A fresh coat of paint enhances the aesthetic quality of your home inside out and also increases the value of the property. It is a quick and affordable way to do up your home and give it a fresh vibe. However, with all the information about the degradation of the environment and all the efforts to make more environmentally conscious choices, one cannot ignore the hazardous effects of paints on life and the environment.
Traditional paints affect the air quality of your home and the overall environment. The fumes from the paint can negatively impact your and your family’s health. Even the “paint smell’ lingers for days after the paint job is done.
In their effort to go greener, paint manufacturers have created eco-friendly paint, which is a health and environment-conscious choice of paint. They are extremely popular even though they retail at a higher price than traditional paints. Let us find more about them.
What’s wrong with Traditional paints?
Certain ingredients and chemicals in traditional paints can have harmful effects on the health of the people and the environment. Traditional paints contain a high level of VOCs or volatile organic chemicals. These VOCs are what causes the “paint smell’ and are the main reason for painting instructions and wall painting ideas suggest that you only work in well-ventilated areas. The VOCs can persist in the air long after the activity is completed and can have both short-term and long-term effects on the health of people.
Paint products that are oil or latex-based are considered hazardous household waste and require special service for disposal. The pigments used in them are made up of heavy metals and can be hazardous at certain levels.
Additionally, paints designed for bathrooms, kitchens, and exteriors may also contain fungicides. Many paint brands also include biocides in their paints to increase the shelf life of the product.
What is Eco-friendly paint?
Eco-friendly paints, or natural paints, are paints that have been specially designed with lower levels of VOCs. They are made from a variety of natural materials, including clay, milk proteins, citrus, balsam, and other minerals.
Why use Eco-friendly paint?
Eco-friendly paints have excellent color retention and viscosity and are available in a variety of color pallets. Unlike traditional chemical paints, eco-friendly paints do not generate harmful non-degradable by-products during their manufacturing process. Hence, their manufacturing does not harm the environment.
Since the levels of VOCs in eco-friendly paints are lower, they are much safer to use in homes. Eco-friendly paints offer a safe paint alternative for the family. They are a great and safe option for families with children, elderly people, pregnant women, people with asthma and other respiratory problems, and pets.
Selecting an Eco-friendly paint
When looking to buy eco-friendly paint, one should first determine if they need it for exterior or interior paint. Milk paints or natural paints are the most popular selections for interior paints. For exterior paints, choose from paints that have very low or zero VOCs or are recycled-water-based. Look for label identifiers like:
- Low or Zero VOC
- Certified Organic Label
- Certified by Environmental certification systems, institutes, and organizations
Overall, eco-friendly paint is the safest paint option for any space. Even though a tad bit expensive, it is always more important to avoid harmful chemicals that can have an impact on our health as well as the environment. Eco-friendly paints are a great alternative and are available far and wide. You can browse from several color pallets from different brands such as Asian paints colour selections for rooms, and so on.
If you need more guidance, hire a professional service provider for expert guidance and a well-done paint job. AapkaPainter is a painting service provider that offers end to end solution to all your painting woes. They have revolutionized the way homes get painted by bringing in technology, automation, and service guarantee.
