What is VOC-Free Paint?

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds.  They are organic chemical gases that are emitted into our environment from a number of sources, such as carpet and cleaning products, as well as paint.  VOC's are released into the air as paint dries, creating the distinctive smell of a newly painted room. 

VOC's also contribute to your indoor air quality.  A study by the Environmental Protection Agency "found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas."

They can have an effect on your health, too.  They contribute to headaches, dizziness, respitory problems,  immune system problems and more.

If you are worried about the health effects of VOC's or perhaps just do not want your house to have that lingering new paint smell, here are a few of the options available that are worth looking at:

• Sherwin-Williams has two lines of paint in their GreenSure program:  Duration Home Interior paint (low odor and low VOC formula) and Harmony Interior paint (low odor and no VOC formula).
• Benjamin Moore has a paint called Natura Interior paint, which is virtually odorless and has no VOC.  It has been named as one of the Top 10 Green Building Products by BuildingGreen, Inc.
• Home Depot carries Freshaire Choice paint, which has low odor and no VOC in the paint nor colorant.
• Lowe's carries Olympic Premium Interior paint, which has a zero VOC formula.

Stacey in our office used the Freshaire Choice paint when painting her baby's room.  She said there is a huge difference between using it and regular paint; the whole house did not smell like a room just got painted.  There is an odor while painting, but once she left the room she could not smell the paint at all.  A gallon of the low- or no-VOC paint does cost more than the other paints on the market, but it might be worth it to have breathable air after painting a room.