Sooner or later, your property will require a fresh coat of paint. When that time comes, you’ll be faced with plenty of possibilities, including color considerations, different paint brands, potential contractors, and more. It’s easy to overlook a paint’s composition, but the ingredients that go into a particular type of paint determine more than just its appearance and longevity – they also determine how said paint might affect your building’s occupants and your business’ reputation. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) refer to hazardous substances featured in many paint types (primarily those meant for exterior use), such as formaldehyde, acetone, and benzene. While it’s best to steer clear of high-VOC paints in general, it’s especially important for commercial interior painting.
Here’s how opting for zero- and low-VOC paints can benefit your commercial facility in more ways than one.
The health and well-being of your employees, partners, and customers should always be top of mind. As such, you want to keep VOCs in your building to a minimum. While some of these substances are more harmful than others, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that emissions from VOCs can irritate the eyes, throat, and nose, contribute to nausea, and possibly do damage to kidneys, livers, and nervous systems. Selecting paints with a lower VOC count (or no VOCs at all) will make for a safer and more comfortable indoor environment for everyone. The EPA does warn, however, that “...some chemicals that are toxic are exempt from the VOC regulations because they are not considered to be photochemically reactive. Therefore, some products that are labeled as "no VOC" or "low VOC" under the CAA can actually contain volatile organic chemicals that are toxic, sometimes at high levels.” Therefore, it’s crucial to do your due diligence when choosing paints for your facility.
Keeping your people safe and healthy might be your primary goal when switching to low-VOC paints, but doing so has a number of positive knock-on effects, too. For starters, a workforce that breathes easier and feels better will perform better day after day. If you’ve been looking for new ways to boost employee morale, don’t discount the power of commercial painting. The aesthetic improvements of a fresh paint job will jolt everyone’s mood right off the bat, and the clean air delivered by low-VOC interior paint will extend these benefits over the long run.
The toxic fumes and unpleasant odors emitted by paints containing lots of VOCs go hand in hand. Even if these gases were completely harmless, neither employees nor patrons would enjoy breathing in these smells for too long. Some paints can emit these nasty gases for six months or more following the initial paint job – this isn’t a major issue for commercial exterior painting, but it can become a real nuisance for interior projects where the air is enclosed. Masking these scents requires significant energy, so it’s best to choose paints that don’t smell too bad from the beginning. Low- and zero-VOC paints don’t offend nearly as much as their higher-VOC counterparts.
Every business has unique priorities. Still, in a world increasingly concerned with the broader environment, business owners are wise to increase their eco-friendly efforts, even if only for the sake of their reputation. Switching to low-VOC paints is a small but worthwhile way to make your operation more sustainable. It’s also a good idea to get in the habit of greener practices to steer clear of any compliance issues down the road. So, before you start repainting your facility, look for environmentally-friendly paints (including low- and zero-VOC varieties) that still offer the attributes you’re looking for.
If you’re concerned that changing up the paint you use for your facility will result in inferior results, don’t fret. These days, many low- and zero-VOC paints are just as durable and appealing as their more volatile counterparts. The key is working with commercial interior painting services who understand the pros and cons of different paint types so you receive optimal outcomes.
At PAINTech, our main concern is building customer relationships so we can continually meet our clients’ needs. In addition to offering custom interior and exterior painting services, we provide wallcoverings, window treatments, flooring, caulking, and more – all under one roof. We proudly serve businesses in Pennsylvania, The Main Line area, Delaware, Maryland, and Northern Virginia areas. Contact us to learn more about all of the services that we offer!
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