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Ohhh...That New Paint Smell Ahhh...Or Not

By
Home Builder with JDhomedesign

Everyone (or just about everyone) loves the smell of fresh paint.  It gives us a sense of cleanliness and fresness. 

As for cleanliness...absolutely, one can be rest assured that the walls are now clean. 

As for freshness...this is a double edged perception.  You see, the room will look new but the senses have been fooled with the association between the visual and the olfactory (smell).  That new paint smell is really offgassing which is the process of evaporation of the solvents or VOC's (volatile organic compounds) used in formulating paint.  Some paints, usually those of lesser quality, will offgas for a very long time.  These vapors that are constantly in the air can be very dangerous and possible cause various types of malodies and illness.

Fortunately, quality paint manufacturers are aware of this problem and the affect it has on the Earth's atmosphere and that they don't support the Green environmental initiative effort being made worldwide.  In turn, they have become very proactive in creating formulas that have very little or no smell.  These paints have no VOC's.  I have used them for several customers and can attest that they really don't smell. 

People who have babies or young children are especially sensitive to that new paint smell and its dangers.  We use these No VOC paints virtually all the time with these customers.  They are truly the best choice.

Show All Comments Sort:
Amanda Christiansen
Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN
Christiansen Group Realty

I love the smell of fresh paint too as long as somebody else is rolling it. 

Jan 21, 2009 11:35 PM
Ella Glover
Lubbock Homes - Lubbock, TX

Good information.  I love to smell fresh clean paint, but in new construction that has been sprayed with lacquer it really bad for everyone for several days!

Jan 21, 2009 11:36 PM
Jim Crawford
Long & Foster - Fredericksburg, VA
Jim Crawford Broker Associate Fredericksburg VA

I am very allergic to oil based paints.  I really have to avoid new constuction when they are painting the wood work.  Great post.

Jan 22, 2009 12:10 AM
Robert Rauf
CMG Home Loans - Toms River, NJ

It is a good smell, but I know I have clients that cant take it.. One I just spoke with re did the entire house (that looked new) with low VOC making it as green of a house as she could.  She is alergic to the world, and paint is on that list....

Jan 22, 2009 12:18 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Hi Jodi

The way to get the vapors out of home is open an window.

Good luck and Success

Lou Ludwig

Jan 22, 2009 12:21 AM
Larry Bettag
Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL
Vice-President of National Production

Yea I agree.  AI like that smell, but I've been clueless as to the affects that you've mentioned in your green initiative.

Jan 22, 2009 12:30 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Jodi, I am familiar with the no VOC paints, but have not used them. Do they also have an oder?

Jan 22, 2009 12:31 AM
Jodi Duerr
JDhomedesign - Somers, NY

No VOC paints have virtually no odor at all.

Jan 22, 2009 11:56 AM
Sasha Miletic - Windsor Real Estate
RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - Windsor, ON

Hi Jodi, Welcome to AR, Be a Blogholic and start writing your own blog soon on AR. All the best for your RE business. This is the right place for customers, friends, realtionships etc.

Best - Sash

Jan 22, 2009 11:32 PM
Anonymous
Mythic Paint has no VOC

It's a performance green paint. High performance, zero odor. Pricey but worth it IMO.

 

L8r.

Jan 24, 2009 02:57 PM
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