October 28, 2024
From carpeting to paint, many products used in homes today are treated with chemicals that emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs release into the air, through a process known as offgassing. California’s Consumer Products Regulatory Program is working to help reduce products that contain VOCs.
New developments in building materials and construction design have drastically improved insulation levels. While this is excellent for improved energy efficiency, it introduces new problems like offgassing, radon, carbon monoxide, and VOCs. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help reduce offgassing in your Sacramento and Bay Area home. Read on to learn about offgassing, why it’s a concern, and how to reduce or prevent offgassing sources in your home.
Offgassing, also called outgassing, describes the release of gases, chemicals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. These elements typically come from everyday household cleaning products, building materials, and other items used inside most homes and buildings today.
If you’ve ever noticed that “new” smell when you open product packaging, it comes from the airborne particulates and chemicals offgassing from the ingredients or materials in the product that were once trapped in liquid or solid form. Even things like furniture can produce VOCs. The harmful chemicals slowly turn into gases and float into the air where they’re breathed in by anyone nearby.
High levels of exposure or long-term exposure to VOCs and other airborne particulates can cause a variety of both short-term and long-lasting health problems. It is crucial to understand the health effects of offgassing and how to reduce it in your home.
The health effects of offgassing are associated with its impact on indoor air quality. Symptoms may vary depending on the source of the compound, the intensity and length of exposure. Your age and any pre-existing health conditions could also impact the type and severity of symptoms. Children and older adults are more vulnerable to the negative impacts of exposure.
Headaches from offgassing are quite common. Some other common VOC exposure symptoms include:
Irritation of the eyes, nose, and/or throat
Skin reactions like a rash or itchiness
Nausea and/or vomiting
Unexplained fatigue or feelings of tiredness
Shortness of breath
Nosebleeds
Dizziness
If you have asthma or other respiratory problems, you may notice the effects of offgassing more prominently than others. Long-term exposure to VOCs and other airborne particulates can potentially lead to memory problems and visual impairment.
The Centers for Disease Control has a comprehensive list of chemicals that are considered volatile organic compounds. In general, you can find these compounds in these common sources throughout your home.
Many household cleaning products including multi-surface cleaners, window cleaning products, air fresheners, dryer sheets, and disinfectants contain VOCs. If you’ve ever started to feel lightheaded, dizzy, or nauseous while cleaning your home, it’s likely due to using these products. When you spray them, it impacts your home’s indoor air quality. Indoor and outdoor pesticides are other common sources of offgassing.
Many building materials, including paint and paint strippers, flooring, adhesives, caulks, and sealants, can contain dangerous VOCs. Some of these products contain materials like formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia, and toluene. If you’ve had new flooring installed or you’ve recently moved into a new construction home, you might notice strong chemical smells, which are a result of offgassing.
Aside from cleaning products and building materials, a few commonly used items may produce offgassing. These include arts and crafts products like paint, permanent markers, or glue, and other items such as office equipment, printers and copiers. Other sources include dry-cleaned clothing, tobacco smoke, and gas/wood-burning fireplaces and stoves.
Here are some things you can do to proactively prevent or at least reduce offgassing in your home:
Clean the furniture and surfaces in your home often to keep dust and dirt levels down.
Wash your hands frequently, especially after handling anything that contains VOCs.
Choose hardwood furniture and floors whenever possible since they’re better for you than carpet, linoleum, or synthetic furniture.
Avoid anything made of plywood, pressed wood, or particle board.
Read labels carefully before purchasing household items, and look for nontoxic, biodegradable, fragrance-free, and phthalate-free labels. Naturally-derived, organic products are best.
Make DIY household cleaners using safe ingredients like lemon, salt, vinegar, and baking soda.
Purchase clothing and furniture made of natural fibers like wool, hemp, or cotton that don't use toxic fire retardants.
Use HEPA air filters for your home’s HVAC system and in your vacuum.
Always follow manufacturers’ waste and disposal instructions. Keep paints and other chemicals safely stored in a separate area of the home (such as a garage or shed) with good ventilation.
Whole-home ventilation should be a priority in addition to spot ventilation in bathrooms, kitchens, and hobby areas.
A heat or energy recovery ventilator hooked up to your HVAC system will provide fresh air without significant energy loss.
Talk to the experienced team at Service Champions about air scrubber filtration devices and other ways to improve ventilation and air quality, especially before you do a large remodel or improve the insulation in your home. We recommend scheduling at least two HVAC maintenance appointments each year, once in the fall and once in the spring.
From duct cleaning and sealing to whole-house fans and ventilators, we help improve the indoor air quality in your Bay Area home. Contact Service Champions today, and let us help you create a healthy, safe, and efficient indoor environment. Ask about our financing options!
The length of time that offgassing lasts depends on the type of chemicals in the product. Some items off-gas for the life of the product, while furniture can take years to off-gas and paint or solvents may take a few hours to a few days.
A strong chemical smell is a common warning sign of offgassing. However, not everything that off-gasses emits an odor. If you start to get a headache, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or if your eyes feel irritated after handling or opening a product, it’s likely due to offgassing. Contact the HVAC experts at Service Champions to help you get the best ventilation for your Bay Area or Sacramento area home.