Are Your Walls Making You Sick? Read This Lesson On Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a common chemical found in numerous household products, including adhesives, cosmetics, deodorants, detergents, fertilizers, paints, plastics, and textiles. It has been found to cause cancer in laboratory animals and also suspected to be human carcinogen.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 10% to 20% of the general population may be susceptible to irritation from exposure to formaldehyde at extremely low concentrations including cough, swelling and irritation of the throat, watery eyes, headaches, rashes, excessive thirst, nausea, nosebleeds, disorientation, and other symptoms.

A major source of formaldehyde pollution in many homes is particleboard. Particleboard is made by pressing small wood shavings together with urea-formaldehyde resin. It is easy to recognize because you can see the pressed-together shavings on all sides. It is used extensively in the construction of inexpensive home furnishings, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and in new-home construction (particularly as subflooring and in doors).

While particleboard itself is simple to recognize, it is often hidden behind a thin wood veneer, so check carefully. Good places to look for exposed particleboard are inside cabinets, at the ends of shelves, in corners, and in drilled holes. Most wood items that are described as "veneered" or having a "genuine oak veneer" are generally filled with particleboard.

All products made with particleboard will release small quantities of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde emissions are greater when the product is new, and decrease with time, but it takes many years for the formaldehyde to evaporate entirely. Surprisingly, warning labels are not required on products made with particleboard, though they are on sheets of particleboard purchased at lumberyards.

Another common product made with urea-formaldehyde resin is urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of UFFI in residences and schools in 1982, after receiving numerous complaints that exposure to this insulation caused respiratory problems, dizziness, nausea, and eye and throat irritations ranging from short-term discomfort to serious adverse health effects and hospitalization. Despite the fact that this ban was later overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals, the CPSC continues to warn consumers that evidence indicates that substantial risk is associated with use of this product.

Instead of particleboard, choose wood items made from solid wood whenever possible. Even plywood, although also made with a formaldehyde resin, is preferable to particleboard. If you are insulating your home, choose any other insulation rather than UFFI.

There is some concern that fiberglass fibers may pose the same hazard as asbestos fibers, but no known evidence that suggests that fiberglass within walls might be released into your living space. You can order a home test kit if you want to check your indoor air for formaldehyde fumes that may already be present in your home.

Some of the formaldehyde fumes from particleboard or UFFI can be sealed in; any kind of finish will help to some degree, although a sealant designed to be a vapor barrier, such as AFM Hard Seal, will be more effective. They can reduce formaldehyde emissions up to 95%, but tend to break down after several years and require reapplication.

The most effective barrier for formaldehyde fumes is aluminum foil. Heavy-duty foil and foil-back paper (sold as foil vapor barrier at building-supply stores) are more durable than standard cooking foil. These will, of course, give a rather space-age look to your furniture and your walls, but they work quite well inside cabinets, where they are less visible and most needed to prevent fumes from building up inside the closed space. Use foil tape (available at hardware stores) to seal the edges and keep fumes from escaping.

If you do nothing else, at least open the window! As particle-board and UFFI continue to give off formaldehyde fumes, they can eventually reach very high concentrations in unventilated spaces. Try to leave a window open (even just a crack will help) in all rooms containing particleboard and throughout the house if your home is insulated with UFFI.

An appropriate air filter will also significantly lessen formaldehyde fumes, but don't expect a little air cleaner from your local department store to do the job. You'll need a heavy-duty machine with a lot of activated carbon or other adsorptive material especially formulated for formaldehyde removal.