Should You Be Worried if There’s Creosote-Treated Lumber in Your Los Angeles, CA, Home?
Creosote-treated lumber is typically found in telephone and power poles, dock pilings, railroad ties, and other outdoor utility items where the wood is at risk for rot and insect damage due to prolonged moisture exposure. In Los Angeles and other coastal areas of California, you might also find lumber treated with creosote used in the support poles and flooring of homes built in a floodplain. Generally speaking, however, creosote-treated wood is not intended for use in buildings occupied by humans.
Even so, wood treated with creosote sometimes ends up inside a home or office. People who wish to recycle natural resources or give their dwellings a rustic look may use creosote-treated lumber as home construction materials. This can lead to a number of problems because wood treated with this chemical preservative can give off fumes for decades. Not only do these vapors carry an unpleasant smell similar to that of mothballs, but they can also cause health problems for humans who are exposed to them in an indoor setting. In fact, the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry lists several potential health hazards associated with human exposure to creosote, including:
- Skin rashes
- Respiratory illnesses
- Eye damage, sometimes permanent
What’s more, the Environmental Protection Agency has determined that human exposure to creosote used as a lumber preservative could potentially cause cancer.
Ease Your Mind with This Solution from EnviroShield
Fortunately, there’s a relatively easy way to eliminate the obnoxious odor and sufficiently reduce the emissions from creosote-treated lumber so that your home or office is safe for human occupation. It’s called CreoShield™, a coating available exclusively from EnviroShield. When professionally applied by one of our approved Applicators, CreoShield™ can be applied and begin encapsulating the emissions from creosote-treated wood in only a day or two.
To learn more about this innovative product and find out how you can get it for your home or workplace in the Los Angeles area, contact EnviroShield today.