Many homeowners often consider painting the interior of their homes themselves. Generally, it’s best to hire professionals for this task, but if you think you’re up for the challenge, you should first consider how paint fumes can affect your home’s indoor air quality.
In this post, heating and air conditioner experts at 72 Degrees share tips on how to reduce the impact of paint fumes on indoor air quality.
Buy the right paint. You can find two types of interior paint at most local hardware stores: latex (water-based) and alkyd (oil-based). Both of these types of paint emit chemicals, but latex produces a lower amount than alkyd. Furthermore, latex paint can be cleaned up with soap and water, while alkyd paint requires a special kind of solvent.
Test for lead. If your home was built before 1978, it’s likely to have lead buried beneath the layers of paint. This can be a problem for you when the paint starts to peel or chip since it can cause the toxic chemical to be released into the air. So before stripping off the old paint and painting over your walls, call up an inspection company to test your home for lead. If lead is found to be present, you should hire an EPA-certified specialist to remove it. Much like air conditioner replacement, it would be safer to have a qualified professional perform this task.
Get rid of odors. Keep the room well-ventilated so that odors can be eliminated. Experts suggest running exhaust fans 24/7 from the start of the project until two or three days after it’s finished. Take note that harmful chemicals are released during the drying process, so to keep paint fumes from spreading to other rooms or areas of your home, make sure to cover your heating and air conditioning return openings.
72 Degrees Cooper Brothers, Inc. is a leading
indoor air quality HVAC specialist in the area. We offer a range of services including AC and heating installation, duct repair services, HVAC maintenance and more. Call us at
(408) 662-1538 or contact us here to request a free estimate.
