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MONDAY MORNING MESSENGER

Message Prepared For Home Inspectors and Especially for Members of the

American Institute of Inspectors®

October 18, 1999

GOOOOOD MORNING, A.I.I.™

It's a great day here in Northern Utah. I received a call this week from a client who is being relocated by Chevron. It seems Chevron will not allow an employee to purchase a home with "ANY environmental issues." Great. Easy for them to say. Any environmental issues? If the home has elevated Radon the deal is Off..... No exceptions. A mitigation system is not acceptable. The same is true for lead-based paint, asbestos or any other Phase-1 Environmental issue. That seems a stiff order. I can offer my usual added services: Lead-Base Paint Screening, Radon Testing and Pest Inspection. She then ordered a Formaldehyde test. Have any of you ever had such a request? I never had and was unfamiliar with how one would test for this. This week's messenger is the result of my research and help from other inspectors.

One inspector wrote back to me after my call for help:

"No environmental issues. Hmmmm. Nice thought, but totally stupid in practice.

Lead, asbestos, radon. OK, I guess. There are established standards for clearance testing and indoor exposures. There are also accepted mitigation protocols, too. But you start getting into VOCs and other chemical testing, and you're off anybody's charts.

Formaldehyde is a particularly difficult subject. People respond negatively to formaldehyde at incredibly different rates. People with multiple chemical sensitivities claim to be adversely affected by levels measured in the parts per billion range. Typical levels in new construction range from 1-10 ppm, but individual homes well outside this range are common.

There are no established US standards for formaldehyde exposure in the home. The only published standards are occupational standards for continuous or 8-hour exposures. These standards are based on the average population not showing extreme adverse affects at these levels. The standards are high enough to cause ill health in most people with long-term exposure. Studies are being done to assess the health effects of long-term formaldehyde exposure, but so far, the results vary so widely that they are not useful.

Add to this the fact that fomaldehyde is only one of a very large number of VOCs that can be present in housing, not to even mention mold related illnesses which probably cause more health problems than all other IAQ issues put together (tobacco smoke excepted). You will have difficulty finding any competent IAQ practitioner who will be willing to say that a house has "absolutely no environmental problems." Proving the negative is always a difficult feat. Its hard enough to find a cause for identified symptoms in a house where people are obviously ill.

As far as the technical question, sampling for formaldehyde and total volatile organic chemicals (TVOC) can be performed inexpensively with a Drake trial tube sampler, but the threshold of detection is too high to be of much use. There are other chemical assay methods, but these require specialized equipment and training.

We do IAQ investigations for people, and I would not even approach this one. The description you gave us is way too vague a standard to consider. Basically, the company would be saying to the IAQ practitioner,"we intend to hold you responsible for any and all environmental issues that may now or in the future exist in the house." Kinda like asking the HI to take responsibility for any defects, hidden or not, for the next 10 years or so. -- Pete Engle, Rumson, NJ -- a home inspector (of course) and engineer

A lot of great information here. Especially the part about not taking on the liability issues. I will definitely have to cover myself with this client.

CPSC FORMALDEHYDE UPDATE

This is what I found from the CPSC:

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) * October, 1990

An Update on Formaldehyde

What is Formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is an important industrial chemical used to make other chemicals, building materials, and household products. It is one of the large family of chemical compounds called volatile organic compounds or 'VOCs'. The term volatile means that the compounds vaporize, that is, become a gas, at normal room temperatures. Formaldehyde serves many purposes in products. It is used as a part of:

The glue or adhesive in pressed wood products (particleboard, hardwood plywood, and fiberboard);
Preservatives in some paints, coatings, and cosmetics;
The coating that provides permanent press quality to fabrics and draperies;
The finish used to coat paper products;
Certain insulation materials (ureaformaldehyde foam insulation).

Formaldehyde is released into the air by burning wood, kerosene or natural gas, by automobiles, and by cigarettes. Formaldehyde can off-gas from materials made with it. It is also a naturally occurring substance.

The U.S. Consumer Safety Commission has produced this booklet to tell you about formaldehyde found in the indoor air. This booklet tells you where you may come in contact with formaldehyde, how it may affect your health, and how you might reduce your exposure to it.

Why Should You Be Concerned?

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas. When present in the air at levels above 0.1 ppm (parts in a million parts of air), it can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat, nausea, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, skin rashes, and allergic reactions. It also causes cancer in laboratory animals and may cause cancer in humans.

Formaldehyde can affect people differently. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde while others may not have any noticeable reaction to the same level.

Persons have developed allergic reactions (allergic skin disease and hives) to formaldehyde through skin contact with solutions of formaldehyde or durable-press clothing containing formaldehyde. Others have developed asthmatic reactions and skin rashes from exposure to formaldehyde.

You should understand that formaldehyde is just one of several gases present indoors that may cause illnesses. Many of these gases, as well as colds and flu, cause similar symptoms.

