Q & A: What is UFFI? UFFI is a type of insulation which was blown into wall cavities of outside walls. It resembles a hardened shaving cream. It was first used in Europe in the 1930s.About 10,000 homes in Massachusetts were insulated with UFFI before new insulation was banned in 1979. During "curing" the insulation solidifies and formaldehyde gas is released. Formaldehyde can cause symptoms such as breathing difficulties, headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, eye and ear issitation and dizziness. Some scientists suspect formaldehyde of being a carcinogen. Generally, the release of formaldehyde decreases over time and since it was banned 20 years ago one wonders why UFFI disclosure is still required.Removal of UFFI is not required before a home is resold, but disclosure is required. Owners must: 1. Determine wheather UFFI is present (Saying you don´t know does not comply); 2. Disclose that information to the buyer along with any test results; and, 3. Provide information from the Department of Public Health. When you purchased the house you should have recieved a disclosure concerning whether UFFI is present. If you cannot find the disclosure or want to check for yourself, one place to look for UFFI is in any exposed areas in the attic or basement. Another method is to remove switch plates on electrical outlets on outside walls to try to determine whether there is UFFI around the outside of the outlet box. Source: Robert S. Kutner, Boston Herald, April 9, 1999 |
