Is urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) in a BC house a problem?

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Rarely today: UFFI was banned in Canada in December 1980 for the formaldehyde it gave off, and Health Canada says those emissions fall over time; wet or damaged foam is the part to ask about. Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was foamed into the walls of existing houses until Canada banned it in December 1980. The worry was formaldehyde gas from the foam; decades on, the questions for a buyer are whether it's still there, whether it got wet and what it means for insurance and resale. Look up the address or PID on PlaceDossier to see the record for that lot. The ban: No one may make, import, advertise or sell urea formaldehyde-based thermal insulation foamed in place to insulate buildings (Canada Consumer Product Safety Act s. 5, Schedule 2 item 13); it has been banned in Canada since December 1980, first under the Hazardous Products Act (Health Canada's notice on the prohibition, archived). The ban covers selling and installing it, not a house that already has it (our reading). Why it was banned: The foam's resin can give off formaldehyde gas while it cures and after, and Health Canada was concerned for the health of people exposed. Badly installed foam can give off more, foam that gets wet can break down, and damp foam may support mould (Health Canada's notice). Health Canada has since looked at newer foams of the kind and found no reason to lift the ban. Today: Formaldehyde emissions from the foam decrease over time (Health Canada's notice). Every home has some formaldehyde: building and renovation materials, furniture, cabinets, household products, smoking and fireplaces give it off, and levels measured in Canadian homes range from 2.5 to 88 µg/m³, averaging 30 to 40 (Health Canada's guideline). Health Canada's limits: For a home, 123 µg/m³ (100 ppb) over an hour, set to avoid eye irritation, and 50 µg/m³ (40 ppb) over 8 hours or more, set to protect children from respiratory symptoms (Residential Indoor Air Quality Guideline: Formaldehyde). High levels cause burning eyes, nose and throat; moderate levels over a long time may worsen asthma, especially in children. Testing the air: Health Canada says testing a home for formaldehyde is generally not necessary: if you're worried, remove sources and bring in dry, fresh air, keep humidity near 50% in summer and 30% in winter, and don't smoke inside. Talk to a health care provider about symptoms (Formaldehyde in your home). Hired renovation or demolition: Before work begins on renovating or demolishing a building, the employer and the owner must have a qualified person identify the hazardous materials in it (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation s. 20.112; see asbestos). Opening a wall with old foam in it is the time to ask about it (our reading). Selling and buying: Whether a seller must disclose UFFI depends on what they know and whether it is a material latent defect, as the seller disclosure page explains; no BC rule we've read names UFFI. Insurers and lenders may ask about it: ask them before subjects come off (our reading). What it means for a buyer: Ask the seller whether it went in and whether it was removed, and for any records; a home inspector can say only what shows without opening walls. Foam that has stayed dry for decades matters mostly when you open those walls (our reading).

Is urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) in a BC house a problem?

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Before you buy: who to ask