during the 1970s, but was banned in 1982 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for use in schools and homes. The commission banned the material after reviewing test data that linked formaldehyde fumes to cancer in rats and mice. The ban was later overturned by a U.S. Court of Appeals. By that time, however, most of the contractors installing the material had gotten out of the business.
During and after installation of UFFI, formaldehyde levels decline rapidly (to below .1 parts per million within the first year of the installation). Although people vary in their susceptibility to formaldehyde, most healthy adults would not experience ill effects from exposure to .1 parts per million.
And since a house containing the insulation would probably have had it installed years ago, any vapors from the insulation would probably be negligible.
Formaldehyde is widely used in many other products such as plywood, particleboard, chipboard, plastic laminates, cosmetics, cleaners and paper products. It is possible that the air in the house could have a high formaldehyde concentration from these products.
If you are concerned about this, have the air tested for formaldehyde by a certified lab.
Three Possible Cures for Excess Moisture
Q. The windows in my house sweat and produce excessive moisture. Water accumulates on the window sill and literally needs to be dried up with a sponge or rag. This occurs daily in the wintertime. The house is 3 years old, and water damage to the dry wall is already visible. Any suggestions to eliminate the moisture buildup would be appreciated.
A. The condition is obviously the condensation of excessive moisture present in your house. Although we can’t determine the exact cause of the problem from the information you’ve given us, we can recommend three possible sources for excessive moisture.
Many homes with warm air heat have humidifiers mounted on their furnace. If you have one, the unit may be malfunctioning, introducing too much moisture into the airstream.
Another moisture source is a bathroom exhaust fan that vents into the attic, and not the outside. The fan may also be blocked, or its outlet in the attic floor may be covered by insulation. The fan should exhaust moisture into a duct that leads to a roof vent or through a sidewall with a rain hood for protection.
A third source is a dirt crawl space under the house. Moisture from the soil is pulled into the crawl space, and then into the house. In this case, install a vapor barrier of plastic sheeting above the dirt floor and ventilate the crawl space with two vents.