When you are about to do house painting in Danville, you may prefer using environmentally-friendly paints, or “green” paints. People are more aware of their “carbon footprint”, or the impact their decisions make on the environment. Paint companies are also manufacturing “green” paints, with a fascinating array of varieties.
Environmentally-friendly paints are generally water-based, non-toxic, non-flammable, and mostly odorless. When they’re dried, they can be deemed safe for children and pets.
What constitutes a “green” paint? Most people start painting using paints with concentrations of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds). These include chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde. But a lack of these two chemicals is not the only things to determine if the paint is environmentally safe. There are other environmentally harmful chemicals that may be present in paint that includes biocides (which is a necessary ingredient to kills bacteria), vinyl chloride, phthalates, and others. Some packaging may also be a factor of the paint’s friendliness – or harm – to the environment.
Most of the biggest paint brands today also offer their own “green” paint options. You can find some of the “green” paint brands on the market that include Benjamin Moore Green Promise, Yolo Colorhouse No VOC Paint, Real Milk Paint, Delta Soy Paint, Sherwin-Williams GreenSure, Center*Star Thermopel, Glidden Brilliance, and Behr Premium Plus among others. These paint brands carry low levels of VOCs, or have no VOCs at all, and most of them are low-odor products, as well.
You can refer to information available on these major paint brands’ official websites to learn more about their paint. The information will let you know which of their paint varieties are deemed environmentally-friendly. Although VOC content is often the most visible element of the eco-friendly paint varieties, or paint compounds are also mentioned.
In accordance with federal regulations, paints are allowed to contain VOCs is 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat paints. Other paint types may have 380 g/l VOCs. Paints that are labeled as “low VOC” should have 50 g/l or less. For paints labeled as “non-VOC,” they should be have 5 g/l or VOC’s or less. Each paint brand mentioned above offers paint that falls in the “low VOC” or “non-VOC” varieties, or both.
Some paint varieties that are advertised as “green” are devoid of heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and mercury. Take Real Milk Paint, for example, which uses pharmaceutical grade lime that is an antibacterial and helps cure (dries and hardens) through carbonization (pulling carbon dioxide from the air during its curing time). Like many chemical compounds found in paint, pharmaceutical grade lime is also a fire retardant that is more natural and safer than others available. Keep an eye out for these good qualities while looking for “green” paints.
If you want to add tint to your chosen paint, you may also want to confirm their VOC levels. Take note that some tints may dramatically increase the levels of VOC of the paint after they are added.
Discuss “green” paint options with experienced paint professionals when you are about to do house painting in Danville. They will able to provide recommendations for the environmentally-friendly paint they use.