Update with Low-VOC Paint

Indoor air is generally three times as unhealthy as outside air, but getting a fresh breath just got easier. Using low-VOC paints and primers, which have fewer harmful compounds than traditional paints, can improve your indoor air quality and make your home and the environment safer.

Do your part to promote a cleaner environment. Learn more about low-VOC paints and get all the tools, products and expert advice you need at your local True Value hardware store.

Know "Low-VOC" and Your Green Painting Options

You've probably noticed the strong smell of a freshly painted room. The odors come from the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that are in the paint. For decades, VOCs have been a key ingredient in the composition of latex and oil-based paints, solvents and varnishes. VOCs are also present in the following household items: wood preservatives, aerosol sprays, cleansers and disinfectants, moth repellents, air fresheners, stored fuels and automotive products, hobby supplies and even dry-cleaned clothing.

Prolonged exposure to these compounds can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, irritate eyes, cause nausea and dizziness. Extended exposure has also been linked to kidney and liver disease and even cancer. After traditional paint is applied to walls or other surfaces, it can "off-gas" VOCs for years.

In response to changing environmental regulations and consumer demand, many high-quality, low-VOC products, such as True Value EasyCare® latex primers and paints, are available for purchase. These alternatives are water-based and release fewer toxic fumes. What fumes they do produce dissipate more quickly. Low-VOC primers and paints are applied the same way as conventional primers and paints, and they cost about the same as most manufacturers' top-of-the-line paints. Because they are not deemed "hazardous waste," low-VOC paints can be cleaned and disposed of easily without the use of strong solvents.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) standard for paints and stains to be considered "low-VOC" is a maximum of 200 g/L of VOCs. True Value EasyCare® paints are among the lowest-VOC paints on the market, with 50 g/L of VOC content.

True Value hardware stores also sell a number of eco-friendly painting tools and accessories, such as low-VOC stains and wood finishes, paint thinners and removers and paper drop cloths. True Value's EcoSmart line of products includes paint pails, paint tray liners and more.

Paint Responsibly

Using low-VOC paints and green painting accessories and products is only one way to make your indoor air fresher and healthier. To be an environmentally conscious painter, be sure to remember the BUD rule:

Buy no more products than you need. 
Use the products you buy. 
Dispose of leftovers in a safe, responsible manner.

Store Excess Properly
You can get more use out of your paint if it's stored properly. Always store paint in a dry location where the temperature is above freezing. Replace the lid firmly and store the can upside down to prevent air from entering the container – this will keep your paint usable longer.

• When purchasing low-VOC paints, buy only what you need for the job at hand. Before you begin, measure the area carefully (height x width = total sq. ft.). One gallon of paint will cover approximately 350-400 square feet. To calculate how much paint you'll need for your specific painting project, use the paint calculator tool at truevaluepaint.com.

Reuse Paint
Don't waste paint. Use excess for touch-up jobs or to paint a small area of your home. Think about donating extra paint to someone who can use it, like an artistic friend or a theater group trying to stretch its financial resources.

Dispose Properly
Latex paint must dry before you can toss it in the trash. Even if you have used all the paint from a can, allow the empty container to dry with the lid off before discarding. If you have less than one-fourth of the paint from a can left over, you can dry it by simply leaving it out in a well-ventilated area until it hardens, stirring once every few days.

Be Safe
When leaving paint out to dry, be sure to keep it away from children and pets. Also, keep drying paint away from all open flames and outdoor weather.

• Even though low-VOC paints give off fewer fumes, they still release some substances into the air until dry. Remember to wear a facemask when painting and paint in a well-ventilated area. Open windows and/or use fans to remove fumes from the room.

Well done! With your new environmentally conscious outlook on painting, you can paint your home while helping to maintain cleaner and healthier air. Head to your local True Value hardware storefor all the tools, products and expert advice you need to start right.

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