Author Archives: joachim-w

Why older linoleum flooring can smell

older linoleum flooring can smell

Older linoleum flooring can smell

An employee complained about a noticeable odor in the office

A small office space in the attic was fitted with linoleum flooring that was over ten years old. Shortly after spending time in the room, a new employee complained of headaches and a scratchy throat. For this reason, we wanted to examine the characteristics of the flooring more closely: Linoleum is often used as an alternative to synthetic flooring. Its components are natural materials like linseed oil, cork or wood flour, limestone powder, and resins. Newly installed linoleum can develop a characteristic odor due to the outgassing of residual substances. These volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, release in low concentrations over several weeks and are essentially vented off after that. However, as the flooring ages, additional odors can develop.
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Ozone Treatment of Indoor Air as a Miracle Cure for Bad Odors

ozone treatment

Manufacturers promise quick help

An ozone treatment of indoor air promises quick relief from all kinds of unpleasant odors in the home. For example, it can smell significantly bad after a smoldering fire, mold growth, or in the case of a smoker’s apartment. Numerous providers promising a solution using ozone generators can be found in search engines. The following article examines the advantages and disadvantages of ozone treatment, sheds light on the chemical processes involved, and evaluates opinions from users of these devices. The topic seems to be of interest. The website of https://www.baubiologie-regional.de can point to hundreds of search terms related to the term “ozone treatment.”
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A ranking of the most dangerous wood preservatives

wood_preservatives als pcp, ddt, cresot, etc

Wood preservatives as pcp

Banned, but still found in homes

The Chemicals Prohibition Ordinance in Germany came into force in 1989. Since then, toxic wood preservatives may no longer be sold indoors. Nevertheless, property buyers still come across the subject of “wood preservatives” time and again. This is not surprising when you consider that most houses in Germany were built between 1950 and 1980 and are now once again attracting young buyers. Wood preservatives were used in particular for load-bearing components such as roof trusses and ceiling beams and are not immediately recognizable to home buyers. The following essay will take a closer look at the most dangerous representatives of chemical wood preservatives.
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Click instead of glue

Flouring without adhesives

Laying floor coverings in a healthy way

Floor adhesives contain various chemical components that outgas for different lengths of time and thus pollute the indoor air. For example, reactive resins can release volatile organic substances into the room air and lead to skin or respiratory sensitization of the occupants. Once sensitized, a person can show allergic reactions even with very low exposure. Installing resilient flooring without the use of adhesives offers an environmentally friendly and often reusable solution that also simplifies installation and shortens the time it takes to get the surface up and running. There are several systems that can be used to install resilient flooring such as vinyl, linoleum, rubber or PVC without having to resort to conventional adhesives.
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Avoiding Paper Stacks in the Bedroom

Avoid Paper Stacks in Bedroom Chemical Cocktail Necessary for Paper Production – Some printed materials have such a distinct smell that the idea of storing them in living areas doesn’t even come to mind. However, since humans are naturally collectors and hunters, paper stacks inevitably accumulate somewhere in the house. But who really knows what chemicals are still contained in these paper stacks and how long these substances can contaminate the indoor air? It is known that the amount and type of chemicals released can vary significantly, depending on the type of paper, the manufacturing processes used, and the conditions under which the paper is stored. High temperatures and high indoor humidity accelerate the release of chemicals from paper products during storage.
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