Burning Eyes - Formaldehyde?

[M&S Norrell]

Rv Consumer Group forwarded me this link. ABC news has done a story on the toxic fumes emmited from the woodwork in the rv industry. Our brand new 2007 Excel Ltd. burns my husband's eyes and makes his throat soar. It would be interesting to know how many products involved in my camper have formaldehyde. Has anyone else experienced this? We live on the Texas Coast, so heat and humidity are a guarantee. Does anyone know how to lessen the effects?
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Health/story?id=3240532&page=1

[M&S Norrell]

Rv Consumer Group forwarded me this link. ABC news has done a story on the toxic fumes emmited from the woodwork in the rv industry. Our brand new 2007 Excel Ltd. burns my husband's eyes and makes his throat soar. It would be interesting to know how many products involved in my camper have formaldehyde. Has anyone else experienced this? We live on the Texas Coast, so heat and humidity are a guarantee. Does anyone know how to lessen the effects?
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Health/story?id=3240532&page=1

[KU9L]

We just visited our Excel dealer in NM and experienced none of the eye burning or smell associated with brand new units.

By comparison, we attended an RV show in Tempe, AZ just a week prior and had to leave after a couple of hours because the 100 units we visited were many, many times stronger in smell and eye burning sensation. The inferior brands that we visited were pretty horrible and it would have taken a very long time of leaving the doors open with a large box fan to get rid of the leaching, maybe months worth!

It was a pleasure to visit our Excel dealer a week later where we sat inside for an hour without getting any reaction, whereas the inferior brands back in AZ had me running away within seconds.

I can see that everybody reacts differently to these chemicals but during our Excel factory tour a few days later was glad to see a lot better materials being used in the construction, like plywood instead of particle board, etc. Some people still do react to the chemicals in the glues in plywood and fabrics, but am glad they are greatly reduced in Excel's. I am wondering how toxic the interiors are for the new generation of RV's coming out of China now??? It seems everything from petfood, toothpaste, to fish is in the news this week with advisaries not to buy or consume any of them made in China!

Dave

[ChiefJohn]

M&S Norrell,
We've been in new Excels right off the assembly line at Smith Center and lived in ours for several months without noticing any formaldehyde fumes. If you use black tank chemicals, you may have a formaldehyde based deodorant.

[M&S Norrell]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ChiefJohn:
M&S Norrell,
We've been in new Excels right off the assembly line at Smith Center and lived in ours for several months without noticing any formaldehyde fumes. If you use black tank chemicals, you may have a formaldehyde based deodorant. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I understand that the cheaper rvs smell much worse; I just wanted to
know if anybody had any ideas on how to make it dissapate. We only use
our RV about once a month for 2-3 days, but it does irritate my
husband quite a bit.

[KU9L]

I did notice that our friends made the comment that if their RV is closed up for a few weeks that without air circulation that the chemical smells could really build up. Their solution was to open up their RV a couple days ahead of time to let the fresh air cycle out any accumulated smells. We've noticed this in new manufactured homes as well, anything with lots of man made materials. Our home in S. Colorado is a strawbale post&beam construction with mud plaster ... few manmade materials. The smell of adobe plaster with little air circulation for the three weeks per month I am working in Phoenix is a whole lot more healthy and pleasant than returning to the Candlewood Suites apartment after just a week where are renting medium term in Tempe, AZ. Argh.

Dave

[wrongway]

One Idea is to put Maxi Air Vent Covers on your vents. This way you can leave the vents open and not worry as much if it rains, but it allows the spells to escape the unit along with heat, which creates the smell to come more. We have found this works the best, and it allows the trailer to vent.
Good Luck

[Highgturn]

M&S Norrell,

What little out gassing you will experience will dissipate very rapidly when you use the coach. I have been living in mine during the work week for a little over two years, after the first few weeks, I never noticed it again, Even after it is closed up for an extended period of time.

[HB Phil]

Like any new house or car our Excel was pretty strong but it went away.

Just eat a lot of beans and you won't notice.

[Dutch_man39]

Can we get any direct input from PI stating whether or not they use any formaldehyde products in their units?

Bill

[Dutch_man39]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dutch_man39:
Can we get any direct input from PI stating whether or not they use any formaldehyde products in their units?

Bill </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I guess not!

Does anyone know if PI uses formaldehyde?

[rockintom]

I've found that fry'n a mess of catfish in the kitchen, takes that other smell out real quick!
Lord....I apologize! Just funnin' with ya.

[M&S Norrell]

Somehow we're a little off track. It's not the smell so much, it's the fact that it is burning hubby's eyes and throat. We keep our rig indoors and the a/c on 75 when we aren't using it. Hopefully with time it will "evaporate/dissapate"?

[TXiceman]

It will help the stuff to gas out faster if you will park the unit out in the sun and leave the roof vent open.

Ken