Safer Carpet Installation

Most indoor air pollution experts agree that carpet should be avoided whenever feasible. The reason for this is that carpet is made up of some 120 different chemicals, many of which can cause health problems, and that once installed, carpet can collect dust and even lead (tracked in from shoes), and grow mold and dust mites. That being said, there are ways to reduce your exposure to the chemicals of the carpet and it’s installation.

Choose natural fibers that haven’t been chemically treated. If you choose wool, make sure the wool is organic and hasn’t been given a moth treatment.
If you buy a synthetic carpet, consider having it tested first by Anderson Labs. At the very least, make sure that the carpet holds the controversial “Green Tag” seal from the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). Although this seal will not guarantee that the carpet is non-toxic, it will assure the carpet’s volatile organic chemicals (PVCs) are within
what the CRI considers an acceptable range.
Tacking carpets down is safer than gluing.
Avoid carpeting with PVC or styrene-butadiene rubber backing, and rubber carpet pads.
Camel hair and wool needled (not glued) carpet pads are far safer and hold up very well.
Finally, do the job in the summer when the house can be aired out, and ask the carpet installer to air the carpet out in the warehouse for three days at least—the longer the better—before putting it in the house.

Read more: Home, Green Home Decor, Health & Safety

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michele W.

2:19AM PDT on Sep 18, 2011

Thank you

send a green star

Carole R.

6:33PM PDT on Sep 14, 2011

Good information. Thanks.

KS G.

5:02AM PST on Feb 14, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Bon L.

5:14AM PST on Jan 7, 2011

Thanks for the info.

Robert O.

12:08PM PDT on Nov 6, 2010

Thanks.

Teresa W.

7:32AM PDT on May 1, 2010

Interesting!

Ronald B.

12:10PM PDT on Apr 29, 2010

I hate carpet , I have removed carpets as a job , and no matter how clean you keep them , their is filth build up underneath the padding I choose wood or cane floors with area rugs that can be removed

Sevet D.

8:29PM PST on Jan 19, 2009

yes, carpet is highly toxic and some exposures have resulted in dealth. Seizures, headaches, breathing difficulties, cancer - if this is your idea of comfort.....as for the green label, this is a big load of **** the CRI is run by the manufacturers and chemical comapanies in the industry and was formed to avoid further scrutiny during an EPA lawsuit, green label testing consists of a sample (of choice) being tested and upon clearance gives the pass for the years production. A man was successful in sueing after developing cancer traced to his green label carpet. Be wise and get rid of the crap before it gets you. 20 years of installing it gives me a pretty good idea of the harm it does.

Past Member .

11:42PM PST on Nov 16, 2007

I can't stress enough tacking a carpet versus gluing it.

I did an inspection for a friend whose husband was having violent headaches. We ruled out most of the standard issues - gas leaks, plumbing problems that release sewer gas, etc.

After talking for 45 minutes, my friend mentioned that the room had a new carpet. She also said tht the room next door had the same carpet and her husband didn't have problems there.

A little sluething at the house got us the answer: the room with the problem was on the weather side of the home, was located higher up the slope and the carpet had been glued to the slab without a concrete sealant being used. In two years, the glue in that room never commpletely set up and continued to off-gas.

The carpet company wouldn't take responsibility (natch) but she took out the carpet and found a wood product that could handle the slightly higher moisture content in the daylight basement.

Her husband still gets headaches from newly installed carpets as a result of that extended exposure.