Everyday household products often contain substances that can be damaging to your health. One of these substances is formaldehyde, which you can find in building materials, glue, furniture, paint, and other items in your home.
If you’re asking yourself, “What are the health effects of formaldehyde in indoor air?” you’ll learn about them in this guide. Here’s what you should know about the dangerous effects of formaldehyde.
Common Items That Contain Formaldehyde
The most common sources of formaldehyde in your home are any products made from pressed wood. You’ll often find adhesive materials containing urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin in particleboard, which is used for shelves, cabinets, and furniture; hardwood plywood paneling; and medium-density fiberboard. The latter has the highest amount of UF resin out of these three.
You can also find formaldehyde in the exterior construction of your home. Some materials on the outside of your home that might contain formaldehyde are softwood plywood, oriented-strand board, and flakeboard.
The Health Effects of Formaldehyde Exposure
Although formaldehyde is a colorless gas, it can be quite odorous. The short-term effects of formaldehyde exposure are a burning feeling in your eyes and throat, trouble breathing, and watery eyes. For some individuals, exposure to formaldehyde could trigger asthma attacks. Many people also develop sensitivities to formaldehyde after repeated exposure. You may have been exposed to formaldehyde if you experience a skin rash, sudden fatigue, respiratory irritation, or an allergy flare-up.
As for the long-term health effects, formaldehyde could lead to the onset of various cancers, including myeloid leukemia and sinus cancers.
How You Can Reduce Your Exposure to Formaldehyde
Thankfully, there are a few ways you can reduce your exposure to formaldehyde. First, start by shopping for pleated AC filters, since they keep volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde at bay. Next, you can opt for wood products that use phenol resins instead of urea resins, because the former emit fewer chemicals. You may want to use a dehumidifier to lower your home’s humidity levels so that the wood doesn’t react with the moisture in the air. Finally, opening windows and increasing your home’s ventilation will help you air it out if formaldehyde is still present.
Overall, formaldehyde is a dangerous chemical, but as long as you know what to look out for, you won’t have to wonder about the health effects of formaldehyde in indoor air ever again.
