Responsible Renovating: The Dirt on VOCs
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been in the media a lot lately as the big bad guy in home building products as well as other areas. However, how scared do we need to be of VOCs really?
VOCs have been in building materials pretty much forever; pretty much any construction material that smells strongly contains a VOC. VOCs are organic compounds that vaporize into the air at normal temperatures and pressures; this basically means that the chemicals get into the air where you can breathe them in. Some of these chemicals can or may cause health problems, particularly in large amounts like you might find if you were finishing or renovating a house and working in closed spaces with paint or adhesive fumes. Some of the issues with VOCs will depend on the individual’s health concerns; people with chronic conditions like asthma may find that they have far more problems with a high VOC product than most other people.
To counter the enormous percentage of finishing materials that have VOCs in them, many industries have taken to creating low or non-VOC formulations for their products. You can find low or non-VOC versions in paint, flooring, carpet, and many other building materials.
VOCs in an enclosed environment like a home or office can cause a variety of ailments such as asthma-like symptoms, allergic sensitization, and sick building syndrome. Some of the VOCs that cause these problems are found in manmade products and some occur naturally; the problem often occurs because of the building up of vapors in an enclosed area that become too much for people’s system to tolerate.
So, we should take care that not only do we reduce the amount of VOCs that we add to our environment through building materials like paint but also from other sources. If you are adding a type of flooring to your home look for a low-VOC option and/or have the installer air the material out before installing it so that it can outgas any vapors that it might later give off. This can work well with carpets as well as other products that you might add to your home like shower curtains which can often give off a noxious chemical smell when new.
Many types of cleaners also give off VOCs, so take time to check them out before you spray them around your home. The old standbys—vinegar and baking soda—work best in most situations and won’t make you sick.Also, stay away from indoor air fresheners as they can also be a source of VOCs in your indoor environment.
In essence, the best way to avoid indoor contaminants is to use low or non-VOC products in your home construction and avoid adding them to your environment wherever possible. Low or non-VOC construction materials might contribute towards a “green” designation for your home as well, if you decide to sell it later on.
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