Volatile Organic Compounds are substances that are put into the air from a variety of sources that can affect the quality of air around you and impact your health. During the process of applying a garage floor coating, VOC can be admitted, but what does that mean for you? Surface Bella works to keep VOC out of the air while we perform floor coatings but here is some more information on what the compounds are and how to prevent illness from them.
What Are Volatile Organic Compounds?
VOC is a large group of carbon-containing substances. Some of these compounds include hydrocarbons, alcohols, organic acids, metallic carbides, and more. They have a boiling point of less than or equal to 250 degrees Celcius and are ranked from very volatile organic compounds to semi-volatile organic compounds.
Smog is full of VOC and can come from a variety of sources in today’s world. They evaporate in the right indoor conditions but some will have short or long term health effects when they hang around for too long.
Know The Source
Many compounds and gases fill the indoor air surrounding us, but knowing some harmful sources can help you limit the amount that enters your lungs. Some common sources include:
- Plastics
- Caulks and sealants
- Air fresheners
- Tobacco smoke
- Aerosol sprays
- Pesticides
- Moth repellents
- Stored fuels and automotive products
- Glues
- Adhesives
- Correction Fluids
- Wallpapers
- And more
Some of the compounds last for a short amount of time in the atmosphere, while others can last for days. If you know the source of the VOC, it can help you determine what chemical may cause problems. For example, Methanol can last in the atmosphere for 12 days, whereas Isoprene lasts for 3 hours. Other common emissions from vehicles like Ethanol or Benzene last for 4 to 10 days. Individual VOCs have been found to have very limited or no health effects, but when compounds are combined or rise to higher levels, this is when problems occur.
Construction or home projects are usually the culprits of high VOC levels. Indoor spaces have a greater risk of impact because the pollutants can be 2 to 10 times higher. When it comes to garage floor coatings, VOC is used as a thinner during garage floor coatings and helps improve adhesion to the concrete. States have set regulations on the allowable VOC limits, so checking this rate before completing a project can protect your health.
How VOC Can Impact Your Health
If you have experienced a high concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds some symptoms you may experience can include irritation in your eyes, nose, and throat, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, damage to your liver or kidney, or forming certain cancers.
Poor indoor air can also cause short-term flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, chest tightness, fatique, or dry skin) but usually subside once the air improves or the individual has left the area.
How We Handle VOC At Surface Bella
Working to apply a floor coating to your indoor concrete surface requires us to use a strong adhesive. Some of these adhesives and our thinner include carbon-containing substances. Our team at Surface Bella uses a strong vacuum that removes dust and fumes as we work. Grinding your floor and our floor coatings are best applied when you don’t need to use your floor for around 48 hours. This not only protects you from illness but will give you the best results.
Floor Coatings And VOC
Polyaspartic floor coatings are your best option when it comes to durability and limited VOC. Not only does this coating dry and adhere quickly, but it has little to no compounds mixed in. These floor coatings are easier to work with and make a great coating for many outdoor applications. We also can add grit and texture to polyaspartic to make it more slip-resistant.
Keeping VOC low is important to our technicians when working on a project. We work to protect your home in multiple ways and we treat your home like our own. Making homes more beautiful is the goal of Surface Bella. We are not one of these big box corporations and we help to give you multiple options for different floors in your home. Contact us in Greenville, SC today!
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