Solvents, stains, household cleaners, and paints are just a few of the items that contribute to the health problems associated with poor indoor air quality. This article doesn’t focus on the myriad of things you can do to help with air quality. Rather, it gives kudos to no-VOC paint manufactures and a brief account of my experience. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. It sounds scary…and for good reason.

Indoor air quality is one of the top leading health risks (according to the EPA).

My wife, Laura, decided it was time for a new inspiring color in her den. So we headed over to the local home store to check out paints. One brand stood out to us — The Freshaire Choice. After doing a little research on the web, it looks to be the only no-VOC paint that contains zero VOCs in both the paint and the tint. It was neat to watch the friendly home store’s paint lady mix the paint.  She emptied the corresponding no-VOC powder packet to the base paint to achieve the desired color.

How does it look on the wall? It looks great and even seemed to dry a tad faster than traditional latex paints. It is important to mention that the paint also stayed mixed throughout the entire project. And, with no headaches…literally. Here are some other advantages of purchasing this paint:

  • The paint is certified by the GEI (GREENGUARD Environmental Institute). This is a respected organization with the mission: “to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air”.
  • The paint chips are made from recycled paper and can be recycled. We brought our samples back to the store and put them back on the shelf.
  • 100% of the can is made from recycled material. The bottom of the can we have indicates #5 PP plastic (polypropylene).
  • The label is made from 75% recycled fiber and printed with Soy ink.
  • It comes with a lifetime warranty…you can’t beat that!

By the way, Laura’s color choice for her office was FA058 — Rushing Stream.