Indoor Air Quality

Many chemicals and materials used in products today can have a significant negative effect on your health, and you may not even realize they are in the air around you.  The first step in our mission is to help you understand the terminology used to describe some of these products and the risks that they present.

All of the surfaces in your home are contributing to the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) found in your home.  Indoor air quality is the air quality within and around homes, buildings and structures. IAQ is known to affect the health, comfort and well-being of people spending time in those spaces. Poor indoor air quality is known to cause or contribute to illnesses and has also been linked to Sick Building Syndrome.

VOC’s

Off Gassing

SDS Sheets

VOC’S - Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals that readily evaporate at room temperature, entering the surrounding air.  Some VOC’s are benzene, acetone and formaldehyde.  Harmful VOC’s have been proven to have long-term health effects and are present in many building products.

Off gassing occurs when VOC’s present in various materials vapourize from solid or liquid form into the surrounding air.  The smell in a newly painted room is a result of VOC’s present in the paint that have off gassed into the air.

Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are summary documents that provide information about the hazards of a product and advice about safety precautions. SDSs are usually written by the manufacturer or supplier of the product.

SDSs provide more detailed hazard information about the product than the label. They are an important resource for workplaces and workers to help you learn more about the product(s) used. Use this information to identify the hazards of the products you use and to protect yourself from those hazards, including safe handling and emergency measures.

SDSs tell users what the hazards of the product are, how to use the product safely, what to expect if the recommendations are not followed, how to recognize symptoms of exposure, and what to do if emergencies occur.

Adhesives

Paints, Lacquers, Stains

Surfaces

ADHESIVES - A substance, such as paste or cement, that causes two surfaces to stick together. Adhesives are made of gelatin or other substances, such as epoxy, resin, or polyethylene. Safer alternatives are available that are no VOC, and less toxic.

SOLVENT BASED ADHESIVES - solvent-based adhesives are a mixture of ingredients (typically polymers) dissolved in a solvent. As the solvent evaporates, the adhesive hardens. Depending on the chemical composition of the adhesive, they will adhere to different materials to greater or lesser degrees.

SOLVENT BASED PAINTS, LACQUERS, & STAINS - Solvent-based paints are made up of liquefying agents that are meant to evaporate via a chemical reaction with oxygen. Typically, moving air surrounding a solvent-based coating will help to speed up the reaction, reducing drying times.

SURFACES - Proper selection of the materials for the surfaces in your home (i.e. flooring, drywall, millwork, etc.) can reduce and even eliminate the contaminants released into your indoor air.