Breathe Easier with Eco-Friendly Paints

All too often, the air in a home is treated like the invisible element it is: out of sight out of mind. Unfortunately, studies show that residential indoor air quality is three to five times worse than the air outdoors. Given the amount of time we spend in our homes, that’s a pretty shocking fact. Among the worst indoor air contaminants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are liquid chemicals used in many different materials, and they off-gas harmful vapors that have been linked to childhood asthma and many other diseases. The concentration of VOCs in American homes has steadily risen over the last several decades, as insulation has improved and homeowners increasingly use inexpensive synthetic materials such as vinyl flooring and latex paint. Paint being one of the most widely used remodeling materials, using low- or no-VOC interior paint is an effective and easy way to vastly improve your indoor air-quality.

No-VOC doesn't mean dull colors. 

(Photo by Yam Studio; courtesy of  YOLO Colorhouse.)

You won’t have to look far. Most major paint companies have jumped on the low- and zero-VOC bandwagon. Offerings include Olympic’s Premium brand (www.olympic.com); Sherwin-Williams Harmony (www.sherwin-williams.com); Valspar’s Earthsense paints (www.valsparearthsense.com); Benjamin Moore’s Green Promise line (www.benjaminmoore.com); and Pratt & Lambert’s RedSeal (www.prattandlambert.com). Although technical baselines for what constitutes “Zero” or “Low” have long been precisely defined, standards within those parameters vary state to state, and VOC concentrations differ product to product. VOC concentration may also change depending on the tinting agent used for a particular color.

That’s why some companies, such as YOLO Colorhouse (www.yolocolorhouse.com), have dedicated their entire business to producing no-VOC paints. Although their palette includes fewer colors than those of other manufacturers, they are extremely rigorous in their formulations and in controlling all the colors they sell.

Regardless of who produces it, expect to pay between $5 and $10 more per gallon for no-VOC paint—a pretty modest investment in your family’s health. Ensure you’re buying a product that is as green as the manufacturer says it is, by looking for the logos of major green certification organizations. Two of the best are Green Seal (www.greenseal.org)—a non-profit that promotes sustainable and green products in a variety of industries, including home improvement products—and the Greenguard Environmental Institute (www.greenguard.org), an organization dedicated to protecting health and quality of life through improving indoor air quality and the products that affect that quality.

Want to learn more about indoor air quality and national standards? Check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s special online section at www.epa.gov/iaq.