If you are in the process of remodeling or building a home, finding luxury vinyl flooring that fits your design, durability and low-maintenance requirements is important. But more important still is protecting your family from the off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from your chosen flooring materials. VOCs are toxic fumes released into your indoor airspace by everything from the paints and stains you use to cosmetics, furniture and cleaning supplies. Sometimes you can smell them, but often you can’t. Older, lower-quality versions of vinyl plank flooring have been known to emit VOCs, but fortunately, all COREtec luxury vinyl flooring has been GREENGUARD Gold certified for indoor air quality by UL Solutions. We’ve gone to great lengths to carefully and deliberately select healthy materials for our product ingredients and to develop more sustainable manufacturing processes. So, you and your family can breathe easy knowing COREtec designs luxury vinyl planks and tiles with the well-being of people, pets and the planet in mind. Here’s a little more about our certification process and commitment to designing floors built for healthy homes.
4 Fast Facts for Choosing Safe Vinyl Plank Flooring
As an educated homeowner, you want to know about the materials you chose for your home improvement project and whether those materials will be safe for your family to use. Understanding more about the process of GREENGUARD Gold certification helps you understand how your choices for luxury vinyl flooring and the attached vinyl flooring underlayment stack up in this process. Here are 4 facts you should know about the GREENGUARD Gold certification process.
Featured Color: COREtec Pro Cairo Oak
1. GREENGUARD Gold Certification is Well Established
UL Solutions established the GREENGUARD Gold Certification process more than two decades ago. It truly is the gold standard measurement of low-VOC-emitting furniture and building materials. It has been recognized and used by the EPA and the State of Washington in their own furniture-purchasing standards. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the X7.1 standard of the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association also recognize these same standards for low-VOC furniture. All GREENGUARD Gold Certified products also have to comply with regulations within California Section 01350 (The “State of California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions from Indoor Sources Using Environmental Chambers.)
2. COREtec Follows GREENGUARD Gold Certification Guidelines
COREtec’s materials and manufacturing processes align with the UL GREENGUARD Gold Certification standards based on health criteria. Within this standard, all chemical emissions from our vinyl plank flooring needed to stay well below the high environmental thresholds required by sensitive environments like healthcare facilities and schools. As part of the certification process, our vinyl plank flooring materials must be regularly reviewed and found to maintain good indoor air quality. To earn the GREENGUARD Gold certification, COREtec flooring has to meet UL Solutions’ requirements to reduce VOCs and contribute to healthier, cleaner, safer indoor air quality.
3. Consumers Who Demand Cleaner Indoor Air Drive GREENGUARD Gold Certification
Consumers worldwide have made it clear that they want home furnishings and flooring products that contribute to cleaner, healthier indoor air for themselves and their families. As an independent, international standards organization that scientifically evaluates the chemical makeup and VOCs of flooring materials, UL Solutions provides consumers with the information and peace of mind they need to make the right choice for their home. Consumers across Asia, Europe and North America seek out UL-certified flooring above any other certification program because they know the high scientific standards screen out more than 15,000 VOCs known to pollute indoor air.
Featured Color: COREtec Tile Bianco Marble
4. GREENGUARD Gold Certification is the Recognized International Standard for Waterproof Flooring and Many Other Consumer Goods
International manufacturers of electronics, furniture, building materials, indoor finishes and flooring that want to earn the GREENGUARD Gold Certification Mark must regularly submit samples of their products for evaluation. The same rigorous standards apply to all products, regardless of where they are made, as they are scientifically evaluated for any chemical emissions that could impact indoor air quality. You can rest assured that any product that carries the GREENGUARD Gold Certification emits very low VOCs into your airspace. COREtec is proud to produce 100% waterproof, kidproof, petproof vinyl plank flooring with pre-attached underlayments that meet these stringent international standards.
Featured Color: COREtec Originals Red River Hickory
The average person spends about 90% of their time indoors. Let us help you build a healthy home with flooring that looks and performs beautifully in every room. Check out our scratch-resistant, impact-resistant or noise-reducing flooring options to learn more. And get started today with a free, no-obligation, virtual design services appointment.