What are the health hazards of PVC ceilings? Stretch ceilings - are they harmful to health? Features of fabrics

What are the health hazards of PVC ceilings?  Stretch ceilings - are they harmful to health?  Features of fabrics
What are the health hazards of PVC ceilings? Stretch ceilings - are they harmful to health? Features of fabrics

Stretch ceilings fit perfectly into the modern interior of apartments and private houses. And no wonder they are very popular among people. They have such advantages as quick and easy installation, fire safety, durability, attractiveness, they are able to hold a large amount of water when flooded by neighbors, you can hide any cables under them, and they are convenient to wash. Their color range and variety of shapes are impressive. But there is an opinion that suspended ceilings can harm human health.

To be completely confident in the correctness of your choice, you need to study all the positive and negative qualities of suspended ceilings, so that you do not regret the money spent later.

In this article, we will help you dispel all your doubts and decide for yourself whether to give preference to modern stretch ceilings or choose a more conservative option. To do this, you need to have reliable information.

The main concerns are:

Significant cost But practice shows that specialized stores offer suspended ceilings for every taste and budget. You can purchase exclusive copies at incredible prices, or you can choose affordable models. It all depends on the country of manufacture and the brand itself, the materials used, as well as the shape of the structure.
Can burst without outside intervention There is an opinion that it is enough to touch the suspended ceiling with a sharp object, and it will break into small pieces. This is half true. Of course, it is possible to damage the canvas. But this requires outside intervention and the presence of a sharp object. But at the same time, the canvas does not burst, but cuts or holes form in it, however, specialists can quickly and efficiently eliminate such a defect by masking it.
Have a detrimental effect on human health If you purchase products of appropriate quality, manufactured in accordance with European standards, with a quality certificate and guarantee, then no negative impact on human health will be identified. This does not apply to cheap counterfeits made from hazardous materials.
Presence of a harmful odor Fabric stretch ceilings do not emit any odor. And polyvinyl chloride stretch ceilings can emit a noticeable odor only in the first few hours after their installation. Then the smell disappears. The unpleasant aroma from stretch ceilings persists for a long time if you purchased cheap, low-quality products. The odor typically comes from the evaporation of phenolic components. Such products need to be disposed of urgently.
The dangers of fabric stretch ceilings The results of numerous studies indicate that such products are completely harmless. This product is classified as environmentally friendly. It must have the appropriate European IVF quality certificate. Even doctors recommend installing linen stretch ceilings indoors. But this applies to a quality product. Currently, cases of counterfeit suspended ceilings being sold by scammers who are not responsible for product quality have become more frequent. Therefore, you should avoid dubious companies and private craftsmen who work only for profit.
The dangers of PVC coatings There are even opinions that PVC film can cause malignant tumors in humans. But you shouldn't believe this. It has been experimentally proven that polyvinyl chloride stretch ceilings cannot cause any harm to health. They, of course, contain phenol and toluene, but in tiny quantities, which does not in any way affect human well-being. Moreover, such components are also present in paints, clothes, cars, whitewashes, and so on.
Increase space This is partly true. Glossy stretch ceilings can visually increase the area of ​​a room. They reflect objects just like a mirror. But this is not their only advantage. This may not happen if the lighting fixtures are selected and installed incorrectly.
Can hold large amounts of water Stretch ceilings are able to retain water. But their durability will last for a certain time, especially if the amount of water is huge and the area of ​​the stretch ceiling is very significant.
After a certain time This can happen right away if the installation was carried out in violation of the instructions and by poor specialists. Sagging is also possible when neighbors are flooded with water. But as soon as the water is drained, the suspended ceiling takes on its original appearance.

Based on the above, we can conclude that stretch ceilings are not as scary as some people characterize them. Most fears about them are unfounded. But this applies only to high-quality products. Falsification can lead to negative consequences. But before purchasing a product, you should carefully study everything about it.

Stretch ceiling fabrics

If stores offer an imported product at a ridiculous price, then you should be wary. Firstly, suspended ceilings may not be produced in such a country. And secondly, quality things cannot be cheap. This is self-deception. As a rule, behind a cheap imported product there is a Chinese or Russian fake of poor quality.

What is the meaning of this concept? First of all, there is no negative impact on the condition of the human body. That is, an environmentally friendly material should not contain (or contain in minimal quantities) harmful volatile components. But the main parameter that you should pay attention to is what material the ceilings are made of. Many believe that the best option would be to use natural materials, that is, those that do not have artificial ingredients. They are harmless to human health.

