carpet offgassing

ceridwen

Thanks for comments Tru - couldnt actually tell you what carpet is for sure. I think the carpet is 80% wool as I recall and dont know what the underlay is - but it was one of the dearer ones and I specifically bought one of the thicker, squashier ones - as I am often barefoot in the room in question and wanted the carpet to feel "sink into" type squashy and thick.

I find the smell unpleasant - and I am also concerned about chemicals not being healthy.

ceridwen

Hi Mrs Tru

Follow-up thought - concerning the other carpet I need to buy soon. Wonder if you could ask Mr Tru his opinion there for me please?

Its for my main area - ie hall/stairs/landing. I would ideally like to strip the floors down and just leave the floor as natural wood planking - but they're not in good enough condition to do so. Theres all sorts of gaps between the planks and some have been replaced by hardboard. Also the hallway floor is, I gather, too uneven to just plonk down some of that wood-y type flooring a lot of people are using at present. I would like to rip up the old planks and have a new floor put in - but I gather that would cost a fortune. So it looks like I will have to have carpet again - any recommendations as to the best type of carpet and underlay to have to avoid chemicals as much as possible (I am planning on having a hessian-backed one again and have the grippers in place for that).

I am thinking it will cost me about £700 I guess for a carpet that is at least 80% wool and reasonable quality. I can manage to spend up to £1,000 if I have to - if it will get me something more environmentally-friendly and chemical-free.

UK007BullDog

Your problem sounds just like mine. I bought 100% wool and the underlay is the rubbery one second dearest Carpetright sells. The bedroom is the worst but I think its because the bed is covering up a big area and it will take longer for it to air out.

I dont like the smell either and gives me a headache.

ceridwen

Hi UK 007Bulldog

Well - according to earlier post - sounds like neither of us should have had glue used on our underlay. I shall certainly watch out for that one in future - and ask them.

I did notice that the underlay seemed to consist of quite a few separate pieces - whereas the carpet itself is, obviously, in one big piece. I'm guessing that they shouldnt have done that - but were doing it to keep back a bit of extra profit for themselves (hence the copious usage of glue, as in lots of "edges" - another reason for not using the same firm in future.)

A poster elsewhere said she doesnt think it would cost me the small fortune I think to get the main area floorboards replaced - instead of getting another new carpet (this time for my hall/stairs/landing).

If anyone has any ideas/guesstimates as to even roughly what sort of figure I would be thinking of (presumably just to replace the hallway floor and the little halflanding outside the bathroom door - I am thinking possibly the floor of the stairs and landing might be salvageable) I would appreciate it.

(NB: The hallway is 20' long by about 40" wide - broadening out by a couple of feet or so by dining room door - guess I could get away perhaps with not replacing chipboard flooring in understairs cupboard? Darn previous owners - I have various "repair" jobs done round this house that would seem to indicate the house used to be a bit damp years ago and they have dealt with in cheapie ways.)