[Greenbuilding] Sealing in VOC's

[Irina Golfman]

Steve,

I do not sell Safecoat paints and am not connected to AFM in any way. 
I do have chemical sensitivities and have used AFM products 
throughout my house. I am told that AFM transitional primer, if used 
according to the manufacturer's instructions (apply then wait for at 
least 8 hours before painting) seals in most of the VOCs. If this 
were my house I would bake it out for 3 days than re-prime with AFM 
transitional primer, than paint. Watch out for most low VOC paints. 
As Andrew already pointed out they can still be very harmful for a 
chemically sensitive person. I just discovered Clay Paint made by 
Green Planet Paints www.greenplanetpaints.com that looks healthier to 
me than the Safecoat paints. Haven't tried it yet and would be 
interested to hear if others have.

Good luck,
Irina

At 01:59 PM 8/13/2007, Steve Hussey wrote:
>I work for a Conservation District and one of my jobs is to advise
>people on greenbuilding. I have been asked this question:
>
>The client has a wife who is very chemically sensitive and is
>building a new green home. The builder specified, on my
>recommendation, that low VOC paints and finishes be used throughout.
>The painters came in and primed all the drywall walls with Rodda Varr
>primer that is high VOC (106 gm/litre. They claimed that people only
>specify low VOC paints to be 'green' and that using a regular primer
>is fine. Sigh.
>
>The client has asked the question as to whether the VOCs can be
>sealed in before painting with the low VOC paint, or whether there
>are any other options. My gut instinct is: Sealing in the VOCs will
>reduce off gassing but make it take much longer.
>
>Maybe he should heat and ventilate the house for a set period prior
>to occupancy to off gas as much as possible? They do have a whole
>house HRV to ventilate year round.
>
>Maybe they should rip the drywall out of the bedroom at least and use
>fresh drywall and a low VOC primer. I doubt they can afford to rip
>all the drywall out.
>
>Any thoughts? Any way to measure VOC offgassing in the finished
>building?
>
>Steve Hussey
>Natural Resources Planner
>
>
>
>
>
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