But such a product is currently practically not produced. Even if you take materials such as cork sheets, natural wood or bamboo, chemicals are still used in their processing. Therefore, it is worth focusing solely on the absence of a negative impact on humans and from this point of view, decide on stretch ceilings.

Standard PVC films are made on the basis of vinyl, which is absolutely safe and is found everywhere in everyday life - this includes water and sewer pipes, wallpaper, medical gloves, clothing, and even children's toys.

Films may also contain chlorine, toluene and phenol, which are harmful in large quantities, but in high-quality ceilings their content is extremely small and harmless. In addition, these compounds are also used in the manufacture of a large number of things around us. Phenol used in the creation of medicines (for example, aspirin and analgin), building materials, cosmetics, paints, plastics, etc. Toluene It is used in almost the same areas as phenol - for paints, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc. About chlorine and so everyone knows - it is even used to disinfect drinking water (in small quantities, of course).

In the sanitary and epidemiological report of suspended ceilings (a big plus if the manufacturer has one) you can find out the composition of the product and see its concentration. For example, the safe permissible level of toluene is 50 mg/m3; the photo shows that in a good PVC fabric the toluene content is only 0.6 mg/m3, that is, negligible, and therefore absolutely safe.

A low-quality stretch ceiling differs from a high-quality one in the proportions of the substances described above and in excess additives that can be harmful or toxic. In the right PVC sheets, the content of phenol, toluene and other substances is extremely small and absolutely harmless to the body, as harmless as, for example, a children's plastic car or doll.

However, if the film was produced in an unknown place and by an unknown person, there is a high probability that the proportions in the composition of the film were violated and, perhaps, these substances were added in greater quantities than necessary. In this case, the film will emit a pungent chloride odor, which, not only will not dissipate for a very long time, but will also lead to bad consequences for the health of people who breathed in their vapors.

In this case, there is only one piece of advice when buying a stretch ceiling - Be sure to check the manufacturer and composition of the canvas before installing it!

Based on this, we can say that high-quality stretch ceilings are sufficiently environmentally friendly, since:

But the main document confirming the safety of the product is a quality certificate issued by a special commission and duly executed. Its absence indicates that you purchased a fake.

Example of a certificate of conformity

The main advantage of PVC film is its low cost. To install suspended ceilings from this material in a room of 15 sq.m., you will need to spend about 15,000 rubles. Classic ceiling decoration will be much more expensive. But don’t think that a small amount of money is needed to build a PVC ceiling. The final cost is influenced by the number of proposed fixtures and pipes that need to be hidden under the film.

Preparing the ceiling before stretching the fabric

The number of corners in the room, as well as the configuration of the ceiling, also plays a big role. Currently, some people prefer to build multi-level ceilings, which results in higher costs, as the complexity of installation increases. The cost is also influenced by the country of origin. Imported materials are more expensive than domestic analogues and Chinese manufacturers.

Attention! Many companies that install suspended ceilings often offer to purchase fabrics made in Belgium (for example, Polyplast). However, stretch ceilings are practically not made in Belgium - they also order them from China, they just do it under the name of their brand. Such canvases are somewhat better than other Chinese analogues.

However, installation companies lie, when they claim that the canvases are produced in Belgium.

  • Barrisol(France);
  • Alkor Draka(France);
  • Pongs(Germany);
  • MSD(China) - budget, but a good option among Chinese analogues. By the way, the same Pongs buy wide strips of 3.2 m from them.
  • Polyplast(Belgium, Chinese production) - as mentioned above, good quality, but made in China.
  • Lackfolie(Germany, Czech production);
  • Saros Design(Russia).

The variety of textures of suspended ceilings is also impressive. Such canvases can be matte, reminiscent of a regular finish, glossy or satin-like. Shades can be very diverse: from the most primitive to printing images of the highest complexity.

Stretch ceilings can be very unusual

PVC film can hold a large amount of water pouring from above from neighbors. After it has been drained, the stretch ceiling can be given its original appearance using a heat gun. Such suspended ceilings can be easily washed from dirt, dust, and grease stains using only a soap solution and a soft cloth.

PVC stretch ceiling can hold a large amount of water

Based on the fact that PVC film does not allow water to pass through, it can be assumed that air does not pass through it either. This is due to its excellent tightness. Many people argue that this will lead to a greenhouse effect. And you have to come to terms with this. The film really does not allow air to pass through.

