Is it safe to use solid wood inside?
Is solid wood safe for interior use?T1-11 is on the walls of our cabin in GA.My son, my husband and I go to the ER a lot because of allergies, bronchitis and other illnesses.I was reading about the use of Formaldehyde.Is our cabin making us sick?What testing can be done to find out why we have allergies?I think it's the T1-11.My husband thinks the allergies are seasonal.Our allergies go away when we go outside.Please help!It was asked by Cristina, Miami, FL.
Could your cabin contain T1-11 make you sick?It could be a finish or a seal.
It can be difficult to know which products are causing the issues after it has been installed.Those that are sensitive can smell small amounts of chemical emissions.The strongest odors can't be smelled by others.Taking chemical sensitivity seriously helps avoid long term health problems.
Adding fans or heat to the panelling will accelerate off-gassing, but it may take months or even years.We have found that a better approach is to seal the chemicals so they can't escape.AFM Safecoat makes a product that blocks toxic fumes from coming off the wood.It works by covering the surface.It's very effective and easy to use by anyone with a roller or sprayer.Paints can be used to block odors.
If you look at the Material Safety Data Sheet for T1-11 Textured Plywood Siding on Georgia Pacific's website, you'll find that they don't provide a specific sheet for this product, but group them with all their other wood products.It is nearly impossible to determine what chemicals are in T1-11.
The wood in these products may be sprayed with a stain control coating, but they don't say what it is.They claim that there is no chemical left on the board.Wood products can be made with a variety of materials.Some wood products are coated with finishes.The descriptions are vague and focus on wood dust.Under section 311 it does contain hazardous chemicals, but what type and how much is not disclosed.
The sheets are created by the manufacturer to help consumers and contractors understand how to deal with safety issues such as dust, fire, transportation and disposal.There is no oversight by any public or private organization to make sure that the information is accurate.The law doesn't require trade secret ingredients to be listed.Anything less than 1% is not required to be listed.
Unless they are listed on the EPA's database, manufacturers don't have to list toxic ingredients.The US Government Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) was passed in the late 70's.Thousands of chemicals have never been tested for their effects on humans nor could anyone test the synergistic effects caused by combining chemicals in different ways.There is a short list of volatile organic compounds that are primarily concerned with potential harm to the outdoor environment.Smog.
Ammonia and acetone are not regulated by OSHA because they don't cause outdoor air pollution.There may be many other new chemicals from overseas that no one knows about, yet they find their way into building materials here in the USA.
The internet makes learning about chemicals easier.There are preventative and curative solutions to indoor air pollution.
There is not a lot of transparency about what is contained in their products.You have to rely on your own testing and become a scientist if you can't trust anyone.I am sorry, but this may not have been what you intended.A willingness to ask lots of questions and continual testing is required for healthy living.