Paint. It's about the color.
It can give a room an entirely new look, from dramatic to soothing. And nothing does more to freshen a house for sale than the clean luster of newly painted walls.
But it's also about chemicals, especially the volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that give off that new paint smell and are considered hazardous to breathe and environmentally dangerous. Some VOCs used in paint are suspected or known carcinogens. Some chemicals, released as the paint dries, damage the atmosphere.
For years, homeowners seeking low- and no-VOC paints - because of allergies, product sensitivities, health fears or eco-philosophy - faced a palette of wan colors, yearned for better paint performance and expected to have to repaint faded walls frequently.
The last few years have changed that.
New air-quality regulations, and more on the way, have pushed manufacturers to curb VOC levels in paints. In addition, the environmental movement has gone mainstream, luring paint makers to reformulate their paints and expand their lines or introduce new ones. Companies that already catered to the niche market for environmentally friendly paints have also upped their paint game.
The result is that more high-quality, low- and no-VOC paints are available. They come in thousands of shades, including deep ones that didn't exist a couple of years ago - even though, generally, the deeper the color, the higher the VOC level. Major manufacturers, hardware stores, specialty paint companies and others have high-performance lines low in VOCs.
Full Story: http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/realestate/bal-re.paint03aug03,0,6461920.story
