Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation

[Slingshot Engage]

So I just put an offer in on a new house with a huge 1300 sqft. garage. Unfortunately my real estate agent tells me he was just informed that the house has Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation. I have never herd of this before. Apparently it might make you sick and was banned in Canada and the USA but then unbanned in the USA a few years later. Have any of you guys had first had experience with this stuff. I get a lot of conflicting stories on the net. I'd like some real world info.

 

[sublimate]

Well, given where urea comes from...
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-urea.htm

BTW - This might get more response in the "Heating & A/C" forum, as most insulation questions seem to go there.

 

[trainer]

My house is full of it. When they sold it, it was cheap and easy to install without tearing the house apart. It was banned when people clained they were getting sick from it. It was eventually unbanned because the researchers could not find a link between UFFI and health problems.

It's been so long since it was installed that any off-gassing is over with.

As insulation, it shrinks and loses effectiveness. if you open a wall with it inside, it crumbles and makes a mess.

 

[Slingshot Engage]

My house is full of it. When they sold it, it was cheap and easy to install without tearing the house apart. It was banned when people clained they were getting sick from it. It was eventually unbanned because the researchers could not find a link between UFFI and health problems.

It's been so long since it was installed that any off-gassing is over with.

As insulation, it shrinks and loses effectiveness. if you open a wall with it inside, it crumbles and makes a mess.

Do you believe in any of the health risks or do you think it was all a scare. From the articles I've read it doesn't seem like a health problem as much as a real estate problem with it driving down the house price. which as a buyer I suppose is good but If I ever want to move again I will most likely have a problem selling. This is probably why this house has been for sale so long.

 

[ddawg16]

What I really want to know is how someone figured out that urea could be used in making suff?

 

[kbs2244]

trainer has it right.
It has out gassed completly by now.
If it ever was a danger it is over.

It is a real estate problem because of the health scare and they still are required to disclose it.

It is an early verson if the radon scare.

 

[Garage Dog]

Do you believe in any of the health risks or do you think it was all a scare. From the articles I've read it doesn't seem like a health problem as much as a real estate problem with it driving down the house price. which as a buyer I suppose is good but If I ever want to move again I will most likely have a problem selling. This is probably why this house has been for sale so long.

This would be my biggest concern, just the fact that you have to disclose there is a potential health risk will reduce the number of potential buyers dramatically. The buyers that can see past the disclosure will want a very significant adjustment in the price.

 

[JCQuick]

and its the main ingredeat for DEF diesel exhaust fluid

 

[billspit]

The urea isn't the problem. The formaldehyde is.

And I agree that it has probably off-gassed by now. You could get an indoor air test done for a few 100 dollars.

 

[zcar751]

The urea isn't the problem. The formaldehyde is.

And I agree that it has probably off-gassed by now. You could get an indoor air test done for a few 100 dollars.

Yes it's the formaldehyde that can aggravate respiratory issues in some people. The same people would have problems with cedar which also off gases formaldehyde.

 

[kbs2244]

I had it in my house for 25 out of 30 years.
3 of 5 kids conceived in it.
None have 2 heads.
(Although some maybe smarter if they did)