But this is not the only material that cannot “breathe”. For example, plastic windows are also not capable of letting air through, but for some reason it was plastic windows that replaced wooden ones. They are more convenient and practical, so they are more popular. And supply and exhaust ventilation is present in any room to remove harmful components from it.

The material for the manufacture of fabric stretch ceilings is polyester, which is impregnated with polyurethane. Thanks to this combination, the fabric becomes quite thin and waterproof. The cost of such a product is 3 times more than PVC ceilings and this is their main disadvantage.

If you are still afraid to install PVC suspended ceilings, you can install fabric ones, but they are much more expensive

Despite their price, fabric stretch ceilings are replete with positive qualities, they are as follows:

  • beautiful texture;
  • large width of the canvas (reaches 5 meters);
  • Possibility of high-quality photo printing;
  • goes well with luxurious interiors;
  • the vast majority are produced in Germany, Switzerland and France;
  • decent quality;
  • safety for the health of others, despite the presence of synthetic components in their composition;
  • excellent strength;
  • good heat resistance (tolerate temperatures in the range from -40 degrees to +80 degrees);
  • impressive service life;
  • have good sound insulation;
  • they are easy to install;
  • are perfectly amenable to dry cleaning (however, the use of water can cause irreparable damage to the ceiling);
  • During manufacturing, fire safety requirements were taken into account.

Basically, companies producing fabric stretch ceilings provide a guarantee for their products for up to 12 years.

Among the best manufacturers of fabric ceilings are:

  • Clipso (France);
  • Descor (Germany).

The negative aspects include a limited color palette and special requirements for caring for them; also, in the event of flooding, they become unusable - this must be remembered. There are no other serious shortcomings.

The bedroom is considered a place of relaxation, and nothing should overshadow it. Therefore, its finishing, including the ceiling, is approached with special care. People spend a third of their lives in this room. Healthy sleep improves well-being, allows people to be active throughout the day, be in a good mood, and strive to overcome any obstacles.

Stretch ceilings in the bedroom

If in this room you constantly feel a foreign smell, chemical and toxic fumes occur, then there can be no talk of any relaxation. In this situation, the morning, as a rule, begins with a headache, irritability appears, depression and apathy occur. Subsequently, this can develop into chronic diseases. This can only happen if you purchased low-quality suspended ceiling material. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to require all required certificates of conformity and quality when purchasing this type of product. If they are absent, you should refuse the purchase. If the installers brought their own canvas for installation, ask to inspect it - study the label and composition, smell the material, ask in more detail about the manufacturer and place of production.

Only products from trusted manufacturers will be made from high-quality, environmentally friendly materials, without the use of components that can negatively affect human health. The price for such ceilings will be significant, but it is worth it.

Young children are very susceptible to bad atmosphere in their rooms. They spend most of their time there, so clean air and the absence of odors are the key to their health and good mood. You should not save on children, so if parents have made their choice in favor of installing suspended ceilings there, then you should not buy cheap options from dubious companies. This can have a bad effect on a fragile body.

Stretch ceilings in a children's room

For children's rooms, any product must be of high quality. It must comply with international standards. This is the only way to protect your children from negative consequences and the development of diseases. All certified products are safe and completely harmless. It is best to choose suspended ceilings using fabric. You may have to spend significant amounts of money, but you don’t have to worry about allergic reactions. They are also able to create natural circulation of air masses in the room.

Health experts are unanimous in their opinion that stretch ceilings cannot cause any harm to human health. But it all comes down to the quality of the product:

  • Currently, in construction supermarkets you can find a large assortment of suspended ceilings at a wide variety of prices and from different manufacturers. There are also counterfeit products for which there are no certificates of quality and conformity. Therefore, in order to avoid purchasing low-quality goods, do not forget to ask sellers for the appropriate documents for suspended ceilings, which will guarantee their environmental friendliness, safety, durability and reliability. Quality products have never caused any harm to anyone.
  • The presence of a toxic odor is not a cause for concern if it disappears within a couple of hours after installing suspended ceilings. And this applies to polyvinyl chloride options. Fabric-based ceilings do not emit any odor. Such products are completely harmless. But if after installing the ceilings the smell continues to remain for a long time, then you should think about replacing them, since you are faced with a low-quality product. The presence of a foreign odor indicates that regular evaporation of harmful phenolic components contained in the material occurs. Such ceilings need to be urgently dismantled and replaced with new, better and safer ones.
  • Stretch ceilings practically do not allow air to pass through. But their presence does not have a significant impact on the presence or absence of air circulation. Of course, some changes are present, but they are not critical and do not affect the person’s health. Moreover, suspended ceilings allow you to create a ventilation system in the room, thanks to which forced circulation of air masses will occur.

