I am of the opinion that we should always (where practical) use ‘traditional’ methods and materials when treating damp and heat-loss in a traditional ‘breathable’ home.
I want to highlight how modern construction methods can turn our traditional homes into giant plastic ‘lunch-boxes’ in dealing with damp and insulation issues and which can be potentially harmful due to the materials used.
We spend more and more time in this unhealthy environment– commonly up to 90 per cent – where air pollution due to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can potentially be a thousand times higher indoors than outdoors. There may be anywhere from 50 to hundreds of individual VOCs in the indoor air at any one time.
Volatile organic compounds are chemicals used to manufacture and maintain building materials, interior furnishing, cleaning products and personal care products. “Volatile” means that these chemicals evaporate or can easily get into the air at room temperature. “Organic” means these chemicals are carbon based. The term “chemical emissions” refers to VOCs as they evaporate into the air from products. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can severely impact an occupant’s health and wellbeing, causing drowsiness, headaches, skin irritation through to chronic respiratory problems and cancer.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is typically defined by the concentration of formaldehyde and the sum of [total] volatile organic compound (TVOC) value. Formaldehyde is treated separately because of its hazardous nature. Furthermore, it is widely used in construction products such as adhesives, plastics, paper products, plasters and cements and rubber products. Each VOC included in a Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) measurement will have its own particular health effects. For example, Toluene which may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways, is a highly flammable liquid and vapour, is suspected of damaging the unborn child, may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, causes skin irritation and may cause drowsiness or dizziness.
Another example is methylene chloride (which is a very volatile (gaseous) organic compounds VVOC) which is found in paint strippers, adhesive removers and aerosol spray paints. Methylene chloride is known to cause cancer in animals. Also, methylene chloride is converted to carbon monoxide in the body and can cause symptoms associated with exposure to carbon monoxide.
While there has been no evidence so far that insulation materials made from PUR/PIR emit relevant isocyanate concentrations into indoor air, in the case of polystyrene insulation materials, relevant styrene emissions have been detected. The main health hazards brought about by styrene include neurotoxic effects, particularly on the central nervous system (e.g. memory deficiencies, neurological symptoms, impaired colour vision). The question as to whether styrene may trigger cancer is a controversial issue among experts, as is its possible reprotoxicity. However, there are many reliable studies that regard such effects as likely (cf. BMLFUW 2003b; guideline on indoor air assessment). Insulation materials with binders that contain formaldehyde (e.g. mineral wool insulation materials) may also emit formaldehyde.
Despite the effects of VOCs on Indoor Air Quality, UK building regulations do not cover source control unlike in several other European countries. The Building Regulations 2010 – Approved Document D does state “If insulating material is inserted into a cavity in a cavity wall, reasonable precautions shall be taken to prevent the subsequent permeation of any toxic fumes from that material into any part of the building occupied by people”.
It’s acceptable level of performance is: “To reduce the risks to the health of persons in buildings formaldehyde fumes given off by urea formaldehyde foams should not penetrate to the occupied parts of buildings to an extent which would give rise to an irritant concentration”.
However, none of this regulates the level of the emission of toxic fumes from the insulation, just that it should be contained! There are no requirements in the UK for materials producers to provide any emissions classification for products sold into the UK market.
The government has laid legislation to continue recognition of current EU requirements, including the CE marking (Conformité Européene, or European Conformity marking). The legislation will apply indefinitely for a range of product regulations. This means businesses will have the flexibility to use either the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) or CE marking to sell products in Great Britain (GB). Draft legislation can be found in The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
The only guideline for performance-based ventilation design that is relevant to emissions from building products is that TVOC concentrations should be less than = 300 µg/m in service. However, there is no requirement to verify and test for compliance on completion. As a result, it is best to identify and use materials with low VOC content and emissions which demonstrate compliance with other European country requirements or as part of an Ecolabel assessment.
For indoor air quality, ALL organic chemical compounds whose compositions give them the potential to evaporate under normal atmospheric conditions are considered VOCs and should be considered in any assessment of indoor air quality impacts. Eliminating or limiting the indoor sources of VOCs is the first option to consider.
However, it’s not just the materials we use to renovate our homes that give off VOCs but we also bring them into our homes in everyday household products. See the US Consumer Product Information Database Household Products Database for health and safety information on household products.
There are numerous articles and books on the subject so I am not able to cover everything in this Blog. I am just trying to make you aware that using natural, traditional materials when upgrading your traditional house will make for a healthier home for you and your family. There is a nice article here on ‘How to reduce exposure to indoor toxins’ which includes Volatile Organic Compounds.
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