Formaldehyde is a colorless, cancer-causing chemical found in many building materials including flooring, cabinetry, and composite wood products like particleboard, plywood, and MDF. The EPA and international cancer research agencies have confirmed that formaldehyde causes cancer, making it a serious health threat in homes and workplaces. You can’t rely on smell for detection because you become nose blind to chemicals you’re exposed to daily, other household odors can mask the chemical smell, and some people simply can’t detect formaldehyde by smell. Formaldehyde levels can be harmful even when undetectable, making professional testing the only reliable way to know if your building is safe.