Formaldehyde:How avoid in new trvl traler?

[bilbo777]

Hi all!
Hope you are well and enjoying cool crisp mountain air!

I plan to buy a new 15' travel trailler.

Anyone know of a maker with no scandal on its name....about using lots of formaldehyde?

That katrina-FEMA-trailers scandal has me wary and I just need one or a few makers' names ...the good guys in that business...the ones to buy from. Those who never had excess formaldehyde issues. 

Also- is there anything like Carfax or VIN numbers for trailers?

I imagine there may be counterfiting or switching of new trailer's brand-labels......

not just the used trailer labels. (I'll be buying a new one).

Is a test kit feasible before paying for a new one?

Have I forgotten anything?


Thank you so much!!
Bilbo

 

[John From Detroit]

Alas, I'm not sure it is possible to 100% avoid it, but opening it to fresh air for a while epically on hot days is the best way I know of to get rid of it.

Testing might not be a bad idea if you have a senistivity.

But open windows and fire up the fantastic fan (or Maxx air, whichever they give you) to move air through it is the best choice, Plug in (need only a 15 amp circuit to power that fan, and only a fraction of that.  Fan is battery powered but you need to keep battery well fed and shore power does that)

 

[bilbo777]

Hi John,
Thanks for the reply. 
Fan is a good idea. Did you have F. Vapors in that huge RV I see on your post?  Really nice RV, btw. Hope Detroit comes back and puts japan out of business. Buy American, I say.
Bilbo

 

[PancakeBill]

In small travel trailers there is not much avoiding of f'.  It is a fact of life, but it does go away, Called gassing out.  I am surprised by your comments of counterfeiting and switching of labels.  Even on a used one, there are just no reasons to do this.  Palomino could never be mistaken for an Airstream, sure there are a lot that look similar, but you could never get it registered or titled.  Put that out of your mind.

Speaking of Airstream, look at a new Bambi, might not be an odor in that one.  Reason, is that they are so expensive.  One of the issues in low cost, especially the FEMA ones, is the components.  The paneling, carpet etc, use F in manufacturing.  The higher priced units use a more expensive material.

 

[bilbo777]

Hi,
Good reply!
Appreciate the input.

I will keep Bambi in mind. Appreciate the insight on F. and cost.  That is really good to know!

Where on a tt is the number that's used for title and registration?

Thank you,
Bilbo Baggins 

 

[PancakeBill]

Usually front left corner, as well as in a cabinet somewhere.  Don't forget, these are essentially vehicles, there are titles, and trails, and VIN #'s. 

Bambi's start well above $50k.  They are very nice.  Beautiful woodwork.  Top notch materials.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The VIN on a trailer is normally stamped or etched into the frame near or on the tongue, usually the left side. It may be on a plate that also contains the weight rating information.  It should also be stamped somewhere else on the frame, but that alternate location is rarely easy to find.

There are likely to be smells from new upholstery, carpet, and adhesives used in construction, but they are not necessarily formaldehyde. They are often harmless, but that doesn't mean they won't be objectionable or that you won't have an allergic reaction to them.  In a vehicle, this is often called the "new car smell". Usually a lot of "airing out" will get rid of it after several days, especially if the trailer is baking ion full sunlight. Heat increases the rate of out-gassing, and sunlight helps breakdown the chemicals.

You can also use an enzyme or ozone-based odor remover, either  a temporary spray type or an electronic unit for longer term effect. These basically oxidize the chemicals in the air to kill the odor. Sometimes something as simple as some Febreze will do the trick.

 

[PancakeBill]

There was an 2011 Bambi 16' listed for $49k and on sale for $43k that sold at Bates in FL.  They are a pretty big Airstream dealer near Tampa. 

 

[Ken & Sheila]

It's now easy to avoid 99% of the formaldehyde. Just buy a trailer that is certified to be sold in California. As usual California is ahead of the rest of the nation in this area. 

Yes I know some of you think they over do it. When the California regs were passed my industry - furniture - predicted dire results of much higher costs and quality issues with non-formaldehyde glues and resins. In the end the cost of formaldehyde free product went up $0.00 and quality as just as good.

