We moved into a new build recently. Really happy with it. No DIY needed and in a great area with great schools. The only thing I didn't like was the new carpet smell, which lost its novelty after a month or so.
So... I went on the web to try and find some tips to get rid of the smell and frankly, if all the info I've read is to be believed, my house is a toxic sess-pit and my kids are proably going to be damaged for life because of all the VOCs coming out of the new building materials and carpets. I've read that my carpet will produce toxic indoor air for three years and so will virtually everything else in the house, new cupboards, MDF skirtingboard and anything else that isn't wood. Surely if it was that dangerous there would be legistlation. But, being a bit of a hippy and slightly neurotic, i can't help feel a bit rattled by it. If I was to follow all the advice, I would have to throw out all the carpet and replace it with with specialist carpet or nude wood. Replace all my doors, skirting board and arctitrave with wood remove all the paint and re-paint the house in specialist voc-free paint, replace all the mattresses with specialist fire-retardant free stuff...the list is endless and everything on it is stupidly expensive. What do these 'heathy home' websites achieve apart from broadcasting scarey information, which if you did believe it, would only be able to remedy by spending thousands and thousands of ££S
Right, rant over, but this just really bugs me. Opinions please...