Vincent Kuchler (Stuttgart/Germany) phoned our advice center yesterday. His eyes were swollen and his nose ran constantly. His suspicions focused on the oily stain on the newly installed floor in the bedroom and children’s room. A doctor for diagnosis of his symptoms he had not yet visited. Vincent wondered, however, why the other family members showed no allergic reactions. How could a piece of advice for those concerned to look like?

The glaze had already passed over a large area

In the above case, the child had already fallen into the well. The homeowner had applied the Wood preservation glaze in three rooms. So it was hard for him to evade into another room and wait for health development. The short-term solution therefore is: “reinforced airing of premises”. Upon completion of the medical diagnostics and an indoor air analysis must be decided whether the flooring must be removed. In the best case, the solvents evaporate after three to four weeks.

Prevention is urgently needed

Before colors or glazes are large areas brought into the apartment, a preliminary investigation is recommended mandatory. The desired product is to scrutinize closely: the minimum requirement is a trusted seal on the label. In the next step the manufacturer’s full declaration should be studied. Conspicuous ingredients in the product already represent a knockout criterion. Neutral Rating portals on the internet provide further insight. Before the full-scale deployment occurs in several rooms, a test area should be chosen. Well suited are some boards that are later no longer needed.

Scant information by the manufacturer

According to the German magazine “Ökotest” consumers are inadequately informed. On the label of colors and glazes, the ingredients are not apparent. Conscientious manufacturers have the ingredients on their website. In the worst case, the consumer must get the full declaration of the dealer or request directly from the producers. Relevant databases help you in interpreting the substances. The advice of an experienced building biologist is: do research carefully before painting a room.