Organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature can become volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and cause health risks to many individuals, especially young children, elderly people, and those with suppressed immune systems. In fact, the latest research indicates that when you are selecting a paint for a nursery or preparing for painting floors in a basement it is in your best interest to pay attention to the labels and select paints that are free of these dangerous chemicals that can easily become vapors or gases.
Why Should I Avoid VOCS When I am Painting a Nursery?
From non toxic paint for cribs to selecting the safest kind of paint for priming walls in a nursery, it is important that you select the safest products possible, especially when you are working in a room that will be used by infants and children. In fact, in addition to being careful about the chemicals in the paints that you are using in a child’s room, VOC levels over 500 ppb could even cause problems for people with chemical sensitivities, according to a report by CBC Marketplace. If, however, your flooring is more than one year old, many of the VOCs will have already dissipated. But if you are installing new flooring or painting a floor, experts recommend that you go for an organic option and use VOC-free painting materials.
This latest research indicates that instead of being so concerned about the shade of color that you are selecting or the difference between a matte and glossy finish, it is also important to make sure that you are asking the most important question of all: Why should I avoid VOCs when I am painting my home?
Even when it comes to buildings that are not your own home, there are a number of people who are also concerned about the paint that is used in the places where they visit and stay. For instance, 83% of travelers say they would choose a room that is allergy-friendly if they had the option, according to a study by the Survey Research Institute at Cornell University.
