House Interior being painted - any fume absorbing suggestions?

[mikeyyc]

Originally Posted by Redrover

Use a paint that is either low VOC or no VOC (volatile organic compounds). Those fumes that both you are the "off-gassing" of those compounds so just use paint that doesn't do that.

Back in the day it was called drying. It's not off-gassing, it's evaporating. The primary solvent in oil paint is mineral spirits. In latex paint it's water. Whatever the medium, it has to evaporate so that the paint is dry.

Just because a paint is latex or water based doesn't mean it's low VOC either. One thing to remember is that low VOC paints tend to be softer, as the VOC's are primarily related to hardners and quicker evaporating solvents.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by glorplaxy

Opening the windows wont kill you. It worked for all of the people who lived in Houston before ac.

Windows have been open once trim work was started but fumes are still quite overwhelming - guess due to the large amount of trim, interior doors, etc. being done. Painters were okay with working in 95 degree house, so that was good. Unfortunately, I am having reaction to those fumes, burning eyes, headaches, etc. I understand too that some people are much more sensitive to that kind of thing than others. It's a two week project so unfortunately the fumes are ongoing and not a just do it once and get it over with kind of thing.

Lesson learned though. If I had it to do over again - would do it and then go on vacation for a week or wait until fall where it is comfortable for everyone to leave windows open and no air on for 24/7.