UFFI is one of those stories that is really hard to believe. Could the Canadian government have screwed up any more?
What is UFFI?
It stands for Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation.
It is a type of insulation made up from urea-formaldehyde resin, a foaming agent and compressed air used to insulate hard to reach areas. It was popular in 1970’s due to energy efficiency being a high priority. It was later banned in 1980 because of health concerns.
Why was UFFI banned?
In the 1970’s, the Canadian government gave grants to Canadians to put UFFI in their homes. And then, under suspicion that the off-gassing was a health risk to Canadians, they banned it shortly afterward.
Some formaldehyde is released during the mixing & curing process. If installed correctly, emissions from UFFI would last for a day or two. Health risks could arise when installed incorrectly since the off-gassing would take longer.
In the US, a similar thing happened. They were using UFFI in a modular home, and there was definitely off-gassing. So the US government banned it as well. But then, they discovered that it wasn’t the UFFI that was causing the off-gassing, after all. It was actually the carpet and the paneling. So the US promptly overturned the ban in 1983.
Also, in Quebec, a bunch of Canadians got together to sue the government for encouraging them to put this UFFI in their houses that was “obviously dangerous.” It was an eight-year court case. There was absolutely no proof that was given that UFFI ever caused personal injury to homeowners.
What else should you know before buying a home? Here are some things to think about:
- Can You Buy a House With a Poor Credit Score?
- Should You Look At Listings In A Termite Zone?
- Buying an Older Home? Here Are The Red Flags To Watch Out For
Should I be concerned about buying a house with UFFI?
Formaldehyde is found in:
- pressed wood products that use glues that contain formaldehyde, such as particle board, hardwood, plywood panelling, and medium density fiberboard. These products may be used in home construction and renovations, and are also often used to make furniture and cabinets;
- paints, adhesives, varnishes and floor finishes;
- household products such as wallpaper, cardboard and paper products;
- vehicle exhaust from attached garages or from outdoors;
- smoke from fireplaces and wood-burning stoves; and
- tobacco smoke.
New carpets can give off more gases than UFFI after the first few days of installation. Yet people still put new carpet in their homes and the government hasn’t banned it. Before the judgement in the eight-year Quebec case, several Ontario courts awarded damages to homeowners based on warranties, not health concerns.
Due to this, a national study was conducted to test homes with UFFI installation. The findings suggest that UFFI is only ever a potential problem when signs of water deterioration or fungus are present, which are rare.
They could not find ONE house that had a dangerous gas level.
When they tested for formaldehyde in houses with UFFI vs houses without it, both were well below the 0.1 health standard. UFFI has been used in Europe the last thirty years and is still today.
“Health Canada has measured formaldehyde in a large number of homes in different cities across Canada – Charlottetown, Ottawa, Quebec City, Regina – as part of an ongoing study on the quality of indoor air. All houses had at least some formaldehyde in indoor air. On average, formaldehyde levels measured over a day in Canadian homes were 16-32.5 ppb.” – Health Canada.
In over 40 years, nobody has ever been able to prove that UFFI has ever caused any harm. But OREA, the real estate body, makes us put a disclosure about UFFI into every standard Agreement of Purchase. Why?
OREA’s answer is, “UFFI is a stigma. Some buyers don’t want to buy a house that has UFFI.”
But why is UFFI a stigma?
UFFI is a stigma, because we have to disclose it in our Agreement of Purchase. It makes absolutely no sense.
Are you looking to sell a home in Guelph or the Tri-Cities? The following posts might help:
- What Are the Worst Mistakes When Selling Your House?
- Tough Questions to Ask Your Realtor® When Selling Your House
- How to Sell Your Parents’ Home
If you are concerned about buying a house with UFFI or the formaldehyde levels in your home, here are some tips to lower the levels.
- Don’t allow anyone to smoke inside.
- Make sure fireplaces and wood stoves are in good working order.
- Don’t idle cars or other gas powered items in attached garages.
- To keep emissions low from pressed wood furniture or cabinets, purchase items with a plastic laminate or coating on all sides.
- Make sure there is plenty of ventilation during painting or varnishing projects, or when installing wall-to-wall carpets using glues or adhesives.
- Allow products that contain formaldehyde to “air out” before bringing them into your home
Buying a house can be a difficult process, it’s hard to know which things in a home are a red flag and which are fixable. That’s why it is always best to have an experienced Realtor with you during your home search.
Contact the GoWylde team at info@gowylde.ca or call 519-826-7109 if you would like our help in finding your dream home!
Sources:
Health Canada
Carson Dunlop Home Inspection Service
The Star
