The "New"
Home Smell
is called Formaldehyde
The "New"
The smell of your newly renovated home
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Moving into your newly renovated home can be nerve-wrecking, exhausting, and overwhelming.
What makes it worse? The smell of the brand new home that packs a strong pickle-like odour which is particularly stronger when the built-in furniture (i.e kitchen and wardrobe) cabinets are open. Your family starts to complain of recurring eyes and throat irritation before you realize it may be caused by an excessive concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your house. |
Formaldehyde: What is it?
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Formaldehyde, a colourless and strong-smelling gas, is one of the many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in our home. It is found in products like glue, resin and varnish. Building materials, furniture and built-in furniture are the main sources of exposure to Formaldehyde. It also naturally occurs in organic compound and is emitted by all timber species but in very negligible amounts.
Formaldehyde has become a very important ingredient in the production of industrial resins including the adhesive that is used to bond engineered wood-based products (i.e Plywood, Blockboard, MDF and Particle Board). |
What do you need to know about off-gassing?
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The newly renovated house furnishing and finishes can leach harmful chemical (VOCs) into the air for years through a process called off-gassing.
Potential sources of off-gassing ranges from construction materials to carpeting, built-in furniture, furniture, paint and number of household goods. One of the most common chemical off-gassing is Formaldehyde. |
How will Formaldehyde affect your health?
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Our lifestyles have placed us in positions prone to inhaling such toxic fumes. While many people take precaution by wearing masks to shutting ourselves at home on smoggy days, is staying at home really safe?
Formaldehyde is in the air we breathe but at very low levels. The real health issue is in long-term exposure to high levels of Formaldehyde. Although the amount of toxic fumes released from any one source decreases over time, studies show that some building materials can emit Formaldehyde from months, sometimes years, at levels 10 times higher than the acceptable limit. |
Respiratory problems and allergies may develop especially in children and people with environmental sensitivities. Studies has shown that high level of exposure to Formaldehyde may also increase the risk of developing cancer.
The table below are studies from well-known organizations on Formaldehyde and how it affects us
ORGANISATION |
WHAT THEY SAID |
REFERENCES |
National Toxicology Program (NTP) (USA) |
Listed Formaldehyde as "Human Carcinogen" |
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (USA) |
Classified that Formaldehyde may cause some type of cancers |
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National Cancer Institute (USA) |
Concluded exposure to Formaldehyde may cause cancer |
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American Cancer Society (USA) |
Concluded Formaldehyde have been linked to some types of cancer in humans |
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World Health Organization (Europe) |
Classified Formaldehyde as carcinogenic to humans |
Good to know articles on Formaldehyde related matters
SOURCE |
TOPIC |
LINKS |
The Consumer Association of Singapore (The consumer 2014 issue 1) |
Feeling sick after renovation |
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South China Morning Post |
Chemical in home, renovation link to child leukaemia |
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Singapore Zaobao |
Formaldehyde in the house exceeded the safe standard |
What can you do to prevent / reduce high concentrations of Formaldehyde emission?
There are a few ways to prevent or reduce Formaldehyde emission depending on whether you are planning to, or have already renovated your house.
Act at the source
Select building materials low on Formaldehyde at the initial stage to prevent from having to go through the consequence of the toxic fumes. |
Control temperature and humidity
More Formaldehyde is emitted when the surrounding temperature is warm and humid. Therefore controlling the temperature and humidity of the house could help combat this problem. Formaldehyde removal service While there is no 100% guarantee of its effectiveness, this solution is for those who have already renovated their house. Depending on the areas affected, this service can cost from hundreds to thousands. Ventilation When possible, open all windows to ensure good air circulation in the room, relying on range hood, bathroom fan and air exchanger when needed. |
Make health-conscious purchases.
Prevention is better than cure!
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Choose certified low Formaldehyde products/materials, or look for Singapore Green label certified products/materials. This will help to prevent you from facing more problems in regards to Formaldehyde in the later stage.
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Who are we?
We are E³.SPACE by Sunyu Products & Services and we have been in the woodworking industry for more than 25 years. We have personally experienced multiple renovation challenges thus we understand the pain that comes with renovating a house especially when options are limited. After all, quality built in-furniture is the foundation of building an awesome dream home.
To get around that, we have been continuously evolving our manufacturing processes and sourcing for the right materials. We have also spent millions of dollars on software programs and machineries from world class suppliers.
Our raw materials and workmanship are of a superior quality. With E³.SPACE, you can build aesthetically pleasing built-in furniture that aren’t only functional and durable, they also most importantly provide you with a healthier indoor living space.
To get around that, we have been continuously evolving our manufacturing processes and sourcing for the right materials. We have also spent millions of dollars on software programs and machineries from world class suppliers.
Our raw materials and workmanship are of a superior quality. With E³.SPACE, you can build aesthetically pleasing built-in furniture that aren’t only functional and durable, they also most importantly provide you with a healthier indoor living space.
We help you create healthier indoor living space
We understand that the basic requirement for a long lasting built-in furniture are closely linked to premium raw materials.
At E³.SPACE, we provide the finest quality of Eurodekor raw boards from EGGER international. Beside reliabilities, these materials also provide a healthier living space for your loved ones, all thanks to the highest set standards of ultra-low Formaldehyde emission utilised in our modularize built-in furniture. |
EGGER recognises the special qualities of wood: the homely and natural warmth it brings. They also aware of the growing importance of in door air quality, as building are becoming more insulated and draught-free. This is why their intensively testing the emission of their products and also have them measured by independent institutes. Promoting better health and creating a pleasant atmosphere both play a major role in the further development of their products.
EGGER works again trivialising the risks of Formaldehyde, supporting and shaping both national and international process that deal with the topic of Formaldehyde and indoor air quality. All EGGER products fall below the limits for the European Fomadheyle class E1. Some also meet the stricter requirement of nation laws, such as those in USA and Japan. E³.SPACE utilise raw boards (Eurodekor MFC) from EGGER that comply with the highest Japanese Formaldehyde emission standard of F**** (0.03ppm) offering the lowest Formaldehyde emission in the market, it is also Singapore Green Label-certified. |
JP F0,3 (F****) MRPromises the lowest Formaldehyde emission standard in the industry
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EGGER International Sustainable construction and healthier living with EGGER wood-based material
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Singapore Green LabelMade from recycled material
041 - 108 -3395 |
The "New home" smell
All about VOC
Safe in any situation
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Besides creating a healthier indoor living space, the safety of our customers is the next utmost priority.
Areas such as kitchen, bathroom and shared spaces are prone to bacterial growth, and bacteria could be transmitted from person to person or via objects and surfaces. As such, special requirements are needed in the built-in furniture. Our imported EGGER materials comes with antibacterial surface properties that eliminates 99.9% germ and bacterial, 24hrs after cleaned and sanitized. This offer an effective support for surface hygiene, thus providing a safe environment for you and your loved ones. |