Getting Rid of the Volatile Organic Compounds in Your Home

Did you know your home is likely full of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs? These carbon-based compounds evaporate at room temperature and may or may not produce a detectable odor. Thousands of VOCs are found or emitted in ordinary household products or activities. Here’s what you need to know to protect your family.

Sources of volatile organic compounds Building materials:

• Caulk
• Composite wood furniture
• Freshly applied paint
• New carpets and upholstery
• New electronics and plastics
• Solvents
• Varnishes

Vinyl flooring Home and personal care items:

• Air fresheners and candles
• Combustion space heaters
• Cosmetics
• Household compounds
• Newspapers
• Oil and gasoline
• Ozone-producing air cleaners

Stored paints and compounds Activities:

• Cooking
• Dry cleaning
• Idling the car in the garage
• Photocopying
• Smoking
• Using wood burning stoves

Effects of volatile organic compounds

The health risks of breathing in VOCs depend on the concentration, duration and frequency of exposure. While different VOCs possess various levels of toxicity that cause different types of health problems, some of the most common short-term effects are:

• Dizziness
• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Worsened asthma symptoms

Long-term effects are also known to occur, such as:

• Cancer
• Central nervous system damage
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage How to get rid of volatile organic compounds

Start by inspecting your home for common sources of VOCs. Keep in mind that new household furnishings are particularly problematic in terms of off-gassing high concentrations of VOCs. Once you determine the specific sources of VOCs in your home, take steps to reduce your exposure.

These steps include:

• Removing sources of VOCs from your home by storing certain items outside the home
• Ventilating the home by opening windows, using fans, or running a whole-house ventilation system
• Operating an ozone-free air cleaner in the room with the worst offending sources of VOCs

To learn more about the volatile organic compounds you are exposed to in your home, please contact us at Sobieski Services, Inc. in Wilmington today. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).

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