Even according to doctors, who are always skeptical about everything new and modern, stretch ceilings, whether PVC film or fabric, are absolutely harmless to the human body. But only high-quality copies purchased from trusted manufacturers. Some doctors even recommend equipping rooms with suspended ceilings.

What are their recommendations based on? First of all, on the fact that suspended ceilings are easy to tidy up. If they are polyvinyl chloride, then wet cleaning can be done regularly. The dirt, nicotine and grease deposits that have accumulated on them are perfectly washed off with warm soapy water. Moreover, this procedure does not take a lot of effort and free time. Cleaning products and appropriate tools are always available in any family. But the house will be constantly clean and dust-free.

PVC stretch ceilings are easy to clean

As for fabric-based suspended ceilings, the presence of water can ruin them. Therefore, they can only be cleaned dry. But the result will also be good.

In general, choosing a high-quality ceiling is not difficult. As when choosing most products, it is worth knowing a couple of things - do not chase savings and do not buy very cheap ceilings, and also try not to choose Chinese-made canvases.

Stretch ceilings have now become an integral part of modern renovation. They give the room a more stylish look, help protect furniture and flooring, and easily hide unevenness in the main ceiling. But since the ceiling makes up almost a quarter of our indoor environment, a reasonable question arises: are stretch ceilings harmful to health? This is especially worrying for parents who are decorating children's rooms.

Despite the fact that tension structures were installed in ancient times in the form of fabric draperies, they became widespread towards the end of the 20th century, when polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film was invented and began to be actively used. This material is the main reason for controversy regarding the effect of stretch ceilings on human health.

In fact, polyvinyl chloride is a plastic that surrounds us everywhere. It is used to make clothes, dishes, pipes, window profiles and many other household items. When the film is stretched onto a profile fixed around the perimeter of the room. The advantages of such structures include:

  • Material strength
  • Waterproof
  • Dustproof (prevents dust from entering from the main ceiling)

Why are suspended ceilings so dangerous for health?

The most important argument of fighters against “non-ecological” materials the fact that, they say, all of Europe abandoned them long ago, but they deliberately poison us, residents of third world countries.

This is just nonsense, which is difficult to even dispute! Europe, and the whole world, is simply filled with polyvinyl chloride. It is everywhere and everywhere and no one refuses it.

Plastic bottles, linoleum, laminate, wires, plastic bags, vinyl wallpaper and records and much, much more... Would you say that all this is not available in Europe? Or is their polyvinyl chloride somehow different from ours? Absolutely nothing.

But the main thing here is this: polyvinyl chloride is a ready-made formula that comes from the combination of various substances. That is, it no longer has the properties that its components have! This is already transformed matter.

The harm of PVC appears only during the production process, since in this room there is a high concentration of vapors of the original elements.

Also, polyvinyl chloride releases toxic substances when burned. But what does the average person care about this, by and large?

Why are PVC stretch ceilings a concern?

A stretch ceiling is a thin plastic film. And it is precisely this fact that confuses buyers for whom environmental friendliness comes first.

They are not satisfied with the fact that PVC consists of ethylene, which is extracted from oil (47%), chlorine, that is, salt (55%) and additives - solvents, preservatives, pigments (2%).

These people begin to disassemble the properties of these additives, believing that they are somehow harmful.

What else is contained in PVC? Here's what:

  • Phenol (carbolic acid)
  • Formaldehyde (formalin)
  • Toulol

Of course, these are not all the elements, but this list is enough for some to be seriously scared. Let's take a closer look at each of these components.

Phenol

Phenol smells the same as regular school gouache: it contains enough of it. But, despite such strong fumes, paints cannot in any way be called a harmful product, since everything is within the normal range.

Carbolic acid, carbolic acid or phenol, is an extremely toxic substance in its pure form, and in laboratories, work with it is carried out in special masks and gloves, while being in a special cabinet with a hood.

