Formaldehyde. Which Manufacturers use the least?

[cummins1279]

Hi everyone,

We are considering purchasing a used camper and one of the big concerns we have is about the formaldehyde smells in so many RVs.
We are just starting to lay the groundwork but so far we are considering the Adventurer 86FB, Lance 855, Northern Lite Classic 8' 11", and the Wolf Creek 850. Our truck is a 2004 Dodge Q.C. short bed, 3500 SRW 4x4 with the Cummins.
The only truck camper we have ever owned was a 2002 Lance 845. It did not have a smell inside and I know lance claims to not use formaldehyde. I don't know what year they changed over to Azdel but that sounded interesting.
On the other hand we had a 2005 Nash TT that we spent months at a time in and up until we sold it this year, it always had that smell.
My question is: Has anyone with campers by these manufactures noticed a smell? Some RV's I've been in have had such a strong odor that it burned my eyes and others haven't had much smell at all. Also any tips on the quality of these campers or any other bit of info or experience would be greatly appreciated! I've tried to read all I can to narrow down the choices before running around to look at them.

Thanks in advance! I've spent quite a bit of time on this forum reading and it have been very helpful!

[cummins1279]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm narrowing down the choices and then I'll go look at some to get a better feel in person.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!:)

[Redsky]

A manufacturer based in California, as with Lance, is going to have to conform to tighter VOC regulations than one in a place such as Texas where nothing is regulated.

That would be an advantage of buying a used RV as it has finished outgassing a long time ago.

[silversand]

Formaldehyde concentrations in the air in homes has been measured from: 0.10 to 3.7 parts per million. As an earlier poster mentions, the RVIA has set standards for their members to abide by if they want to attain certification (this included formaldehyde-containing building materials use).

I've yet to see ANY truck camper manufacturer provide a scientific measurement of formaldehyde levels in their various models (ppm formaldehyde); so, the use of the term: low formaldehyde levels in campers, etc, etc, are only a nominal value. So, do your due diligence, is all :B

[realter]

Northstar has a testomany on their website about this, or the lack of it.

[cummins1279]

kerry4951 wrote:

cummins1279 wrote:

kerry4951 wrote:
Own a Northwood product (same makers of the Nash line) and we never noticed any smell since we've owned it. Have it 4 years now.

Interesting and good to know! Ours was one of the few that had a label stating that it was built somewhere back east instead of Oregon. Don't remember where but maybe that would make a difference?

Your Nash was then made in Winchester, Va. Northwood used to produce some towables at that location.

That's it. I thought it was Virginia but I just couldn't remember where. Been a while since I looked at the sticker.:)

[kerry4951]

cummins1279 wrote:

kerry4951 wrote:
Own a Northwood product (same makers of the Nash line) and we never noticed any smell since we've owned it. Have it 4 years now.

Interesting and good to know! Ours was one of the few that had a label stating that it was built somewhere back east instead of Oregon. Don't remember where but maybe that would make a difference?

Your Nash was then made in Winchester, Va. Northwood used to produce some towables at that location.

[cummins1279]

billtex wrote:
You might want to take a look at this by the RVIA

Bill

Wow, thanks! I'll have a look.

[billtex]

You might want to take a look at this by the RVIA

Bill

[cummins1279]

kerry4951 wrote:
Own a Northwood product (same makers of the Nash line) and we never noticed any smell since we've owned it. Have it 4 years now.

Interesting and good to know! Ours was one of the few that had a label stating that it was built somewhere back east instead of Oregon. Don't remember where but maybe that would make a difference?

[cummins1279]

Okay, I guess I meant Formaldehyde used in the materials. Our Nash had a warning label in it specifically naming formaldehyde. I guess it would depend on how much was used maybe?? Just in our limited experience some seem to have very little or no smell after time while others linger and never seem to leave.

[kerry4951]

Own a Northwood product (same makers of the Nash line) and we never noticed any smell since we've owned it. Have it 4 years now.

[sleepy]

NO RV MANUFACTURE USES FORMALDEHIDE...

If there is any... It's in the carpeting, plywood, etc.

There are pthlates in plastics... they are the plasticisors... they make it platic products flexable and off-gas the new car smell.

It usually goes away in about a year... but the plastics are getting more brittle.

Are they harmful... I think so.

If you are buying a used camper that is more than a year old you shouldn't smell anything.

If you do smell something it is probably the cleaners they used to prep the camper for sale... or even worse... perfumes to cover the smells from mold where the camper may be leaking.

Good luck

sleepy

[Francesca_Knowl]

I think most outgassing is from glues and resins used in wood products etc. If you're really hypersensitive to it, you might consider an all- aluminum unit like Camplite.