Best Practice Committee
Recommendation
Adopted by the MIAQC Board of
Directors on
Floor Covering Systems
Choosing the right floor covering system for a given
application is a complex decision involving several factors; not just comfort,
appearance and installation cost. Floor
coverings provide a potential source of unhealthy pollutant
exposure in indoor environments.
Decisions regarding the selection, maintenance, and removal of floor
coverings should be based on the general guiding principles for achieving a
healthy and productive indoor environment embodied in the Maine Indoor Air
Quality Council’s (MIAQC’s) General (Policy) Statement on Indoor Air Quality:
maintaining a clean, dry, well ventilated, and pollutant and pest free building
space. In particular, primary attention
should be placed on source control (i.e., employing principles of
pollution prevention and on the minimal use of toxic or irritating substances),
while ensuring adequate ventilation.
Since pollutant exposure risks are associated with any
floor covering or floor covering system (note: a floor covering system refers
to all the materials and layers associated with a given floor covering
installation), the Council recommends an approach that compares the
risks and benefits of flooring options, rather than one that endorses or
discourages any specific option.
Source control efforts should encompass:
Ø
Pollutants
associated with any installation:
o
Solvents,
glues, etc.
Ø
Pollutants
directly emitted from the floor covering system:
o
Volatile
organic compounds like formaldehyde
Ø Pollutants collected on the
surface of the floor covering:
o
Dust,
dander, etc.
Ø
Pollutants
associated with water damage:
o
Mold
and other microbiological contaminants
Ø
Pollutants
associated with cleaning and maintenance practices:
o
Floor
strippers, burnishing, finishes, etc.
Ø
Pollutants
associated with removal:
o
Asbestos
Ø
Pollutants
associated with unintended uses of the building space and the ability of
building management to control these unintended uses:
o
Converting
unventilated storage closets into small offices
The Council recommends that the decision making process
be guided by the following:
1)
Is
the floor covering choice appropriate for the intended use of the building space?
2)
Have
you considered the health impact of your floor covering choice as it affects
your business, productivity and/or the population it serves? (consideration of
special needs for children; consideration of
individuals with compromised health or allergic sensitivities;
consideration of increased absenteeism or loss of productivity)
3)
Did
you consider the total life cycle cost implications (preparation, purchase,
installation, maintenance, cleaning, frequency of replacement, appearance,
disposal, environmental impact, energy use, performance, etc.) of the selected
option to include lost time (absences/illnesses)?
4)
Can
you afford to (and will you be able to) follow the manufacturer’s
specifications including installation, care and maintenance?
Since there are a wide variety of different floor
covering options and varying levels of quality within each option, arriving at
a decision that is right for you and the health of your building occupants will
be a real challenge. Combining these
options with a plethora of different spaces and building uses can become
complicated very quickly. A decision
matrix similar to the following could be very helpful.
Life Cycle Cost Table
Type of Application:
_______________________________________
|
Floor
Covering |
Prepar-ation |
Purch-ase |
Installa-tion |
Equip-ment |
Train-ing |
Mainten-ance |
Clean-ing |
Dispos-al |
Replace-ment Frequency |
Comments |
|
Vinyl |
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Carpet |
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Ceramic |
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Synthetic |
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Linoleum |
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Engineered wood |
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Solid wood |
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Laminate |
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Bamboo |
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Concrete |
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Epoxy |
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Stone |
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Marble |
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