Durability, cost, and appearance are the key factors most people must take into account when choosing new flooring. However, things are different for the 50 million Americans with allergies. Learn more about your options when choosing your home’s flooring and the best flooring for those with allergies.
Best Flooring for Allergies: Hardwood Floors or Carpet?
Living with allergies can easily seem like a lose-lose situation. No matter how hard you work to make your home a safe zone, allergens always seem to have a way of invading your space.
Reducing exposure to allergens is hard work, but designing an allergy-friendly home pays off in the long run. The type of flooring choice is a key part of creating a haven for allergy sufferers. Common allergens, such as the ones listed here, can make life challenging for people with serious allergies.
- Dust mites
- Pet dander
- Pollen
- Mold and mildew
These same people tend to be highly sensitive to the chemicals commonly known as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) found in some types of flooring and adhesives.
Why Hardwood Flooring Is the Best Choice for People with Allergies
Hardwood flooring is among the most desirable options across the board. It is extremely durable, beautiful, easy to maintain, and versatile. You can also refinish hardwood flooring in several different ways.
Hardwood flooring is the best choice for allergy sufferers. This type of surface for flooring has also proven to improve indoor air quality. That’s because hardwood floors are easy to clean thoroughly and mold-resistant. Brand-new hardwood floors are low on VOCs, as well.
The only downside? Not everyone can afford hardwood flooring.
What Other Flooring Options Should Allergy Sufferers Consider?
Hardwood flooring isn’t always an option. Thankfully, allergy sufferers have plenty of other great options to consider.
Cork, Natural Stone, Tile
Cork floors, natural stone, and tile flooring have the same advantages as hardwood flooring. They are easy to keep clean and don’t off-gas much, even when these floors are freshly installed. Luxury vinyl is another surprisingly good choice. Vinyl may not be natural, but it emits fewer VOCs than other types of artificial flooring.
Engineered Hardwood
On the other hand, engineered hardwood may offer the appearance of hardwood, but it’s not the same. Artificial materials, glued together with chemical glues, lie beyond the layers of natural-looking hardwood. These floors are high in VOCs and can become an allergy patient’s biggest regret.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring has similar disadvantages. This flooring has chemicals that can release fumes for years, especially with the use of adhesive. It is a poor choice for allergy sufferers who are sensitive to VOCs.
Best Flooring For People With Allergies
Wall-to-wall carpets are the worst flooring choice for people with serious allergies. Avoid it at all costs. Include only smaller rugs that you can regularly clean and easily wash.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has an asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program. The flooring must pass tests in an environmentally controlled chamber to be certified. Its trademark indicates the product has passed testing standards from the Foundation.
Hardwood flooring is your best option, but don’t worry if you can’t afford it. Tiles, natural stone, and vinyl are excellent flooring choices for people with allergies.
Shop hardwood flooring and carpet flooring products or learn more about flooring installation in Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux Falls at Carpet Land.
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