If you constantly breathe pure phenol, it will destroy the respiratory tract, cause a disorder of the nervous system, and damage the heart. Phenol is especially dangerous for allergy sufferers, since people with reduced immunity and poor liver function react even to small doses of this substance with attacks.

For others, carbolic acid is absolutely harmless. Moreover, its content in building materials and other household items does not exceed acceptable standards. Moreover, it does not matter which manufacturer.

Despite the best wishes of artisans, exceeding the dose of phenol or any poison will not in any way affect the reduction in cost of production! If you add it in a different dosage, the reaction simply will not work. And there is no point in this.

Moreover, if carbolic acid reacts with certain elements, its pure properties are already lost and instead of harm, benefits are obtained. Don't believe me?

Then, look where else, besides suspended ceilings, phenol is contained:

  • In most medications, the most famous of which are aspirin, analgin, oracept. Phenol has bactericidal properties, destroys fungus, infections, viruses, and relieves pain.
  • In most building materials
  • In any children's colors
  • In cosmetics
  • In the production of any plastics
  • In disinfectants

Yes, there is phenol practically everywhere! And to completely dispel your doubts, let us tell you this: carbolic acid is sold freely, in a concentration of 10%, and this means that it is no longer poison.

For example, you definitely won’t be able to buy arsenic. All dangerous poisons are included in the list of substances that are not available for sale to private individuals or organizations without special permission.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde or formalin, like phenol, is poison in its pure form.

But in production, including food production, formalin is just a preservative, labeled E-240.

Formaldehyde is everywhere: in chipboard products, in any building materials, medicines, cosmetics and food. It is much more dangerous than phenol, because it has a depressing effect not only on the nervous system and internal organs, but is also an official carcinogen.

But its mass fraction in building materials, including suspended ceilings, is negligible and serves to protect the finished product from the development of fungi and other nasties.

Toulol

This is a solvent for polymers and without it the production of plastics and plastics is impossible.

At the same time, its concentration is very low and you will not feel any such destructive effect if it is a solid material.

But in liquid form, toluene is very volatile and harmful, but in this form it is found only in some types of building materials. For example, the well-known “Moment” glue, which used to be in great demand among drug addicts. It is the toluene contained in it that causes the hallucinogenic and narcotic effect. True, in 1998 this component was removed from the glue composition and today, toluene in this form can hardly be found anywhere. That is, although it is contained in suspended ceilings, there is no harm from it.

Are fabric stretch ceilings safer?

If you are not convinced by what is written above and one word “film” puts you in a stupor, you can consider the option of suspended ceilings made of fabric. But the only thing that is eco-friendly in them is the word itself, fabric. But in fact, this fabric is also impregnated with chemicals!

And the fabric ceiling is an excellent dust collector, which is almost impossible to clean. And what is essentially more harmful is up to you to decide. Either mythical fumes of poisons, or living, real dust and mites, which are the worst evil for allergy sufferers.

In general, whether a stretch ceiling made of fabric is harmful or not is up to you to decide. But we see absolutely no difference between these coatings.

Is there a difference between Chinese and French stretch ceilings?

Some believe that only a trusted manufacturer can guarantee the environmental friendliness of PVC products. That is, if you buy expensive material from a European manufacturer, you don’t have to worry about anything, since the standards are met there.

There is some truth in this, but... In Europe, physically, there are not so many enterprises that can fully supply the world market with “French” ceiling coverings.

What about France and those couple of factories? And do you have any idea how much they need to work to meet the needs of Russia alone, which is immense in comparison with them?? And America? What about other countries?

And no matter how much you want it, in 98% of cases you will buy a “French” ceiling, which is made in China. And this does not mean at all that it will not consist of chlorine and ethylene, but of the purest phenol and formaldehyde. Why do the Chinese need this, judge for yourself?

What do experts say about suspended ceilings?

The opinion of experts on the topic of the harm of suspended ceilings is clear: it’s a harmful thing! They do not recommend putting them on in children's rooms and bedrooms, because they warn about ominous fumes that will haunt those sleeping all their lives.

Which appears during installation is the usual smell of phenol. Almost all new things, plastic and otherwise, smell of it. But for some reason he really scares people. Although, it disappears literally within a couple of days after installing the ceilings.

Also, experts do not advise placing light bulbs in chandeliers that heat the surface of the ceiling, because this can trigger the release of poisons. But the fact is that such a temperature will not cause any emissions, but energy-saving lamps are much more harmful...

