The Risks of Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Why You Should Avoid Them.
In recent years, the popularity and demand for luxury vinyl tile (LVT) have increased dramatically. Although LVT has been on the market for some time, its recent popularity stems from its affordability, distinct appearance, and ease of upkeep, especially when compared to hardwood flooring, tile, or other flooring options. Luxury vinyl tile, like laminate, is water-resistant, making it a popular choice for use in moist environments such as bathrooms, kitchens, and home gyms. LVT is also very adjustable, working with a wide range of home decorating styles. Unfortunately, vinyl flooring products are poisonous, and the health hazards exceed the benefits of luxury vinyl tile.
What is Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring?
Luxury vinyl tile is mostly composed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The United States government now has restrictions prohibiting the use of dangerous elements in everyday objects, such as BPA in bottles or lead paint. Unfortunately, there are no controls on the use of polyvinyl chloride and other harmful chemical compounds in certain flooring materials. Numerous tests have revealed that Polyvinyl Chloride Flooring is harmful and that luxury vinyl is toxic, but what precisely does this mean, and how can it endanger your floors?
Is luxury vinyl tile flooring toxic or dangerous?
Polyvinyl chloride is a recognized carcinogen that contains dioxin and phthalates, which are harmful to humans and the environment. While dioxin is often only released when exposed to heat, such as during the production process, it is less hazardous to your and your family’s health. However, we must not overlook the fact that heat exposure can also occur from a radiator or fireplace in your home. Even so, it poses a minor threat. The phthalates in the flooring, on the other hand, can cause serious problems for you and your family. While several phthalates are prohibited from being used in children’s toys and other applications, no existing regulations restrict or limit their usage in vinyl flooring products.
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that more than 90% of Americans currently have detectable levels of phthalates in their systems from various sources, the chemicals continue to pose a risk, particularly to developing children. Phthalates have been demonstrated in studies to cause severe learning and developmental problems in children when exposed at high levels.
Phthalates can also influence the endocrine system, altering hormone cell signal pathways and interfering with reproductive health. Some phthalates are even known to cause cancer. Luxury vinyl flooring is known to emit harmful pollutants. The accumulation of phthalates in smaller, less-ventilated regions of your home will be more severe due to the size of the room and the lack of ventilation.
What material is Luxury Vinyl Tile made of?
Many luxury vinyl floors make use of recycled vinyl components from older homes. While recycling and reusing materials is beneficial, items salvaged from older homes might cause more harm than good. There is a higher likelihood that harmful elements present in older homes. One good example is the use of asbestos.
Prior to the 1990s, several flooring materials contained asbestos. Unless you live under a rock, you are aware that persistent asbestos exposure can result in mesothelioma and lung cancer. Unfortunately, items from that time are being recycled and used in new flooring products, increasing the risk of using luxury vinyl flooring. Several national brands have failed to take steps to ensure that their products are free of asbestos, and they have not guaranteed that their flooring is free of phthalates.
Luxury vinyl tile flooring is not biodegradable, thus there is no safe, environmentally acceptable way to dispose of it. LVT’s disposal procedure is also extremely hazardous. The most common method of disposal is to burn luxury vinyl tiles. This procedure generates massive amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere.
There hasn’t been much testing or study on luxury vinyl flooring or other PVC floor products. As a result, it is difficult to determine the toxicity of these compounds, as well as the short and long-term impacts on persons who are exposed to them over time. However, there is enough information available to conclude that these items are cause for concern.
Is Luxury Vinyl Tile Worth It for Your Home?
While luxury vinyl flooring may appear to be an appealing alternative, particularly for homeowners who are ignorant of the potential health risks, there are other drawbacks to the product.
While LVT flooring is well renowned for its water resistance, which most users consider to be its best feature, the photographic layer is readily scratched. LVT flooring cannot be rubbed out once scratched, unlike hardwood floors, which can be sanded and refinished. Damaged flooring components will need to be replaced.
Vinyl flooring is also prone to heat damage from sunlight. Sections of the flooring exposed to sunlight during the day will warp and begin to buckle at the joints between the planks. These difficulties have been well documented by luxury vinyl flooring owners, and it is frequently not worth the hassle of constantly replacing huge areas of your flooring.
With the negative health and environmental implications of luxury vinyl flooring materials, as well as the high maintenance requirements, LVT flooring is not worth the cost reductions.
Hardwood flooring is more eco-friendly than LVT.
Hardwood flooring is derived from trees, which are the very natural resources we seek to safeguard. Some clients prefer LVT flooring because they believe that produced products do not deplete natural resources. Unfortunately, these people are uninformed if they do not understand the serious risks involved with LVT. Furthermore, most flooring manufacturers are attempting to combat deforestation.
Modern harwood used in flooring is frequently collected from company-run tree farms, where harvesting occurs in cycles and trees are replenished on a regular basis in an environmentally friendly manner. Furthermore, engineered hardwood flooring employ manufacturing procedures that make use of nearly all tree pieces. Furthermore, the plywood layer beneath the top plank of the manufactured hardwood is made of recycled wood scraps and other residual materials, all of which are non-toxic, unlike the recycled elements found in LVT flooring.
So, do your home, family, and the environment a favor by investing in quality wood flooring. Also, by conducting some study on the most sustainable hardwood flooring, you will be ready for a hardwood floor installation that is not only long-lasting and attractive, but also safe for your family and the environment!