Why VOCs Are In Paint Matter

You work hard to keep your family healthy, but all the organic produce in the world won't protect you from the toxins you invite into your home.

VOCs are often invisible and odorless and can continue to off-gas toxic chemicals for years. Paint is the top source of VOC emissions in the entire world, coming second only to vehicles. 

The VOCs present in your home pollute your air, seep into carpets and furniture, and can even escape your house and pollute the air in your neighborhood. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the things we choose to bring into our homes decrease our indoor air quality significantly. They say that these things contribute to VOC levels as much as two to five times higher than the air just outside your door. 

The Clean Air Act aims to improve air quality by limiting the amount of VOCs manufacturers can include in paint and other products. Under this act, the EPA limits paint to no more than 250 grams of VOCs per liter of flat paint and no more than 380 grams per liter of low luster, semi-gloss, and glossy paints.

Some manufacturers have chosen to use an earth-friendly base, like plant oils, for their paints, while others remove the toxic VOCs from existing paints. According to Greenguard, it is generally accepted that paint should contain fewer than 50 grams of VOCs per liter to qualify as low-VOC paint and less than 5 grams per liter for paints claiming zero VOCs. 

As more manufacturers work to develop safer paints, prices for low and zero-VOC paints have come down considerably. This makes them a viable option, even for budget-conscious home improvement projects. You can also request low and zero-VOC paint samples from many paint stores to see how they dry and hold up in your home.

Encourage Good Ventilation

Paint will dry quicker in a room that is well ventilated. Please open the windows while you paint and leave them open as long as possible while the paint dries. You might also keep a fan running to speed things up further. Remember to keep doors closed when painting a single room to limit the spread of VOCs throughout your home.

Introduce Heat

When finished painting, you might choose to run a heater to increase the evaporation rate of off-gassed VOCs. Of course, running the heat with windows open isn't ideal for energy efficiency, making you set a timer to turn the heat off.

Decrease Indoor Humidity

Paint dries and cures much faster in dry air. If you paint on a humid day, you might consider running a dehumidifier in the space to speed up off-gassing. If you use a humidifier or anything else to increase indoor humidity regularly, be sure to shut it off while painting. 

Purify the Air

While purifying the air won't speed up off-gassing, it can help proactively remove VOCs from the air as they're released. If you have an air-purifying device, keep it running while the paint dries and for several days following. You can also place indoor plants in the room to help absorb the VOCs quicker. Popular air-filtering indoor plants include the Boston Fern, English Ivy, Peace Lilies, and Variegated Snake Plants.

Many companies practice greenwashing, a sales and marketing trend that is designed to mislead customers. Some paint cans may boast "green" or "eco" practices, while the ingredients label tells an entirely different story. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was recently forced to take action against the misleading claims made by Benjamin Moore, ICP Construction Inc., YOLO Colorhouse, and Imperial Paints about their own low and zero-VOC paints.

However, there are tools to help you ensure the paint you're buying is truly low or zero-VOC. Third-party certifications, including Greenguard, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), and the Green Seal Certification, are awarded only to paints that abide by their strict VOC regulations. You can find these logos on the front label of safe paints when browsing the aisles at your local home improvement store. 

Keep in mind that while paint may not contain any VOCs, VOCs are often added when tinting the paint to your chosen color. Some colors, significantly darker shades, can add as much as 150 grams of VOCs per liter. To avoid these surprise VOCs, look for paints approved under the SQAQMD-113 regulation. This regulation first started in California and has been adopted nationwide to regulate the VOCs both in the paint base and in tint additions.

Exposure to VOCs in the paint can lead to birth defects and learning delays and even increase miscarriage.

If painting the baby's dresser or crib is on your list, ask someone to help you move the furniture outside to paint in the open air, where you'll have less exposure to off-gassing VOCs. If you're painting the nursery walls, remember to keep those windows open to keep air flowing. Taking lots of fresh air breaks will help too. If you begin to feel dizzy or nauseous, stop painting immediately, as these can be dangerous signs of VOC exposure.

Pregnant women should keep their skin, eyes, and mouth covered while painting by wearing long sleeves, pants, gloves, and a mask and change into clean clothes when finished. Avoid spending extra time in the room by taking pictures to review your progress outside and leaving the room to eat or drink. It's best for pregnant women to wait at least a few days after painting before spending any time in the room.