Hardwood Floors August/September 2017

Floor by Henry & Mariusz Flooring/H&M Flooring Design.

and is yet another way wood flooring improves indoor air quality. In recent years, wood floors also have been

improved by utilizing lowVOC finishes and adhesives. VOCs are volatile organic compounds. They are gases that are emitted from products that have been determined to be harmful to humans. Short-term health effects fromVOCs can include headaches, nausea, and ear, nose, and throat irritation. Long-term health effects fromVOCs can include liver damage, kidney damage, and damage to the central nervous system. The California Air Resources Board, an organization known as CARB, monitors indoor air quality. CARB has established strict regulations for VOC emissions. It regulates VOCs in wood flooring finishes and adhesives, and provides the strictest VOC standards in the nation. Other areas of the country are regulated by the Ozone Transport Commission. CARB now is being used as a model to develop national standards to minimize harmful VOC emissions. CARB places significant restrictions on VOCs throughout the state of California. Compliance is mandatory and can result in severe financial penalties if not followed. Fines can be as high as tens of thousands of dollars, per violation, per day. These fines can add up quickly and can be devastating to many companies. And it’s not just the contractor who is at risk either. Penalties can be applied to the contractor, the product distributor, and the product manufacturer as well. With all of these positive research results, it is easy to see how wood floors can reduce indoor allergens and improve overall indoor air quality. Communicating these positive messages to your customers can help you steer them toward products that will not only improve their décor, but also their health. Anita Howard is Chief Operating Office at the National Wood Flooring Association in St. Louis. She can be reached at anita.howard@nwfa.org.

Microscopic pollen shown in the image on the left can easily gather in materials like carpet.

EPA Reports

That Wood Floors Are Hypoallergenic Wood floors do not harbor

microorganisms or pesticides tracked in from outdoors as other flooring options can. They also minimize the accumulation of dust, mold, and animal dander.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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