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Interior Painting Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Eco Friendly’

About VOC and ECO

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

About VOCs

VOCs is an acronym you will see all the time when you start looking into painting your house or selecting a painting contractor. Manufacturers market their paints as “Low VOC,” “VOC Free, Eco Paint, Green Earth Paint, zero VOC.” etc. and point to that as an indication of how eco-friendly they are. So what does VOC mean? More importantly, why should you care?

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds & / or Volatile Odor Content depending on context of conversation.  Basically, these are compounds that vaporize – they give off gasses. They are used in paints to hold together different components such as coloring and resins, and then evaporate as the paint dries.

The VOCs used in interior painting and exterior painting can exist in high concentrations in indoor areas – often two to five times greater than in outdoor air, and sometimes up to 1000 times greater. What can cause problems is when the “total” VOC levels are high due to new construction or remodeling, and multiple compounds such as paint, primer, thinner, stain, etc. are all being used.

One of the more important developments in conventional paints has been the trend toward water-based paints that have far fewer VOCs. These new water-based products have fewer VOCs and therefore fewer potentially harmful emissions. In addition, the chemicals used in place of VOCs are more environmentally friendly to produce, and often last longer with brighter colors.

Eco Paint Specialists has been a pioneer in the use of low- and zero-VOC paints, having done so for a number of years. Eco Paint Specialist’s coined the phrase Eco Paint back in 1993, long before Green Earth Friendly Paints were ever available to the general public as of 1999-2000. It is Eco Paint’s a main focus of our business to offer our customers eco-friendly products for their house painting needs, and we are glad to help, doing our part to protect the environment.

Green Earth Friendly Eco Paint

Green Earth Friendly Eco Paint

Best Time to Paint Interior and Exterior

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Reasons to Paint

May 3, 2009 at 10:51 am

Many often ask when is the best time to paint. 1st. It must be determined whether interior or exterior. We’ll speak of interior for now.
Here is a list best times painting interiors, not listed in importance, as each person’s home may have different priorities.

Reasons to Paint

1. Paint before adding an addition to the family, either a new born or relative. Important using new Green Eco Friendly paint, which has low to no V.O.C’s (volatile odor content) which typically is the ammonia even in water borne latex paints, which can linger for up to 3 years. However, as weeks go by, we get accustomed to the smell.

2. Paint before replacing flooring. It’s cheaper hiring a paint contractor if they paint without having to mask carpet, so if replacing, paint just before new carpet delivery. Easier to paint yourself, without having to mask it as well. Can paint all the way down past carpet, as this can be pulled up away from baseboards, making much concise and thorough job.

3. Paint after purchasing or before selling home When purchasing, home is ordinarily empty, making painting interior less expensive when hiring a painting contractor. Hiring a painting contractor allows time to take care of other things associated with the move, and normally does not include painting the interior, especially being from out-of-town.  Even being local, moving has many tasks involved from notifying Post Office and Schools, to Packing and scheduling the actual move. Most wish having a clean up-to-date decor to move into, and with a week or two’s notice this can be accomplished given ample time frame. Painting Interior or Painting Exterior before/after moving, will add value, giving that curb appeal even inside, while also giving a valued edge over the other home.  If questioning the roi on home painting before listing, ask your Real Estate Agent, as they are trained as well as Eco Paint Specialist’s figuring out which way would be the best from a cost/roi standpoint.

4. Paint before entertaining family and friends, especially before Thanksgiving or Christmas. Many times during the rush of the year, holidays sneak upon us, not realizing how in need a fresh coat of paint is needed. Family from out of town is coming in, and a freshening up of walls, trim, and or ceiling is in the plan.

5. Interior Painting given as a gift. During these economic times, making use of what is needed in the first place makes sense, being practical. Both husband and wife get enjoyment of new updated color scheme, which is one of the most inexpensive means of interior decorating.

6. Paint before adding new furniture Paint a room before adding new furniture, and after moving out the old. This is also a good time to vacuum in places you may only get to every 6 months. Painting an empty room makes the ease work flow so much easier. Not having to cover anything, having to walk around.

Painting Exteriors a few above overlap, but will mention others to complete this area of thought.

1. Order of business painting exteriors is Pressure Cleaning. Pressure Cleaning or sometimes referred to as Power Washing with high pressure washer using outside facet, cleans dirt and debris that is normally not seen by the naked eye. Exterior surfaces act as a magnet to dust and airborne material in the air just as a air filter is to a car. Not trying to peel the paint off with washer, it is used to clean dirt and debris. Further paint removal is accomplished by hand scraping a day or two after cleaning has taken place.

2. Best time to paint exteriors is temperature related. After preparation is accomplished, start painting in the morning time, as it generally warms up throughout the day, allowing to dry properly. Best temps. are any thing above 40 degrees.

3. Best time painting exteriors is just after purchasing home adding your own personal touch & footprint to property. Have helped countless new homeowners, and is exciting seeing the transition for both us and them.

4. Best time painting exteriors is before you list your home to sell. Several theories or angles to this, will mention two important ones. First, if the home is in dire need of an exterior painting job, the cost involved for painting will easily offset what would probably be discounted, having an exterior in poor shape.  Second, if the home is in reasonably good shape, but having a fresh coat of paint makes everything as crisp as possible, giving that curb appeal that all homes for sale desperately need for a quick sale. We painted a home last year in South East Aurora CO. Going back on Saturday to make final touch-ups and paint the front door, this home was having it’s first showing. All taking place around 10 am. finding out later that family purchased the home on the spot, and our customer retired and relocated to San Antonio TX.  This was exciting for both of us!

5. Best time to paint exteriors is when it actually needs it! Peeling paint is the first clue, but showing blotches or oil spots on siding is another, as paint has dried out enough not protecting any longer. Paint is like a vinyl coating, longer warranties have longer duration of elasticity which gives the paint ability to stretch as the home moves the slightest. Yes, you can wait an additional year, but not recommended as wood can deteriorate unprotected in a years time. Different extreme weather elements can cause boards to curl, rot, and split if not protected with a elastic paint coating. Done right, an exterior painting job should last 15-25 years, as we provide, painting Denver Homes up and down Colorado’s Front Range.

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Phone: 303.591.4978
Email: ecopaintspecialists@msn.com
 
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