Washington Post - If Indoor Allergies Are Bringing You Down, You Might Want to Look at Your Flooring
Lillian Coney is frustrated. The Haymarket, Va., retiree needs to replace the carpet in her main bedroom. But over the years, her husband, Donald, has complained that his allergies kick up when he leaves his carpeted office and settles into the living room, with its hardwood floors. Unsure what’s triggering his respiratory issues, Coney doesn’t want to introduce more chemicals into the house that would exacerbate his condition.
After hours of research on healthy homes and “green” materials, Coney found general information but nothing specific to manufacturers. “Should I use carpet or wood? What types? And what about the underpadding? It’s almost impossible to find what’s in specific flooring products,” she says. “When there is no mention of chemicals in flooring, does that mean there are none or the company doesn’t have to report them? We have to live with whatever we install for a long time, and I don’t want to make the wrong decision.”
Coney contacted The Washington Post, and I was tasked with finding out what is the best flooring for allergy sufferers, and how consumers can really know what’s in the materials being used. After considerable digging and speaking with experts, the answer is . . . there is no one-size-fits-all solution.