I remember my eyes burning when we first picked up our Windsor in 10/1999. No issues with the Camelot in 2009 (all Monaco products were then built to meet the california regs.)

ken

 

[bilbo777]

Wow,
Lots of good info here!

Ken, that Calif. Idea really sounds great!  I admire California. 

Anyone have footnotes to. the Cali. idea?

How do I verify a dealer claim as to "can be sold in Calif"...any State website offers to verify the Makers' Calif approval?

Pancake--
Wow, they ARE pricey.  Hmmmmm. Any cheaper makes?

Gary,
Lots to mull over, thanks!
I especially liked the info on the two VIN number locuses. Makes sense to hide one from the " filing off guys".

Bilbo fm Bag End, the Shire 

 

[Ken & Sheila]

How do I verify a dealer claim as to "can be sold in Calif"...any State website offers to verify the Makers' Calif approval?

This should actually be on the invoice and also somewhere on the product. It will state that the product is in compliance with complies with the applicable California Phase 2 (or for older products Phase 1) emssions standards in scetion 03120.xx (depends on the product). In a Trailer the items subject to this regulation would be the plywood/particleboard, the carpet and the carpet padding. Note the plywood would include most of the wood flooring in RVs since it is a multilayer wood product.

I am going to an RV show this weekend and I'll see if I can actually find the notice.

I suspect that most if not RVs built in the western part of the US will comply as it is too difficult to build different products for different markets. Plus as I said it doesn't cost anymore. All of the wood products plants that I know of in Oregon and Washington only produce compliant product.

I'll follow up next week

ken

 

[Lou Schneider]

The formaldehyde levels in the Katrina FEMA trailers were caused by manufacturers switching from indoor rated particle board to outdoor board, which contains much higher levels of formaldehyde.

The FEMA order for 145,000 trailers following Katrina represented approximately half of the industry's annual output.  Straining to meet this order caused supplies of indoor board to dry up, so trailers wound up being built with the higher formaldehyde outdoor board. 

Any RV will outgass after construction, not just formaldehyde but other organics in glues, etc.  Since interior of an RV is a relatively small space, leaving the RV is left sealed up for several weeks can cause the contaminants to rise to unhealthy levels.  But changing the interior air by opening windows, turning on an exhaust fan, etc. should return things to normal.

 

[Ken & Sheila]

Looks like from the attached article that RVIA was ahead of the game in having manufacturers that subscribe to the RVIA standards get in to compliance.

http://www.rvia.org/FactsAboutFormaldehyde/industry_action.html

ken

 

[bilbo777]

Ken,
Thank you for the fine detail in your reply!  I will look for those details. 

(Luckily I avoid all carpeting)

I still am wondering if CA has a site listing makers that comply...recalling A/C products that lied about BTU's, soccer balls labeled "not made with child labor" (they were), cars labelled with untrue gas mileage etc. 

So I trust the gov. more than what is on a product these days.  Bold lies are out there, sadly.

That said, I will still look for those labels.

Monaco is my top idea so far -- THANKS! And thanks again! (I really mean it). 

I will read your attachment (RVIA) a bit later.

I really appreciate the time you put into your replies!   

    --------------------------------
Lou
That is interesting history....I didn't know thw why's as to how it all happened.  Any prediction as to the future for the Katrina folks? Such a sad situation after Katrina all around.  I would never settle on a coastline.

 

[BigBubba]

See thread under Travel Trailers called Crossroads RV Chemical Odor. Also if your interested, there's a Facebook page of the same name.

Cheers,
BB

 

[BigLarry]

We live in TX and in the summer time its hot outside.  About 10 years ago we spent several hot summer days looking at new  TT's.  There were several brands that had enough formaldehyde that it was impossible to spend more than a few minutes inside the units.  I don't recall the brands, but we decided real quick that we weren't interested.

Last summer we spent quite a lot of time looking at new units and  not one had the dreaded formaldehyde smell.  The units were hot enough it was impossible to spend much time inside the units because of the heat.

I really doubt if there are many new units sold today that have a formaldehyde problem.  If they do, you'll find out quick on a warm day.