Why Tile is the Best Flooring Option for Asthma and Allergies

Whether you’re an allergy sufferer or struggle with asthma, the idea of installing flooring that might exacerbate your condition is awful. Unfortunately, most people don’t know that many types of flooring can do just that.

The good news is that hypoallergenic flooring options do exist. Below, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about the best flooring for asthma sufferers and those with allergies, including the top tile options on the market today.

What Is the Best Flooring for Asthma Sufferers?

Generally speaking, if you struggle with allergies, asthma or any other type of breathing condition like lung cancer or COPD, soft flooring (think carpets and rugs) is not the best option. That’s because soft flooring like carpet traps allergens and has trouble letting them go — even if you vacuum regularly.

Hidden dangers like mold, dirt, dust mites, bacteria and moisture love to lurk in the deep fibers of carpets — sometimes even going down to the base of the material and the padding beneath.

Fortunately, a number of hard surface options exist, like tile and wood flooring. Both of these options have difficulty trapping allergens and other particles.

They’re easier to clean and come in a slew of design options to fit your style. In addition to wood and tile, there’s also vinyl and laminate flooring. These might be good options to explore as well. However, one note to mention when it comes to vinyl and laminate is that these materials can sometimes harbor a high content of VOCs. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds.

When something has a high VOC content, it can actually emit dangerous gas, which usually originated from the materials used to manufacture the item in the first place. In turn, these gasses can exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms.

What Are the Best Tile Options?

Any type of tile will help mitigate the effects of allergies and asthma, especially if you’ll be ripping up carpeting for a replacement.

If you’d like some guidelines and parameters, opt for a tile that’s easy to clean and doesn’t have a lot of grooves and grout areas where debris and moisture may begin to build. Smooth tile in large pieces is your best bet. 

It’s also important to make sure that the grout is in good condition to prevent any moisture from getting below the tile or into the subfloor where mold can form and cause allergic reactions. 

Takeaways

• Carpeting and rugs tend to harbor dust mites, dirt, mold, moisture, bacteria, and other allergens.
• A multitude of ceramic tile and porcelain tile options exist. They both would be great options for allergy sufferers. 
• Keep in mind that vinyl and laminate, especially, may give off a lot of VOCs once installed. These can exacerbate asthma and allergies.

Contact Standard Tile Today for More Information

If you or someone in your house struggles with asthma or allergies, do yourselves a favor and don’t aggravate their symptoms by installing carpets or laying down rugs. The best option is tile from Standard Tile.

Take a look at one of our New Jersey showrooms today to find the perfect tile to meet your need! We’d love to schedule an appointment with you any time!