"Thinking Green"

When we say “Thinking Green” we are not thinking about the color of the paint you are considering for your living room walls! A “Green” paint job is an environmentally friendly approach to painting. “Green” painting not only improves the look of your home but is also promoting a healthier home. Plus you are contributing to helping make our planet a better place for future generations to come by creating a lighter carbon footprint.

Conventional paints, removers and thinners often will contain cancer causing toxins. By using the less toxic options and taking precautions, it is possible you can avoid compromising the indoor air quality and promote personal health. By choosing more durable, green paint formulations, you will not only have to paint less frequently, you will also lower hazards including smog, which is created during the production, use and disposal of toxic paints.

What are these VOCs we keep hearing about?

You have probably heard the phrase regarding that “fresh coat of paint smell”. What you really smell are VOCs.

VOCs or “Volatile Organic Compounds” are substances that easily convert to gas at room temperatures. Many paints and strippers emit these gases as they are applied and sometimes for months after. As the liquid portion of the paint evaporates, it can release these VOCs. Health symptoms range from eye, nose and throat irritation to liver, kidney and central nervous system failure. There are some VOCs that have been subject to possible causes of cancer.

Low VOC paint:

Low VOC paint can dissipate after about 12 hours. Low VOC paints use far less toxic solvents and less toxic metal compounds. These compounds pollute the air and can have long term health consequences. In addition, low VOC paint lessens the amount of ground level ozone pollution (e.g., global warming) and negative impact to humans, animals and plants.

For most paints, the pigment tint adds VOCs to the paint, thus making a light colored paint generally contain less VOCs than a darker color. Darker colored paints, such as red, typically require more coats, therefore releasing more VOCs. As a rule, finishes in satin or eggshell will usually have a lower release of VOCs than a flat finish.

Why use latex paint?

Paints are generally classified into two categories: water and oil based. A water based paint uses a solvent of water for cleanup while oil based paint requires an organic liquid, usually derived from petro-chemicals. Over the years, paint manufactures have reduced or eliminated toxins such as lead, mercury and chromium from nearly all consumer paints.

Today’s latex paints will meet most of your needs, interior or exterior. Latex paints will have fewer VOCs than oil based paints. An additional advantage of latex paint is that it will clean with water rather than toxic solvents needed to clean oil based paints.

Why Weinmann promotes the “Green” approach:

Besides the obvious reasons to help lower our carbon footprint, a 2002 study by the National Cancer Institute found that men and women working in the painting industry had a significantly higher risk of cancer. Our employees can work more safely with environmentally safer products, also reducing the risk of a chemically exposed allergy reaction. Our employees working with a lower VOC paint are less likely to be affected by indoor/outdoor paint activities, which create on the ground air pollution. Employees are more productive in a non-toxic environment, less prone to illness (which also saves on our insurance claims), and it helps us show our employees that we truly care about their health and family life.

What Weinmann Painting is doing for our environment?

We at Weinmann Painting are at the forefront of the Green initiative. We have invested in several different approaches to thinking “Green”.