P.S. The experts in this case are ordinary installation specialists. And these people, as you yourself understand, are very far from chemistry.

But it is their opinions that litter the entire Internet and they tell terrible stories about the consequences of working with PVC. But, they work with heated PVC, and yes, in this case it begins to release toxic substances.

Although here is one of the real reviews of a specialist who has been installing suspended PVC ceilings for a long time:

But what does that do to you? Wouldn't you heat the room up to 300 degrees? Even a kitchen where pots boil day and night does not reach such critical temperatures.

How to make your home completely safe and environmentally friendly?

Lyrical digression. If you are still afraid of suspended ceilings like fire, then we would like to give you some recommendations on how to ensure complete cleanliness of your home and body.

The first thing you should do is critically examine the walls of the house. If they are concrete, feel free to change your home! Concrete is strongly “phonic” from radiation.

If there is asphalt around your home, leave!! It is also radioactive because it contains rubble. The best option is a clay house in the village.

Throw away all dishes, as any metal releases substances harmful to the body. And no Teflon or ceramics will save you. And there’s nothing to say about plastic! Phenol, you understand...

Also, it is advisable to stop eating and breathing, since the air is oversaturated with radiation and chemical emissions from factories, and food is poison.

Don't believe me? And we tell you for sure, everything is poison! And vegetables, fruits and meat. Because their mass production is simply impossible without the use of chemicals.

One salvation is your own garden and organic farming, without the use of herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers. But, however, there is a catch waiting for you here: the rains are chemical and acidic, and the groundwater is saturated with fertilizers from the fields and industrial emissions...

In conclusion, I would like to say: we have fully covered the question of whether stretch ceilings are environmentally friendly and you now understand for yourself whether they are harmful to health or not.

PVC films and fabrics have long enjoyed well-deserved popularity. The type of cladding has confirmed its practicality and aesthetics, but owners often wonder: are suspended ceilings harmful? Poisoning, decreased performance, headaches - whether this is a consequence of purchasing low-quality fabric or all materials are equally dangerous - let's take a closer look. At the same time, we’ll find out which canvases are considered environmentally friendly and which ones are better to discard.

Film coatings are considered the most common. PVC film has many advantages, the main one being the ability to retain water. Being a polymer, polyvinyl chloride is based on chlorine and petroleum products. Vinyl chloride itself is a gas of organic origin; its characteristic feature is a sweetish odor. The substance, a derivative of ethylene, is a flammable, explosive element that releases dangerous compounds when burned.

Simply put, vinyl chloride is a strong poison that has a detrimental effect on humans. In addition, the harm of suspended ceilings made of film is caused by phenol and toluene, which are also included in the composition of the fabric. However, there is no need to worry ahead of time: all elements are dangerous only in high concentrations. The PVC film itself is a resistant material, incapable of dissolving in acids and chemical compounds, but under the influence of high temperatures, the film melts and releases toxins that are harmful only in high concentrations.

Composition of fabric stretch ceilings

Fabric sheets are a product of processing polyester with polyurethane impregnation. The substance resembles rubber and is resistant to chemicals and high temperatures. Thin and plastic fabric does not have high moisture resistance, but it is believed that fabric fabrics are the safest stretch ceilings.


The material contains no cadmium, toluene, phenols, chlorine, no pungent odor, the fabric allows air to pass through without creating a thermos effect in the room. In addition, it is much more difficult to counterfeit fabric - the manufacturer’s markings are applied to the material (along the edge), so you can determine the originality of the product before installation.

Important! You can talk about the absolute safety of stretch fabrics made of fabric or PVC film only if you purchase high-quality material from trusted manufacturers.

Environmental standards for suspended ceilings

To determine whether a suspended ceiling is harmful to health, you should ask the company for a certificate from the manufacturer before ordering work. The document is issued to confirm product quality and safety in accordance with established standards.

There are two types of certificates:

  • yellow – issued for goods that are required to undergo mandatory certification;
  • blue - issued for goods not included in the list of mandatory certification, that is, compliance testing is carried out on a voluntary basis.

If there is a document of conformity, the product is considered safe. The standard indicators of additional components are as follows:

  • phenols – up to 0.003;
  • smell – no more than 1 point;
  • formaldehyde – 0.01;
  • xylene – up to 0.04;
  • toluenes – maximum 0.6;
  • ethyl acetate – up to 0.1;
  • acrylonitrile – no more than 0.03;
  • acetone – not higher than 0.35;
  • butyl acetates – not higher than 0.1;
  • pseudocumene – up to 0.05.

