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Looking back on those months of renovations now, it feels like watching TV through glass, a sense of unreality. A busy drama had come to an end, but what we didn't know was that the story had only just begun when we opened the door to our new home...
As you step into your new home and look around, the novelty wears off and you notice a distinct odor, sometimes strong and sometimes weak, trying to penetrate deeper into your nose. You frown, pinch your nose, and complain, "That formaldehyde smell is so strong!"
Does the scene above sound familiar? But why do we assume that this pungent smell is caused by formaldehyde?
First, let's dispel a misconception: a pungent odor in a newly renovated home or on newly purchased furniture does not necessarily indicate excessive formaldehyde levels. Formaldehyde itself is colorless and odorless. The "new home smell" we perceive is primarily caused by TVOCs. TVOCs are primarily composed of benzene, organic chlorides, amines, alcohols, ethers, esters, acids, and petroleum hydrocarbon compounds. A large portion of the odors we experience after renovations are due to TVOCs. If the pungent odor is solely due to formaldehyde, then the indoor formaldehyde level is seriously exceeding the standard.
How did TOVC quietly invade our lives?
With the rise of modern industries like chemical, pharmaceutical, and spray painting, TVOCs are now common in homes, even without renovations. Combustion products like natural gas and natural gas, as well as smoke from everyday activities like smoking, heating, and cooking, can all contain TVOCs, but their overall proportion is relatively small.
During interior decoration, TVOCs primarily come from paints, coatings, and adhesives. Therefore, sofas, leather, panels, and oil paints can all harbor TVOCs. Even the cosmetics and detergents we use in our daily lives contribute silently to indoor TVOC levels.
How to stay away from decoration pollution?
How should we deal with this health killer that is not as well-known as formaldehyde but is everywhere? In Tubaobao's opinion, to stay away from indoor TVOC pollution, you should do the following:
1. Control the source and choose environmentally friendly materials
Try to avoid or avoid cabinets and furniture made from panels that exceed the formaldehyde standard or are low-priced and low-quality. If you want to customize them, you must understand the basic materials in advance and do not buy and use low-quality decoration materials just for the sake of cheapness.
2. Streamline decoration to avoid pollution caused by excessive decoration
In addition to purchasing qualified environmentally friendly products as much as possible during decoration, you should also pay attention to avoid excessive decoration, because using too many decoration materials indoors and stacking them together will put pressure on the indoor environment and cause home decoration pollution.
3. Keep windows open for ventilation
According to relevant reports, the pass rate for homes renovated within one month was 48.7%; within three months, it was 64.1%; within six months, it was 66.7%; and within one year, it was 72.2%. This means that the longer the ventilation period, the higher the relative pass rate. So, don't rush to move in after the renovation is complete.
After reading this, you should have a deeper understanding of the "new home smell". Decoration pollution is not terrible, but the terrible thing is that we do not have a clear understanding of it and the means to prevent and control it.