What Levels of Formaldehyde Are Normal?

Formaldehyde is normally present at low levels, usually less than 0.03 ppm, in both out door and indoor air. The outdoor air in rural areas has lower concentrations while urban areas have higher concentrations. Residences or offices that contain products that release formaldehyde to the air can have formaldehyde levels of greater than 0.03 ppm. Products that may add formaldehyde to the air include particleboard used as sub-flooring or shelving, fiberboard in cabinets and furniture, plywood wall panels, and urea-formaldehyde as insulation. As formaldehyde levels increase, illness or discomfort is more likely to occur and may be more serious.

Efforts have been made by both the government and industry to reduce exposure to formaldehyde. CPSC voted to ban urea-formaldehyde foam insulation. That ban was overturned in the courts, but these actions greatly reduced the residential use of the product. CPSC, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other federal agencies are working with the pressed wood industry to further reduce the release of the chemical from their products. However, it would be unrealistic to expect to completely remove formaldehyde from the air. Some persons who are extremely sensitive to formaldehyde may need to reduce or stop using these products.

What Affects Formaldehyde Levels?

Formaldehyde levels in the indoor air depend mainly on what is releasing the formaldehyde (the source), the temperature, the humidity, and the air exchange rate (the amount of outdoor air entering or leaving the indoor area). Increasing the flow of outdoor air to the inside decreases the formaldehyde levels. Decreasing this flow of outdoor air by sealing the residence or office increases the formaldehyde level in the in door air.

As the temperature rises, more formaldehyde comes off from the product. The reverse is also true; less formaldehyde comes off at lower temperature. Humidity also affects the release of formaldehyde from the product. As humidity rises more formaldehyde is released.

The formaldehyde levels in a residence change with the season and from day-to-day and day-to-night. Levels may be high on a hot and humid day and low on a cool, dry day. Understanding these factors is important when you consider measuring the levels of formaldehyde.

Some sources -- such as pressed wood products containing urea-formaldehyde glues, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation, durable press fabrics, and draperies -- release more formaldehyde when new. As they age, the formaldehyde release decreases.

What are the Major Sources?

1. Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation: During the 1970s, many home owners installed this insulation to save energy. Many of these homes had high levels of formaldehyde soon afterwards. Sale of urea formaldehyde foam insulation has largely stopped. Formaldehyde release from this product decreases rapidly after the first few months and reaches background levels in a few years. Therefore, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation installed 5 to 10 years ago is unlikely to still release formaldehyde.
2. Durable-press fabrics, draperies, and coated paper products: In the early 1960s, there were several reports of allergic reactions to formaldehyde from durable press fabrics and coated paper products. Such reports have declined in recent years as industry has taken steps to reduce formaldehyde levels. Draperies made of formaldehyde treated durable press fabrics may add slightly to indoor formaldehyde levels.
3. Cosmetics, paints, coatings, and some wet-strength paper products: The amount of formaldehyde present in these products is small and is of slight concern. However, persons sensitive to formaldehyde may have allergic reactions.
4. Pressed Wood Products: Pressed wood products, especially those containing ureaformaldehyde glues, are a source of formaldehyde. These products include particleboard used in subfloors, shelves, cabinets, and furniture; plywood wall panels, and medium-density fiberboard used in drawers, cabinets, and furniture. Medium-density fiberboard, which contains a higher glue content, has the potential to release the most formaldehyde.
5. Combustion Sources: Burning materials such as wood, kerosene, cigarettes, and natural gas, and operating internal combustion engines (e.g. automobiles), produces small quantities of formaldehyde. Combustion sources add small amounts of formaldehyde to indoor air.
6. Products such as carpets or gypsum board do not contain formaldehyde when new. They may trap formaldehyde emitted from other sources and later release the formaldehyde into the indoor air when the temperature and humidity change.

Do You Have Formaldehyde-Related Symptoms?

There are several formaldehyde-related symptoms, such as watery eyes, runny nose, burning sensation in eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, and fatigue. These symptoms may also occur because of the common cold, the flu or other pollutants that may be present in the indoor air. If these symptoms lessen when you are away from home or office but reappear upon your return, they may be caused by indoor pollutants, including formaldehyde. Examine your environment. Have you recently moved into a new or different home or office? Have you recently remodeled or installed new cabinets, or furniture? Symptoms may be due to formaldehyde exposure. You should contact your physician and/or state or local health department for help. Your physician can help to determine if the cause of your symptoms is formaldehyde or other pollutants.

Should You Measure Formaldehyde?

