noreegalaba Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 ok, so i am all excited because i just bought my first rv. a 94 winnebago warrior!! now, much to my chagrin, i am worried as i just found a warning label on the inside of the driver sun visor that says.... "Warning, this vehicle may contain small amounts of one or more substances which are listed by the state of CA for causing cancer and reproductive toxicity." also, there is another sticker that says something about CFC. does anyone know anything about this? the rv is originally from California. when i do go inside the rv, i get a "new car" smell..... noreen the newbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bufbooth Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I would guess it is a cover one's butt warning label since the vehicle contains plastic and other materials that break down over time. I doubt that limited exposure will have any health impacts, and even full time exposure would be fine as long as you get some ventation. One item you may want to consider installing to vent the RV, mostly for unwanted moisture and any fumes that might accumulate is Maxx Air vent covers, they only cost about $25 each (camperworld has a knockoff for $15 each). These vent covers will allow one to travel with the roof vents fully open, even during rain. They also let moisture (and flumes) escape during winter storage. Dennis... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanwee Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Pardon me while I jump up on the proverbial soap box for a few lines: In 1986 California passed Proposition 65 which identified a list of chemicals that were "...known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity..." The list or chemicals has grown to more than 18 pages right now. The big remedy that California came up with was posting warning labels - like the one in your Toyota - to inform consumers that one or more of the chemicals is present. By this time, most of the chemicals have gassed out and the levels are so low that they probably are lower than normal background levels - That is the levels you would find them at in our natural environment. And in actuality, the initial levels are well within normal and safe concentrations and do not cause any problems with healthy human beings. (There are people who are more sensitive to these chemicals and should avoid them) There are now more 'green' and environmental/human friendly ways to manufacture the foam and carpeting and fabric. So if you need to replace any of the soft stuff inside the coach you should look for them - But they are not necessarily cheap. If and when you visit California, you will see similar warning signs on the sides of gas pumps and in stores in the electronics asiles. The products aren't any different in any other part of the country. The warning stickers are just California's way of letting consumers know that there are some chemicals present - So the consumer can make an informed choice in their purchase. Ok, this is probably TMI and way over just a few lines... If you want to get into RoHS and other compliance issues I will require at least two pitchers and 3 to 4 hours After all, this is what I got the Engineering degree for... How else do I get people to buy me beer??? Cheers!! Lance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noreegalaba Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 Hi lance, i will buy you a whole damn keg if i ever get the fortune of meeting you in person. thanks so much for your info. Do you think i should replace the carpeting, fabric, and foam??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanwee Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Hey Noreen, We're used to those warning stickers here in California, but if you're from other climes, they can be a little frightening when you first see them. Most if not all of the synthetic materials used in the interior of cars, motorhomes and houses will release gasses when they are new. That's what you are smelling when you have that 'new car' or 'fresh carpet' or 'fresh paint' odor. But since your car, motorhome and house are not completely sealed - and you aren't breathing only those gasses - the odors are relatively safe for healthy humans - unless of course you are alergic or sensitive to those chemicals. Quite frankly, I'm more concerned about molds than I am about any 'toxic gasses' coming off the foam or carpet. A good cleaning with Tea-Tree Oil is a good natural way to keep the molds at bay. Also, I pull the foams out and set them up on edge - with the roof vent cracked - while The Beast is not being used - and I keep the curtains closed and the drawers/doors slightly open. This prevents molds from taking hold and growing. Should you replace your foam? Well, that depends. Unzip the coverings and take a look at the raw foam. At the age of your MH, I'd expect to see some yellowing. If the surface of the foam is hard and crunchy, or if it is just foul, I'd look for new foam. If it is stained from a bottle of spilled wine, or if it is musty smelling, I'd give it a good cleaning with a good quality carpet/upholstery hot-water cleaner/extractor - I would use some tea-tree oil as the 'soap' as it is a natural mold killer. Leave it out in the sunshine for a couple of days - UV tends to kill mold spores too. You could also encapsulate the foam - in other words, wrap it in a sheet of plastic - if you wanted to save a stained piece. Take a look at the upholstery - If it feels bad, or if it smells musty, you could try to clean it with the Tea-Tree oil. Upholstery material is not cheap - but it is heavy and will last a long time. But mold is not good for either the fabric or you! The carpet and padding are probably goners - it's been absorbing everybody's muddy footprints for almost 15 years - and pet stuff - and odors... Carpet is cheap, and some people on this site have installed wood laminate flooring - which looks really cool and is really easy to sweep and mop, and doesn't accumulate dirt. Don't forget to hit the hard surfaces with a diluted mixture of Tea-Tree oil too!!! Molds can grow anywhere - and since the windows tend to leak and/or sweat, it won't hurt to wipe everything down on a regular basis! So, don't let the California stickers make you paranoid. Give your MH a good scrub, dry her out, load her up and take off for a weekend or two!!! Lance "I've got nowhere to go, and all day to get there!" (BTW, I prefer dark beers, but if you have a local microbrew - 'Bring it on' and grab a mug!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I would guess the out gassing of formaldehyde from the chip board would be a California issue FEMA kinda ran into trouble with their trailers they left closed up in the sun for months. So by now your MH should be squeaky clean I would not worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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