Is LVT with Floorscore certification safe in terms of indoor air quality?
I’m remodeling my home and adding in-floor hydronic radiant heat. I would prefer to install vinyl planks as the finish floor so that if there’s ever a problem with the pex lines it will be easier to get to, (as opposed to a tile floor). I’m concerned about VOC emissions from the flooring and have read some articles that have toted floorscore certification as a means to gage wether or not a certain product is safe. Is this cert legit? or is this some industry BS?
Also will the fact that the floor will be sitting on top of radiant heat lines exacerbate the problem?
The plan is to use Warmboard-R for the line channels
and
I’m looking at Mannington’s Adura Max line for the LVT.
Any insight would be much appreciated, Thanks!
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Andrew,
Forgive me as it doesn't directly answer the question you asked, but I would never install something in a house that I was so concerned about, it influenced what floor finish I was comfortable using.
I’m concerned about VOC emissions. Floorscore claims that its certification means that the flooring is “independently tested and found to be in compliance with VOC emissions criteria laid out by California section 01350 program”
If that’s true and Floorscore certified flooring as no or very low VOC emissions, then I’m comfortable installing it in my house. If it’s BS and there’s no such thing as “safe vinyl” then I won’t.
I would just like to use it because of it’s cost/durability/ease of installation elements.
But if it significantly increases risk, it wouldn’t be worth it.
I'll be interested to see what you find out in this discussion. All the vinyl plank flooring I've used had a noticeable odour - which isn't good.
Apart from that it's a product that I inherently was against - feeling it was a bit too ersatz - but having used it, I grudgingly had to change my mind. It can be a really nice floor
After re-reading your post, I think there maybe some confusion as to what I'm concerned with. I’m not concerned about the warmboard, that’s just prechanneled subfloor for the pex lines to run through.
I’m concerned about vinyl flooring and it’s potential for emitting VOC while off gassing, whether it’s installed on radiant heat floors or not..
No I get that. My initial post was suggesting I couldn't see myself installing water piping I was so concerned about that I was planning for the event I had to get at it for repairs.
Oh, got it. Fair point.
Andrew,
With radiant flooring you want to do your layout so there are no splices in the field. No splices, no chance for leaks. Keep the loop pressurized while working in case somebody puts a hole in a pipe.
If you need to join up smaller fields into a zone do it inside a wall with a manifold then put an access panel over it. This way any leaks happen in an area where you can easily access.
One thing to watch with LVT and warm boards is that the tube grooves might telegraph through the vinyl.
In terms of heat/smell. The floor will not get any hotter than it would on the floor in a room with a lot of sun, so I doubt the floor heat would effect the smell much than a standard install. Generally LVT does have a smell when new but quickly goes away.
Why not a floating engineered wood floor? Easy to install, or remove. No vinyl smell.