Which Is Better for the Quality of Your Indoor Air, Carpeting or Hard Flooring?

If you have renovated or redecorated your home since your last air quality assessment, it may be time to test the indoor air again. The products, furnishings and building materials you bring into your home contribute not only to the look and feel of your home but also to the quality of air in your indoor environment.

There are many considerations to take into account when you’re planning a home renovation project or doing a little redecorating. Cost will be an important factor. Then there’s function (if you have pets or young children, you might not want to get that white sofa). And, of course, personal style plays a big role. But what about health and wellness?

If flooring is part of your home renovation project, you’ll have a lot of options, including carpeting, hardwood floors, tile, vinyl and laminate. With so many options, how do you even begin to choose?

Flooring Material Impacts on Indoor Air Quality

“There are many people out there who believe that dust mites, pollen, and other allergens can easily become trapped in your carpet,” the folks at HomeAdvisor report. The carpet industry admits that carpets do, in fact, trap allergens, but they try to put a positive spin on it, claiming that if the allergens are trapped in the carpet, they’re not floating around for an allergy sufferer to breathe in.”

Unfortunately for carpet manufacturers, HomeAdvisor says that the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America doesn’t agree with that take on it. “According to the AAFA (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America), Hardwood floors are an ideal type of floor for persons with allergies and asthma,” HomeAdvisor says.

When choosing flooring for your home, you’ll also want to do a little homework to determine if the material you are considering could emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – including formaldehyde. After investing all that money to enhance the beauty and the value of your home, it would be terrible to have a test reveal formaldehyde or other VOCs are present.

If you have concerns about the existing flooring in your home and are considering have the air quality tested in your home, the environmental testing experts at AirMD would be happy to assist you. Give us a call at 1 888 462 4763 or 1 888 GO AIRMD to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.