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Laminate flooring

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chrissy17514
chrissy17514

I am writing because i am worried about my husband who has developed a cough over the past few months. The Doctor thinks he may have Asthma. About 3 months ago we had new laminate flooring laid in the top of the house and he seems to be coughing non stop since this has been done. I have cleaned everywhere hoovered, installed air purifiers and hunidifiers. The docotor has been doing tests and has prescribed a short course of steriods which is has been taken for about 2 days now. He was particulary bad today when we visited the shop with the laminate flooring and it crossed my mind that this may be a trigger for him. Has anyone else had this? i would be grateful for your views, i am worrying about him and he is becoming worn out. He has had chest ex-ray which is clear.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • sheila135
    sheila135 chrissy17514

    Posted

    It may be the adhesive they use on the laminated floors.  My husband could not be near nail varnish, paint, glue, any kind of chemicals at all. I had to do my nails in the back garden, under the carport, even in winter.  I prepared my nails inside the house then went outside to paint them.  I once sprayed some aerosol paint onto a fence in the back garden, all the house doors and windows were closed but when I went back in he was coughing his heart out.
  • tellitlikeitis
    tellitlikeitis chrissy17514

    Posted

    It depends on the type of laminate flooring you had installed. It's actually the adhesive that they use when it's being manufactured that they stack the layers together with that can cause the problems with allergies and asthma (I have both). Formaldehyde is just one offender, but there are dozens of other chemicals that can trigger specific allergies. You should look for a flooring with a Formaldehyde rating of E1 or E0 or one that is CARB compliant. Otherwise, it can definitely cause an asthma attack or extended allergies that people don't think about. If you get one with a good rating, that fits what I mentioned, it actually helps with the allergies because dust and mold doesn't grow within the layers of fibers. The last apartment we lived in, I was allergic to the laminate flooring. It was high in various types of varnish, which I turned out to be allergic to. 
  • chrissy17514
    chrissy17514

    Posted

    thank you for your replies, the laminate used is classed as low E1 but it just seems to have got worse since we had it installed. Hoping we can come up with some answers soon.
    • tellitlikeitis
      tellitlikeitis chrissy17514

      Posted

      I hope you get the answers that you need as well. Keep in mind that E1 standards, from an allergy standpoint, are still pretty high if you have a true allergy. For instance, I can instantly tell when I walk in a store or restaurant that uses laminate that is 6mg/75mg or higher on the rating scale. Mostly, because of the Formaldehyde. Lower ratings still have it, but it's not quite as apparent.

      Other things to take into consideration are the type of adhesive that was used when they installed the laminate. Many of those adhesives can be allergy triggers. Also, how they prepared the surface and what they treated it with prior to setting the laminate along with whether or not they put any kind of coating, stain guard, shine guard, etc on top of the laminate prior to installation or after installation.

      The formaldehyde in flooring is acting due to the resin in the flooring. But you don't usually start having a reaction to it right away, as the formaldehyde exposure leaks out slowly over a course of years. It can take up to 12 years to fully seep out. But, it can definitely start seeping out right away. Nine times out of ten if you have severe allergies, and you can afford it, doctors will recommend hardwood flooring and not laminate. Some doctors also recommend cork flooring, but I even have trouble with some types of cork flooring due to other allergies. 

      If it was just installed, the adhesives used could be not completely set or dried yet, and that could be triggering some of the reaction. The last place I was in with laminate flooring, of a low E1 level, we had to literally "move out" for 14 days to a hotel while the odor dissipated, and it was fine after that. Sometimes the initial "break in period" can be the worst. 

      Good luck, and I hope you get it resolved. There is nothing worse then being sick because of your own home. Been there done that more times than I care to count, and it's an awful feeling. 

