It can happen when you apply that new coat of paint, or when you install that new carpeting. We’re talking about volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and they come from many different products that you may add or use in your home in Fort Myers, Longboat Key, Naples, Sarasota, Siesta Key, Tampa, and the surrounding areas. It is important to get VOC testing if you think you have been exposed, or are suffering from a number of different symptoms, and the team at Building Performance Solutions can perform this important testing for you. Give us a call to get your VOC testing scheduled with us today.
Symptoms of VOC Exposure
Years ago, this wasn’t a concern for people, but volatile organic compounds were still there. And many times, you are being exposed to them without even knowing it, and then you start to develop some of the below symptoms and aren’t sure why. VOCs could be the reason, which is why it is important to have us come to do VOC testing in your home.
You may have one or several different symptoms that come from VOC exposure such as:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Allergic skin reactions
- Nose and throat discomfort
- and many others
Where Do VOCs Come From?
VOCs can come from a variety of sources, usually from the manufacture of products. There are a number of more common VOCs that may be present in our daily lives including: benzene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, methylene chloride, xylene, toluene, and several others. Some of the products that you will get VOCs from include paint, varnishes, adhesives, carpeting, cosmetics, fuel oil, upholstery, and even activities such as cooking, smoking, burning wood, and more. It is hard to escape coming into contact with VOCs, so if you suspect you may have high concentrations of VOCs, call us in for VOC testing.
How To Reduce VOC Levels
Fortunately, once you know that you have unacceptable levels of VOCs in your home or business, there are simple things that you can do to help minimize the exposure to them. There are more and more products that have low-VOC equivalents, such as paints, solvents, and other products. You should try to only purchase as much of a VOC-containing product as you need, and the rest should be stored away in a garage or shed. Also try to keep your temperature and humidity as low as possible, as higher temps and humidity will increase the off-gassing of VOCs. Finally, you can increase the ventilation in your home, especially when you are using these products or have new items that you purchased in your home.
While we can’t get away from all VOCs in life, we can do several things to minimize our exposure in Fort Myers, Longboat Key, Naples, Sarasota, Siesta Key, Tampa, and the surrounding areas. You can also call in the experts from Building Performance Solutions to perform VOC testing and learn where your exposure levels are. Make the call today to learn more.
