Emissions From New Furnishings

Here are a few hints to help you enjoy your new furnishings and flooring installations.

Almost all new furnishings give off some odor until they are fully aired. It may include foams, fabrics, vinyl, and other construction materials used in furniture and flooring. The odor is related to a low level of emissions from the new materials.

Most emissions drop significantly after the first day or two, or after removal of plastic protective covering. In those situations in which the odor lingers, it is usually due to poor ventilation.

The key to minimizing the odor and speeding up the airing out process is to ventilate as much as possible. Open windows or doors to let in fresh air. Run the fans or air conditioner on your furnace on the ‘fresh air’ ventilate or exhaust setting. Run kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans

The small initial emissions and odor do not pose any known health risk. But some people more sensitive to these emissions at first experience some allergic or flu-like symptoms. For particularly sensitive situations, unwrap furnishings or unroll textiles a day or two before bringing into the living area.