Worth knowing! Hygienic standards are specified according to international standards. In high-quality material, exceeding the standards is not allowed.

How to distinguish quality material

It is possible to determine whether a painting is original or fake without conducting a chemical examination. It is enough to find out how long the smell from a stretch ceiling lasts. After a couple of days, the fabric from the manufacturer no longer emits harmful substances and good ventilation is enough to remove all unpleasant odors.

However, if the suspended ceiling smells after installation for longer than 2-3 days, toxins lead to the following consequences:

  • prolonged and painful headaches;
  • decreased sense of smell;
  • the occurrence of allergic rhinitis, other diseases, manifestations;
  • deterioration in performance;
  • absentmindedness;
  • weakness, lethargy, depressed state.

If you notice something like this, you should pay attention to the aromas in the apartment; perhaps it’s all about the poor quality of the linen on the ceiling.

You can avoid all unpleasant consequences, but only by purchasing products from a trusted supplier from a reliable manufacturer. Certificates, product samples, a full package of documents for goods - the first stage of checking a good company. When ordering a service, an agreement must be concluded indicating the obligations, rights of the parties, warranty obligations and deadlines for the performance of the service.

If a company not only sells canvases, but also installs tension structures, this is the best option. If you have all the listed documents, you can safely place an order for the installation of suspended ceilings.

Toxic substances


Do you have doubts, the smell does not disappear for a long time, and you think that your ceiling is fake? In this case, the products may contain toxic substances in high concentrations:

  1. Phenol. A particularly toxic element that has been abandoned in many developed countries. The main danger of exposure is the growth of cancerous tumors. Harmful to the cardiovascular and nervous systems, can lead to pulmonary edema, cause destructive abnormalities in the liver, kidneys, burn the nasopharynx, and mucous membranes of the eyes. In high concentrations, phenol leads to infertility.
  2. Cadmium. A very heavy metal, the salts of which are deposited in the body, accumulating in the liver, kidneys, bone tissue and spleen. Violation of the normal functionality of the body leads to kidney failure, the formation of liver stones, urinary system disorders and the formation of cancerous tumors.
  3. Toluene. This is a group of volatile compounds that enter the body through the respiratory organs. Affects the blood supply system, disrupts hematopoiesis. In the process of toluene poisoning, the central nervous system is affected, sleep is disturbed, reactions are reduced, memory, vision, and hearing deteriorate. Toluene is very harmful for expectant mothers; the baby may be born with serious diseases. It is quite simple to notice the first signs of poisoning: the head constantly hurts, the appetite worsens and the person gets up in the morning completely exhausted and not rested.
  4. Chlorine. In the tension fabric, the element is contained in a bound state, so it does not cause any particular health problems. But if the production technology is violated, excess chlorine is released into the air and leads to damage to the respiratory tract and mucous membranes. The person simply coughs and suffocates. The cough is dry, barking, and the body temperature constantly rises - the condition is similar to an infection, but cannot be treated with medications.

Important! Even high-quality canvas causes negative reactions. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body. The result is allergic lesions. Symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, burning or sore throat, cough. In particularly severe cases, pulmonary edema may occur.

Myths about the harmfulness of suspended ceilings

If everything is in order with your health, there is no point in remembering how long the stretch ceiling smelled after installation. When purchasing high-quality products, there are no negative reactions and the danger of diseases from toxic secretions is reduced to zero. Despite all the assurances, myths about the dangers of tension panels are extremely tenacious.

It is worth listening to the opinion of specialists and doctors: it is not recommended to place PVC films and fabrics in rooms with high temperatures. Heating the canvas leads not only to the release of harmful substances (albeit in a minimal concentration), but also to deformation of the canvas.

If you are interested in the environmental friendliness of suspended ceilings, then give preference to fabric materials. Of course, such structures are more expensive and do not have high moisture resistance, but they are distinguished by excellent durability and aesthetics. And most importantly, counterfeiting fabrics is almost impossible - this characteristic is worth the additional costs.

All fears of owners about the dangers of PVC film and fabric material occur only when ordering low-quality products or cheap counterfeits. Stretch ceilings are installed for more than one year, so it’s still not worth saving. In addition to poisoning, poor materials will not withstand the proper service life, become deformed, and become aesthetically unusable.