In keeping with answering questions from floor covering dealers about unique situations or issues that are of concern to all floor covering people, we bring you the following on pungent odor. This is a very unique situation that we did some research on for the dealer and I thought it to be fascinating; I think you will too.
The dealers email stated, “We have a customer that has a pungent smell coming from their tap water, faucets and shower, they contacted the water company, the water company asked if they have had new carpet installed recently, they have. Have you ever heard of this?
Often odors that appear to be coming from running water are coming from the drain. If it seems that your water has a “sewer gas” odor, fill a glass with water and take it to another room. If the water has no odor in the other room, then the odor is probably coming from the drain. Cleaning the drain will usually correct the problem. This was an answer we got from research and I’m sure all of us have, at one time or another, experienced an odor coming from a drain for whatever reason. But this issue was specific to the new carpet and required more than this answer. I went to the Carpet and Rug Institute and posed the question to them. Werner Braun, President of the Carpet and Rug Institute and a fellow Rotarian Club member, did some research on the question for us and got the answer.
Werner contacted Air Quality Sciences, a firm that does testing and product analysis for CRI and manufacturers, specifically on VOC’s, odor and Green Label classification. AQS stated they had dealt with the following specific issue in the years past when they did monitoring in a number of homes for CRI. AQS’s findings were that when the chlorine level became high in the water, especially after rain storms when disinfectants (ClO2) are added at a higher level, running water in some homes with new SBR (the synthetic latex in carpet backing) carpet would generate a strong odor described as “cat urine” or “fuel oil.” There was a rash of these, especially on the coast.
Chlorine odors occur when the residual chlorine disinfectant gases combine with gases given off by common household items. New carpets, paint, flowers, pine wreaths, upholstery, scented soaps and other household products produce gases called VOC’s. When the chlorine gas and VOC’s combine, you may get a smell that does not smell like either chlorine or the source of the VOC. Some of the most common descriptions of the odors are cat urine, fuel oil or chemicals.” After the chlorine levels dropped back down the odor went away. The cause seemed to be related to super chlorinated water.
Now, relative to VOC’s which mean Volatile Organic Compounds, you may get nervous thinking they are some toxic chemical that will kill off life forms. This is not the case. If you go back and read the list in the previous paragraph you’ll see VOC’s are in flowers and pine wreaths and you won’t keel over smelling a bouquet of pansies due to VOC’s. Everything emits and odor from components which is commonplace. That new car smell we all seem to love, that’s VOC’s.
In this case, as you’ve read, the chlorine in the water, reacting with VOC’s from almost anything can create a pungent smell in a home. The water authority wanted to blame the carpet but it was actually a reaction to something they did. So the next time someone complains about odor from new carpet don’t just look at the carpet for the cause. Do a little research on your own and try to see what change of events really caused the problem. If you need help call or email me. You too could wind up in a column. Feel free to post this column as well if it will help.
Author: Lewis G. Migliore
LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts