Member
· Stockholm
· 605 posts
A very large number suffer from various types of psychosomatic illnesses anyway, everything from imagined heart problems to electromagnetic sensitivity. I know it sounds silly, and some see it as derogatory when mentioned, but imagined symptoms are completely real to the person affected. I have personally had problems with different types of health anxiety and it is absolutely not fun, especially I think you must have gone through it to understand it.Marlen Eskilsson said:
But again, I absolutely do not want to accuse the OP's wife of faking, just that before any allergy is discovered by a doctor, it would be unwise to dismiss that the symptoms might be psychosomatic.
It's a dangerous attitude to assume illnesses are likely imagined. There are some on 112 numbers who have such attitudes, and we've seen the results several times.Gnagare i Bajenhöjden said:
As for myself, I was examined by occupational medicine over quite some time without them being able to pinpoint the problem 100%, not once did they suggest it was psychological, luckily there's knowledgeable healthcare staff that takes you seriously.
The OP's wife should see a doctor to find out what it's about, it's important for her to know what she should avoid in the future, it's not just about the residence.
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Member
· Stockholm
· 605 posts
Of course, she should see an allergy specialist! I've never claimed otherwise. I also haven't suggested that she's imagining it; however, I've said it can't be ruled out.
Step one is, of course, to determine if and what she might be allergic to. Once that's clear, it's much easier to implement the right measures.
Step one is, of course, to determine if and what she might be allergic to. Once that's clear, it's much easier to implement the right measures.
hsd
Member
· Kalmar län, Östra Götaland
· 7 162 posts
hsd
Member
- Kalmar län, Östra Götaland
- 7,162 posts
Enter IKEA
a thorough tour among wardrobes and in the pickup warehouse
you are then exposed to formaldehyde and if it is asymptomatic then that was not where the mistake was
it can also be something else, paint etc.
a thorough tour among wardrobes and in the pickup warehouse
you are then exposed to formaldehyde and if it is asymptomatic then that was not where the mistake was
it can also be something else, paint etc.
Improvement #42 on the page http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_IE/about_ikea/our_responsibility/the_never_ending_list/products.htmlhsd said:
The amount of formaldehyde in IKEA's products is often exaggerated.
It seems that different MDF boards release different amounts of formaldehyde. I imagine that the emission is greatest on the surfaces where the boards have been cut, but I believe (though I'm not sure) that the emission also goes through paint or filler.
Administrator
· Skåne
· 8 672 posts
How is your ventilation? We're having problems with it and it could be a contributing factor. We have an old house that originally had natural venting, but the previous owner sealed the vents in the 1970s. The lower floor, where we have the bookshelf, is completely open plan. The ventilation now consists of the chimney where we have an open fireplace and the kitchen fan. I'm planning to light the fireplace during the vacation while keeping the windows open for several days in a row. I think that could maximize ventilation and drying. As I understand it, emissions decrease over time.
I haven't investigated it yet, but I'm planning to get to the bottom of formaldehyde, emissions, and what can be done after the summer.
I haven't investigated it yet, but I'm planning to get to the bottom of formaldehyde, emissions, and what can be done after the summer.
I think you should first make sure that it is indeed the windows that are the problem. In many allergy investigations, the elimination method is used to determine what you are allergic to, and I think you should do the same here. Use, for example, construction plastic to tape over and cover exactly the material suspected and see if the symptoms decrease or disappear. However, be very careful to only cover the intended material, as otherwise, you cannot be sure. If it doesn't work, you can try the same method on another suspected material. It's tedious, but it would be even more tedious to spend a lot of time and money replacing the windows without it helping...
Just a little thought!
When you add insulation, change windows, or make improvements to a house, you change the house's functions, for example, regarding ventilation/inlet and outlet air. Making improvements on a house doesn't always make it better; it can result in a worse indoor environment.
Like the Eskilsson family, we have an old house that has been renovated over the years. Over time, I have had to change the mechanical ventilation several times.
When we removed old single-pane windows and installed energy glass, we worsened the house’s ventilation properties, as with adding insulation. Today, we have functioning inlet/outlet air, but it's too dry in the house during certain seasons. In combination with pollen, I experience asthma-like symptoms 2-3 times a year.
If you are lucky in misfortune, it might not be major problems, but it causes problems nonetheless for you!
Formaldehyde in Swedish-made products is not as high as in many other countries, but still causes problems if you are hypersensitive!
And if it is powder-coated, the formaldehyde doesn't seep through... but if you drill into kitchen fronts and doors, you are obviously exposed to it!
Not many people paint the drilled holes, but it should be a good alternative. There are many good paints to seal it with!
When you add insulation, change windows, or make improvements to a house, you change the house's functions, for example, regarding ventilation/inlet and outlet air. Making improvements on a house doesn't always make it better; it can result in a worse indoor environment.
Like the Eskilsson family, we have an old house that has been renovated over the years. Over time, I have had to change the mechanical ventilation several times.
When we removed old single-pane windows and installed energy glass, we worsened the house’s ventilation properties, as with adding insulation. Today, we have functioning inlet/outlet air, but it's too dry in the house during certain seasons. In combination with pollen, I experience asthma-like symptoms 2-3 times a year.
If you are lucky in misfortune, it might not be major problems, but it causes problems nonetheless for you!
Formaldehyde in Swedish-made products is not as high as in many other countries, but still causes problems if you are hypersensitive!
And if it is powder-coated, the formaldehyde doesn't seep through... but if you drill into kitchen fronts and doors, you are obviously exposed to it!
Not many people paint the drilled holes, but it should be a good alternative. There are many good paints to seal it with!
Have I got it right:
You have renovated your house, and now your wife and child are so sick that they can't be in the house.
You have spent over a hundred thousand to inspect the house, bought equipment like humidifiers, etc.
You have scrubbed the walls and floors over 100 times.
You are almost certain that it's the MDF in the window reveals that's the cause, but you don't want to replace the MDF because you would then have to place several spacers behind the panels.
Have you considered replacing the MDF with something equally sturdy, like solid wood?
You have renovated your house, and now your wife and child are so sick that they can't be in the house.
You have spent over a hundred thousand to inspect the house, bought equipment like humidifiers, etc.
You have scrubbed the walls and floors over 100 times.
You are almost certain that it's the MDF in the window reveals that's the cause, but you don't want to replace the MDF because you would then have to place several spacers behind the panels.
Have you considered replacing the MDF with something equally sturdy, like solid wood?
hsd
Member
· Kalmar län, Östra Götaland
· 7 162 posts
hsd
Member
- Kalmar län, Östra Götaland
- 7,162 posts
The question is what they are allergic to
Formaldehyde is just a guess, it could just as well be something else - paint, filler, vinyl flooring
The reasonable thing is to see a doctor and get an allergy test so you find out what the problem is, Before You start tearing down
Formaldehyde is just a guess, it could just as well be something else - paint, filler, vinyl flooring
The reasonable thing is to see a doctor and get an allergy test so you find out what the problem is, Before You start tearing down
hsd
Member
· Kalmar län, Östra Götaland
· 7 162 posts
hsd
Member
- Kalmar län, Östra Götaland
- 7,162 posts
That "investigation" is not complete, formaldehyde is needed for particle boards (=modern furniture)Pagno said:
Now, now, take it easy. I haven't claimed that you claimed that. How one interprets a text can vary greatly, just like how you interpret it as me saying that you said it, others can interpret your post as if you actually did.Gnagare i Bajenhöjden said:
Homeowner
· Västernorrland
· 2 532 posts
The formaldehyde is in the glue that you use to glue the wood fiber, which you then hot press into a board like MDF. The simple explanation. I work close to this, namely, we sell the machines for fiber production.