Safety in your Home: Painting for Health

It’s easy to update your home with a new coat of paint, but the health issues you could run into are hefty. There could be dangers lurking under the paint now, in the new paint you put up and the workspace once you are done. So how do you keep your home safe when you are painting for health?

Before beginning any interior painting project, be sure you know what you are working with. If you decide to rough up the walls before you begin, you could be releasing harmful toxins into the air of your home. The most certain way to make sure what you are dealing with is to have professionals test for potential issues.

On the walls already

Lead paint
Lead-based paint was popular in bygone days. While lead-based paint was used prior to 1945, and most likely your home has been painted since then. If the paint was not removed and just covered, there is the potential to release the chemicals. If you purchase your paint today, it will not contain lead unless it is a special-purpose paint.

Asbestos
As years go on, the risk of finding asbestos in your paint goes down. When it comes to finding asbestos or removing it, this is a task best left to the experts. Asbestos can cause very harmful diseases and is not to be trifled with. Sanding to begin a project is one way to release the airborne chemical into the air. If you have any worries, call in a professional.

During the painting process

Ventilate the room
Some paint manufacturers offer low vapor paints, however, there is still potential for unwanted exposure to smells. Employ a box fan in a window to ventilate the room. Close off other parts of the house if possible. Keep it running even before and after work is being done for the day. Lingering smells can cause just as much trouble as new ones.

Break when possible
It’s hard to recognize when painting and smells are getting to you. Take breaks often to get out of the work area. Paint fumes can affect your lungs, throat, eyes, and other aspects of your senses. Avoid the headache and get out more often.

After the painting is done

VOCs
Continue to air out the room with open windows and fans. A general rule of thumb for airing out a worksite is 3 days. If the paint was low VOCs, you may find the smells to be gone sooner. There is a big risk in painting is opening the rooms up to the home too soon. Now the smells have migrated into the entirety of the house. It’s best to wait several days just to be safe.

Storage
Paint is not something you buy and use every day. Try not to over-buy because storing paint can be just as dangerous as having it open. If you do save some, be sure to close the can as tightly as possible otherwise your paint can leak vapors.

Flammable
There is always a risk for the paint to be flammable. You can store leftover paint, but make sure it is put away with the utmost care. It should be far away from any potential ignition source. Do not store it anywhere near water heaters, furnaces, motors, or other potential fire starters.

Disposal
The safest way to handle leftover paint is to use it all. If you don’t want to store leftovers, you can still get rid of the paint. If it’s latex, you can throw your cans of paint away with the normal trash pick-up. If it is not, look into paint disposal in your community. Usually, cities have drop-off sites where you can bring paint cans, for free, and have them safely disposed of.

If you have a painting project you’d like to tackle but would rather leave it up to the pros at CertaPro of Corona, why not schedule a free estimate online or call us at 951-739-7441