Are stretch ceilings harmful to human health and how to determine it + Video

Stretch ceiling - it is fashionable, aesthetically pleasing and practical. And the price of it today is affordable for most people. They just say that this piece of interior often has an unkillable chemical smell, and even toxic substances emit. Well, now we will look for the answer to the question of whether this is true, and whether stretch ceilings are harmful to health. After all, it is better to know about all the dangers in advance.

What is considered harmful, or international safety standards

First of all, we should not forget that nature made us all different, with organisms that are very different from friend Therefore, there may be an unpredictable reaction to all sorts of substances. Someone in a room with artificial decoration is comfortable and convenient, and someone may begin an attack of allergy. So in our century, when the immunity of people is significantly weakened, one can hardly confidently assert that some material is absolutely dangerous for everyone.

However, there are general norms that must be observed. We are talking about international environmental standards ISO. And if everything is in order in this respect, then nothing threatens the health of the apartment owners. Therefore, before installing stretch-type ceilings, first of all, ask to show you safety certificates. And not only on the material itself, but also on the execution of works. And let the services of a certified installer will be more expensive than some of the "left" performers, but it's better not to try to experiment with your health.

Damage to stretch ceilings made of PVC

Most often in apartments they stretch ceilings from thin PVC film. After all, they are much cheaper than fabric, very convenient to maintain and can easily withstand a flood from the top negligent neighbors. However, they have one catch - it is impossible to distinguish a fake from a quality product by eye. Manufacturers of special labeling for PVC film have not come up with so far, but dishonest installers use it. They take the film cheaper and worse, claiming that it is French. Do not believe such assurances.

About manufacturers and labeling

Do not flatter yourself - today almost all films for ceilings brought to us are made in China. There are dozens of factories producing similar products. Among them there are quite decent ones that are responsible for the quality. Of course, it doesn’t compare with what was once the European films of the Pongs and Renolit brands - they were without any smell, and had perfect smoothness. Especially good were their shiny glossy ceilings. By the way, now there is no sense to search for films of these manufacturers - their quality has fallen markedly, and the smell of chemistry, on the contrary, has appeared.

Belgian stretch ceilings are also very common. But in fact, the Belgian film for ceilings can not be, because in this country it was never released. Just one time, a company from Belgium was engaged in supplying films from China to Russia. So they began to talk about a certain Belgian film. As for other European manufacturers, their film is practically not sold in Russia. And if the cunning seller happily shows a German or French certificate, then this is certainly a hoax. After all, you can stick anything on a Chinese film - there are no markings. A certificate, by the way, can be printed on a color printer. As experience has shown, some conscience allows this.

Judge for yourself if the ceilings really came from France or Germany, as the salesmen-cheaters say, their value would be significantly higher than the one proposed. Not everyone can afford such an expensive pleasure. So, the high price and small width (up to three meters) pushed European ceilings out of the domestic market. A cheap Chinese film, which is available up to five meters wide, allows you to do without welding the sheets, if the room is large enough.

How to choose a high-quality and safe PVC ceiling

So, it was decided: we are stretching Chinese ceilings, but good ones. And to determine whether stretch ceilings mounted in your apartment are harmful, it is quite possible by smell.

For this, we conditionally divide these products into three categories:

# 1. After installation, the ceiling either smells of nothing, or there is a faint odor that disappears without a trace in a couple of days. Just in case, ventilate the room well after installation - and you can live happily ever after. Nothing threatens your health. Such films are suitable for any premises.

# 2. After installation, "chemistry" smacks (but not very much) another week or two. Try to retire somewhere for this time - such a neighborhood is unlikely to be good for your health. Apparently, the quality of the film is average. Such a ceiling in the bedroom should not be mounted, but in the kitchen, bathroom or hallway it will not harm.

# 3. And the third option, the most unpleasant.This is when more than two weeks have passed, and the smell does not disappear. It is quite strong, volatile, somewhat sweet. So smells poisonous phenol. There is no need to ask if stretch ceilings with such a smell are harmful. Very harmful! Do not hesitate - make the masters urgently dismantle the ceiling, otherwise you will lose health. And about all the dangerous consequences - read on.