Only trained professionals should measure formaldehyde because they know how to interpret the results. If you become ill, and the illness persists following the purchase of furniture or remodeling with pressed wood products, you might not need to measure formaldehyde. Since these are likely sources, you can take action. You may become ill after painting, sealing, making repairs, and/or applying pest control treatment in your home or office. In such cases, indoor air pollutants other than formaldehyde may be the cause. If the source is not obvious, you should consult an physician to determine whether or not your symptoms might relate to indoor air quality problems. If your physician believes that you may be sensitive to formaldehyde, you may want to make some measurements. As discussed earlier, many factors can affect the level of formaldehyde on a given day in an office or residence. This is why a professional is best suited to make an accurate measurement of the levels.

Do-it-yourself formaldehyde measuring devices are available. These devices can only provide a "ball park" figure for the formaldehyde level in the area. If you use such a device, you must carefully follow the instructions.

How Do You Reduce Formaldehyde Exposure?

Every day you probably use many products that contain formaldehyde. You may not be able to avoid coming in contact with some formaldehyde in your normal daily routine. If you are sensitive to formaldehyde, you will need to avoid many everyday items to reduce symptoms. For most people, a low-level exposure to formaldehyde (up to 0.1 ppm) does not produce symptoms. People who suspect they are sensitive to formaldehyde should work closely with a knowledgeable physician to make sure that formaldehyde is causing their symptoms.

You can avoid exposure to higher levels by:

Purchasing low formaldehyde-releasing pressed wood products for use in construction or remodeling of homes, and for furniture, cabinets etc. These could include oriented strand board and softwood plywood for construction, low formaldehyde-emitting pressed wood products or solid wood for furniture and cabinets. Some products are labeled as low-emitting, or ask for help in identifying low-emitting products. Using alternative products such as lumber or metal. Avoiding the use of foamed-in-place insulation containing formaldehyde, especially urea-formaldehyde foam insulation. Washing durable-press fabrics before use.

How Do You Reduce Existing Formaldehyde Levels?

The choice of methods to reduce formaldehyde is unique to your situation. People who can help you select appropriate methods are your state or local health department, physician, or professional expert in indoor air problems. Here are some of the methods to reduce indoor levels of formaldehyde.

1. Bring large amounts of fresh air into the home. Increase ventilation by opening doors and windows and installing an exhaust fan(s).
2. Reduce the humidity level in your home.
3. Seal the surfaces of the formaldehyde-containing product. You may use a vapor barrier such as some paints, varnishes, or a layer of vinyl or polyurethane-like materials. Be sure to seal completely, with a material that does not itself contain formaldehyde.
4. Remove from your home the product that is releasing formaldehyde in the indoor air. When other materials in the area such as carpets, gypsum boards, etc., have absorbed formaldehyde, these products may also start releasing it into the air. Overall levels of formaldehyde can be lower if you increase the ventilation over an extended period.

One method NOT recommended by CPSC is a chemical treatment with strong ammonia (28-29% ammonia in water) which results in a temporary decrease in formaldehyde levels. We strongly discourage such treatment since ammonia in this strength is extremely dangerous to handle. Ammonia may damage the brass fittings of a natural gas system, adding a fire and explosion danger.

For more information:

For a copy of "The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality," contact The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Clearinghouse [IAQINFO] at:

P.O. Box 37133
Washington, DC 20013-7133
1-800-438-4318
(703) 356-4020
(fax) (703) 356-5386
iaqinfo@aol.com

YORK HEATER RECALL

NEWS from CPSC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * October 12, 1999 * Release # 00-003

CPSC, York International Corp. Announce Recall of York International Corporation Diamond 80 Furnaces

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), York International Corp., of York, Pa., is recalling about 21,000 York International Corporation Diamond 80 downflow mid- efficiency furnaces with model numbers starting with P2DP, PBKD, and XED02. Because of inadequate gluing, the insulation
surrounding the heat exchanger can separate from the cabinet wall of the furnace, and fall onto the heat exchanger. This could cause surrounding combustible material and drywall to catch on fire, which has the potential to cause burn injuries and deaths.

York began this recall in late 1997. However, only about 9,000 of the recalled furnaces have been repaired to date.

York International and CPSC are aware of 11 incidents involving this furnace, including five fires causing $74,000 in property damage. York and CPSC wish to reinforce the seriousness of the situation and continue efforts to promote increased participation. York is offering its distributors a $25 bounty for each furnace they locate.

These furnaces were sold under the brand names York, Fraser- Johnston, Luxaire and Moncrief. The furnaces were sold with the model numbers P2DP, PBKD and XEDO2, and with serial number beginning with EECM or EGEM. The model number and serial number can be found on a label inside the furnace cabinet.

York dealers sold these furnaces nationwide from May 1994 through July 1996 for about $680.

Consumers should contact their local York dealer immediately to schedule a free repair visit. For more information, consumers should call York International/UPG Technical Services toll-free at (877) 874- 7378 between 8 a.m and 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday, or visit the York web site at www.york.com/upgsafe/safety.htm.