Some carpet backing materials adhesives and pads contain volatile chemicals that off gas or turn into fumes when exposed to air.
Fumes new carpet.
Pretty much anything that has a smell is releasing vocs.
The vocs responsible for new carpet smell are 4 phenylcyclohexene 4 pch and to a lesser extent styrene.
The thing with vocs is they aren t unique to carpet.
Vocs are what create new car smell new carpet smell and the smell that you probably don t enjoy so much after you paint a room.
Within a few days to a few weeks these fumes dissipate and the carpet no longer smells.
The fumes are called volatile organic compounds or vocs for short and one of the most notorious carpet vocs is called 4 phenylcyclohexenem aka 4 pc.
Almost any brand new carpet does give off some voc s fumes that leave a musty scent especially the ones made from synthetic fibres.
Some people are very sensitive to voc s and may have respiratory problems in response to new carpeting.
If your health is affected by the smell of new carpeting go for a voc free carpet.
There are many different types of vocs but the one related to new carpet odor is 4 phenylcyclohexene 4 pch a by product of the synthetic latex binders used to hold the carpet backing together.
A freshly installed carpet may bring with it a strong odor due to numerous chemicals used in the manufacturing process.
The new carpet smell is fumes off gassed released from the carpet.