  • jay7196
    jay7196 chrissy17514

    Posted

    Hi. With all this info about laminate flooring I would rip the lot out = happy husband and no more doctor bills ... 
    • tellitlikeitis
      tellitlikeitis jay7196

      Posted

      Totally! If you can afford it, hardwood flooring is the way to go with asthma and allergies. Requires more maintenance, but it's so much healthier. 
  • chrissy17514
    chrissy17514

    Posted

    Is there a test my husband can have to see if he is allergic to laminate or anything else? He hasnt actually been diagnosed as Asthmatic yet. He is havingsome tests at the moment but they are not allergy tests. If i find out the laminate is the problem then the lot comes up instantly. We have solid oak floors throughout the lower half of our house. He coughs no matter where he is. There was always laminate in some parts of the house upstairs and he didnt seem to react to that but it was laid a long time ago. I find it really upsetting hearing him coughing and it really is getting on his nerves. Fingers crossed we can resolve this problem. Thank you all again for your help
    • tellitlikeitis
      tellitlikeitis chrissy17514

      Posted

      There are allergies tests, but as far as I know there is no test to see if he's allergic to formaldehyde or whatever might be in the floors. There are many home indoor air check kits that will allow you to test for formaldehyde and other chemicals in the air of your house. They can be purchased online rather inexpensively. I encourage you to check other things in your house...soaps, shampoos, etc. I coughed every day for two years, and we thought it was the flooring, to the point I broke ribs from coughing, and it turned out that my boyfriend's soap that I had never been allergic to, I was now allergic to, and we he touched the faucet, parts of it were getting left behind and I was having a reaction. It helps to get a generalized allergy test so that you know where to start. As you can be allergic to almost anything. Good luck to you!
  • Vee123
    Vee123 chrissy17514

    Posted

    Hi Chrissy,

    Sorry to read that your husband is having such bad breathing issues.

    I can only last a few minutes when looking at new homes due to all the various off-gassing and the dust and the fibres in certain carpet.

    I am going to be building a new house this year and I thought floating floor boards would be the answer however after reading all the comments below I am going to have to do more investigations due to the fact I have RADS (Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome) - it's from a work injury where I was exposed to a one time inhalation of concentrated chemicals. It would not surprise me if many other people have RADS and they have been misdiagnosed or they just think they have become sensitive to things. Also my lung X-rays were all clear - so it's an *airway* thing.  Please check the RADS Foundation and Breathing Issues for more info as there maybe other tips in there for your partner and there is a support network too.

    Also I can no longer have a hoover / vacuume cleaner used near me - it not only kicks up dust but it omits tiny particles of dust which is one of my worst enemies. I had to have all my carpet ripped up and move out for a week etc. 

    www.radsfoundation.weebly.com

    www.breathingissues.weebly.com

    I was hoping if I am able to *air* my new home once all the floating floorboards are laid and give everything time to de-gas, then I will be ok as I won't be having any carpet in the house etc. *fingers crossed*

    Something that may help ....I use a mix of eucalyptus oil (only a very small amount as it is very strong) and vinegar  to mop over my floors... maybe you could give that a try ... but keep the doors and windows open to allow the smell to dissipate and then it leaves a lovely fresh clean fragrance, I find it very soothing on my airways and it cleans really well :-)   Maybe just do a small area first and see if your partner is ok with it.

    I wish you all the best ... there's nothing worse than not being able to breathe!

    • chrissy17514
      chrissy17514 Vee123

      Posted

      Thank you Vee for your helpful advice, my hubby seems a little better these past few days so fingers crossed. All the very best, Chrissy
  • chrissy17514
    chrissy17514

    Posted

    Thank you all once again for your helpful advice, my husband seems a bit better these past few days. I think he had a virus on top of everything else. Many thanks, Chrissy
  • fortion
    fortion chrissy17514

    Edited

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  • angel10139
    angel10139 chrissy17514

    Posted

    Concerned about your husband's persistent cough after installing new laminate flooring, despite efforts to clean and use air purifiers. Doctor suspects asthma, prescribed steroids. Symptoms worsened after visiting a shop with laminate flooring. Seeking insights from others who may have experienced similar issues. Worrying about his well-being as he feels worn out. Clear chest X-ray but ongoing respiratory concerns. Any shared experiences or advice would be appreciated.

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