Vinyl flooring becomes popular in recent years as it is attractive, durable, and affordable.
But the report back to 2015 by Healthy Stuff revealed that 58% of vinyl flooring tiles contain phthalates.
The consumer reports make the aware homeowners shock as phthalates have to link to asthma, or even it will be a reason for cancer.
But it is 2021, and the manufacturing companies care about the health issue as well as the environment. So, still, is vinyl flooring toxic?
In this guide, we are going to break down everything associate with the term like:
- Phthalates and Vinyl flooring
- Harmful effects of vinyl flooring
- Is there any safest LVP flooring or not?
- And a lots
So, let’s dive into this guide right here.
Contents
Phthalates and Vinyl Flooring
Phthalates, a type of plasticizer, are added to plastics or PVC (vinyl) to make them more flexible, durable, and transparent.
This chemical is used in hundreds of personal care products, furniture, or other applications.
When it comes to vinyl flooring, this plasticizer is also used mostly in the time of final production to increase their flexibility and durability.
Now, the question arises in your mind- is the LVP flooring safe?
The short answer is- yes, as the manufacturers now use a minimum level of phthalates.
Besides, this report shows commercial products containing phthalates are safe and will not be harmful to the human body at a typical exposure level.
However, prolonged exposure to this chemical may lead to several health issues like reproductive health issues.
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What are the harmful effects of vinyl flooring?
Honestly, vinyl plank flooring has minimum health issues. At present, the manufacturer companies stop using phthalates and provide phthalate-free LVP floor.
But most of the websites that sell laminate floors or other types of flooring mislead us using some authoritative resources link.
For example, a website that ranks on Google First page uses this study to ensure phthalate increases the risk of allergies for children
However, if you visit that link, you can find the report says:
“Children will suffer from allergic asthma if the mother is heavily exposed to phthalates at the time of pregnancy & breastfeeding.”
The relieving fact is- home improvement companies now produce phthalate-free vinyl flooring.
Now, you may ask- do you want to say vinyl flooring has no side effects?
Of course, it has.
As the materials (phthalate) are used in the final production process of LVP, it emits a level of VOCs into the air for a short amount of time after installation.
The materials contaminate the air, and when you breathe in, it goes into your body. As a result, it may cause respiratory issues over time.
You can easily overcome this issue by keeping the window open for several days to eliminate the VOCs from the room.
We recommend you to purchase the LVP flooring from a trusted company like Home Depot that emits a low level of VOCs.
How to protect yourself from the toxic vinyl floor
As the modern vinyl flooring plank is made from phthalate-free materials, they have a minimum risk to your health. However, as it emits a level of VOC, it may be dangerous to your health and cause asthma or other issues.
Following the below steps, you can easily protect yourself from vinyl toxicity.
- Firstly, open the window for a day after installing the LVP surface to get rid of most of the VOCs.
- Secondly, buy the Vinyl floor from a trusted manufacturer company like Home Depot.
- Thirdly, you can use an air purifier if you have a PVC (vinyl) floor.
- And finally, you can look for an alternative to LVP flooring like ceramic tile.
Top Brands and Manufacturers that make the safest LVP floor
By so far, Home Depot is the best retailer that provides phthalate-free vinyl flooring, which is safe.
Indeed, Home Depot stopped using ortho-phthalates to produce vinyl floors in 2015. So, you can get the safest vinyl flooring if you purchase one from Home Depot.
Armstrong and Designer’s Image is another floor retailer that offers eco-friendly LVP flooring.
Besides, Lowes, Menards, and Build.Com are other trusted brands that offer safe PVC (vinyl) surfaces.
Healthier flooring alternatives
If you are still concerned about the safety issue of Vinyl floors, you can consider the following alternatives for healthier options.
Carpet
Carpet is one of the best safest flooring options. You can install it in your home to get rid of VOCs.
However, always avoid older carpeted floors as it contains VOC elements like formaldehyde. We recommend you vacuum the Carpeted surface regularly.
Linoleum
Linoleum is another non-toxic surface type. It is made of natural materials mixed with sustainable elements. It doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients that are 100% safe for human health. So, you can install it in your home without any hesitation as it is non-toxic.
Ceramic Tile
Like Linoleum, ceramic tile is also a non-toxic flooring option. It doesn’t also emit any harmful chemicals into the air and has no health issues. Most importantly, you can maintain this surface type effortlessly.
However, you can ask some questions to the Installer about the safety of grout, and other ingredients used during the installation process as it may emit toxicity.
Solid Hardwood Floor
If you are allergy sensitive, then choosing the hardwood floor will be your best option. Therefore, you can remove dust and debris from the hardwood floor efficiently using a vacuum. However, a protective finish floor may emit VOCs.
Final Words
So, is vinyl flooring toxic in the real words?
Surprisingly, the vinyl floor is not harmful to human health unless you are exposed to it heavily.
On top of that, flooring manufacturer companies now produce phthalate-free or non-toxic LVP surfaces. So, it is entirely safe to install in your home.
However, as phthalates are used during the final production, it may emit VOCs that may be harmful to human health.
After installation, you can leave the room for a day and open the window to get rid of the contaminated air.
On the other hand, you can find non-toxic flooring options like Linoleum and Carpet to relieve this problem.
I am currently in the market for a new home and will not even consider a home with vinyl flooring. So many of the homes are using the vinyl plank flooring it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a safe non toxic home.