Of course, to determine, prior to installation, how strong and lasting it will be to smell this or that PVC fabric is not possible. Here we advise you to rely on the experience of friends, acquaintances and relatives who have already installed this type of ceiling in their home and can tell you about existing shortcomings. I think this is the best option. And many already use this opportunity. I often had to communicate with one owner of a large firm engaged in the installation of stretch ceilings and, according to their statistics, more than 30 - 35% of orders are orders that were made on the recommendation of clients who had already used their services earlier.

What happens if the PVC film turns out to be of poor quality

There is nothing good to expect - the owners of the foul-smelling ceiling will not only experience discomfort because of this. At the same time they will have to inhale portions of the most dangerous toxins, extremely harmful to the human body. In particular, the polyvinyl chloride film contains the following components:

• Phenol. No wonder it is banned in many countries. It disrupts the heart, kidneys, liver, nervous system. Burning the nasopharynx, it can lead to pulmonary edema. Cancer, infertility, heart disease - this is what insidious phenol can do. The bad thing is that it is very resistant (almost forever), and does not decompose for a long time. One plus is excreted from the body quickly. But after all the trouble has already happened, and you will not return health.
• Cadmium, a dangerous substance of the second class, on the contrary, leaves the body for a long time - from ten to thirty years. This heavy metal, settling mainly in the liver and kidneys, causes stones in them, does not work normally, and contributes to the appearance of cancer cells. This carcinogen partially settles in other internal organs and bones.
• Toluene (otherwise methylbenzene) belongs to hydrocarbons, produced from petroleum. It is a strong solvent for paints and varnishes. It does not dissolve in water, but it mixes perfectly with air, getting into the lungs, and then into the blood, poisoning the owners of the ill-fated ceiling. They sleep poorly, complain of lethargy, headaches and loss of appetite. The poison affects the kidneys, eyes, hearing, memory deteriorates. Toluene is especially dangerous for pregnant women - babies with pathologies can be born.
• Chlorine is, like cadmium, a hazardous substance of the second class. Even a small amount of it can hit the mucous membranes. In this case, the person begins to fever, he coughs dryly and hysterically, often breathing. Strongly pounding heart, hurts in his chest. And if you constantly breathe chlorine vapor (while in a room with a strong-smelling "chemistry" ceiling), then you can reach severe depression, lung diseases, and even oncology. After all, this substance is carcinogenic.

Thus, the harm of stretch ceilings mounted from a film of dubious quality is quite obvious. It should be remembered that this may be indicated, in particular, by a suspiciously low price. So do not believe unreliable firms, and try to buy and order the installation of ceilings from those who can fully trust.

Reverse side of waterproofing PVC PVC

The fact that PVC ceiling ceilings do not let water through is just fine. No stains on top - a thick film keeps everything. However, such tightness suggests that the air also does not allow such a ceiling. But this is worse, and opponents of tensioning structures with joy cling to this shortcoming, speaking of the "greenhouse effect". Well, we will not deny the obvious - the film really cannot “breathe”. But after all, many synthetic building materials also do not miss the air.

Take, for example, plastic windows - how many were scolded and cursed, but this does not make them less popular. Or vinyl wallpaper - they turned out to be very comfortable and practical. So we will not dwell on this paragraph - because the problem is completely solved. The ventilation of the supply and exhaust type has not been canceled, and it is available in each apartment. This is quite enough to remove harmful substances from the room.

Are fabric stretch ceilings harmful?

The ceiling of such a ceiling is a polyester fabric that is impregnated with polyurethane for strength. The result is a beautiful, strong and "breathable" product. Its cost, of course, is much higher than the film ceiling, but there can be no doubt about the quality.Indeed, unlike PVC film, ceiling fabrics will certainly be marked on the edges - it is cut off during installation. The most famous manufacturers of these products are only two - Clipso from France and Descor from Germany. The French, by the way, are easily recognizable by the red thread woven into the canvas.

There is no phenol with toluene and cadmium in the composition of the fabric products, so they are completely harmless. This is evidenced by a certificate confirming that the product meets the requirements of ISO 14000. As for smell, it is usually not present. Only occasionally can you feel a light scent, similar to the smell emanating from the washed laundry. But he hovers very short, very quickly disappearing. So you can safely stretch fabric ceilings in any room - it is absolutely safe for adults and kids to sleep under them.

Video: Damage to stretch ceilings - the story of one installer

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