Give your home a new look but don’t compromise on toxic air. Search for environmentally friendly paints that don’t contain volatile organic compounds.
Is the interior of your home looking dated? Faded or a bit tired?
Often the best way to spruce up a home is with a fresh coat of paint, whether it’s to make the space livelier or hide a child’s fingerprints.
Maybe you are considering selling your home. Often while viewing a residence on the market, home buyers often talk about whether the interior of the home is in “their colors.”
Everyone wants their home to look stylish and the quickest way to update an interior is with a fresh coat of paint. The dilemma for the environmentally conscious consumer is how to find paint products that aren’t full of toxic fumes and harmful to the environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that the levels of harmful pollutants are two to five times higher inside the home than outside. Reducing noxious fumes inside the home should be a goal of a homeowner who wants to breathe better air, especially if there are inhabitants with allergies or asthma.
A key factor in making paints less toxic and more environmentally friendly is to lower or eliminate the amount of volatile organic compounds(VOC) added to paint in the manufacturing process. VOCs are chemicals added to paint during the tinting process and emit harmful fumes, sometimes for years after application.
Where to find the paints
Decorators have a good selection of products to choose from when looking for paint that doesn’t pollute the air, but they aren’t necessarily available at your big box home improvement stores. Many of the products have to be ordered online or can be found at a network of dealers.
Ecos Paints are environmentally friendly and come in great colors.
ECOS Paints state its paint products cover more surface area than regular paints – about 1.5 times more – because the paints aren’t diluted with solvents or fillers. All paints are mixed in company stores and don’t emit any fumes because they are VOC-free.
The packaging is also eco-friendly as cans are made from recycled materials, and the company recycles its production waste and processing water.
The challenge to using Ecos Paints is company stores are only located in California. They have a robust online store where 2-ounce paint samples and a color card fan can be purchased.
Benjamin Moore says it has created a paint line with some of the lowest emissions of any paint on the market. The Natura line has zero VOCs, which translates into zero emissions.
One of the bejaminmoore.com web pages is dedicated to demonstrating which neutral colors make the best impression when selling a home. Another web page helps decorators choose a color that best matches certain stone counter tops.
Benjamin Moore paints are sold at a variety of paint shops across the country.
American Pride products have a Green Wise certification, which means the company’s products have been tested by an accredited laboratory and certified to meet certain environmental performance standards. Most of the company’s paints have zero VOCs. American Pride also offers a palette of 940 colors and can match any color available on a color chip.
The company’s paints are sold through eco-friendly building supply stores and some paint shops.
Green Planet Paints takes its ideas from nature. The paints grew out of experimentation with milk and clay paints and are based on a philosophy that colors were originally derived from natural surroundings. The paints have no emissions and use natural resins. There are 48 natural hues and shades available.
The natural paints are available through dealers or purchased online.
Earth Easy produced an extensive list of companies that offer eco-friendly paints from well-known retailers including Sherwin Williams, Kelly-Moore and Devoe Paint.
Shoppers should investigate the paints to ensure the retailer is selling a truly environmentally friendly paint. Look for customer and industry reviews to ensure you are buying a safe product that will meet your needs.
Green Maids Service is a Dallas-based cleaning firm that only uses hypoallergenic and environmentally-friendly products.
If you are concerned about the air quality in your home, then look no further than Green Maid Service. Regular cleaning products leave a strong odor that contributes to polluted air in your home and add a coating to surfaces that can irritate sensitive skins.
If you want clean air contact Green Maid Service at 214-997-6918.