Testing for Chemical Fumes

A barrage of chemical odors often assaults new homeowners as they enter their newly constructed home. Many people who have never before been affected by chemical sensi­tivities find they are bothered or made chroni­cally ill by prolonged exposure to the fumes in their new home. Sniffing finishing materials such as upholstery, carpets, and paint before they are installed will reveal important infor­mation. However, even if a building product or material passes the sniff test when sampled, the odor can become unbearable once the product is installed because chemical fumes accumulate inside the house and are emitted from a much larger surface area than that of the sample.

If you are unsure how you will tolerate a product once it is applied or installed in your house, we recommend that you test the prod­uct before purchase in a manner that will sim­ulate the level of concentration in the home. One method is to place a sample of the prod­uct in question in a large glass jar with the top screwed on tightly to allow fumes to accumu­late. The following day, open the jar and sniff the contents for unacceptable fumes. If the sample is too large to be placed inside a con­tainer, keep it next to your pillow while you sleep. Pillow testing should be done only if you are reasonably sure you will not have a severe reaction with prolonged exposure.

For some products it is important that the samples be new. For example, a carpet swatch that has been in a showroom for three years will not provide an accurate indication of what a freshly unrolled carpet will smell like in your home. Samples of other products — such as wet-applied finishes like paints, seal­ers, and adhesives — should be applied to an inert surface such as glass or foil and then be allowed to air out in an uncontaminated lo­cation for a few weeks to better simulate the cured or semi-cured state that the product will be in on move-in day.

This type of testing, although somewhat helpful, has obvious limitations. While the test gives information about the product in ques­tion, it does not indicate cumulative effects or synergistic effects with other chemicals. Since you cannot predict these effects in advance, the goal is to choose products with the lowest levels of odor and toxic emissions.

Further Reading

Floor Seal Technology, Inc. Concrete Vapor Emis­sions and Alkalinity Control. Available from 800-572-2344, 800-295-0221.

Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. ANSI/IICRC S500-2006 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Dam­age Restoration.^ ed., IICRC, 2006. Available from 2715 East Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver WA 98661,800-835-4624,360-693-5675, iicrc. org.

Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. IICRC S520 Standard and Refer­ence Guide for Professional Mold Remediation. IICRC, 2003. Available from 2715 East Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver WA 98661,800-835-4624, 360-693-5675, iicrc. org.

Chart 13.1: Test Kits and Equipment

Chart 13.1: Test Kits and Equipment (cont’d.)

Although do-it-yourself tests may indicate that a problem is present, consultation with a remediation specialist is often re­quired for accurate diagnosis and safe, effective remediation.

Conveying

Systems

This division is not used in most residential construction.