What are VOC
The term VOC—signifying Volatile Organic Compound—sounds dangerous and alarming, and while some of them are very hazardous, many others are extremely common and essentially harmless. VOC’s are produced by many natural means, including every plant in your home and every breath you take. They are also manufactured for use in a myriad of human enterprises, from formaldehyde to “new car smell.”
In the world of paint, VOC’s are chemical compounds that are included in many paints. Most often, these solvents are designed to create proper flow and smooth spread in the paint. As the paint dries, the VOC’s evaporate and disperse into the air, creating the familiar smell of fresh paint. There is not much specific information about how harmful these chemicals are to human health and the environment, but everyone agrees that less is better. For this reason, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and most states have created standards for maximum VOC levels in paint, and here in California, our standards are the strictest in the country. Many paint companies have voluntarily gone beyond these standards, creating excellent paints with little or no VOC content.
In general, oil-based paints need the most VOC content in their solvents for them to function properly, and latex/acrylic paints will have less. In addition, the amount of tint in a traditional paint will add VOC’s, so that darker colors have more solvents. Also, glossier paints require more solvents and commonly contain a higher level of volatile organic compounds.
Many homeowners here in the San Francisco Bay area share our concern for the environment and wish to use paints that have as little environmental impact as possible. For this reason we are proud to offer our customers the option of Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams premium-quality low-VOC and no-VOC paints. These excellent products come in every color, and achieve environmental responsibility without sacrificing performance.
At MB Jessee Painting, we believe that as painting contractors we must be serious about our responsibilities. For our customers, this means that we offer an unbeatable guarantee on all of our services. And for our environment this means examining every aspect of our business to see how we can reduce our impact on the environment, including the use of low-VOC and no-VOC paints. See our Green Plan for more details about why MB Jessee is the environmentally sound choice in painting companies.
For more than 17 years MB Jessee has been providing premium painting service to satisfied customers throughout the East Bay area. From mansions to residential high-rises, our work can be seen on display in Piedmont, Oakland Hills, Berkeley, Contra Costa, Danville, Pacific Heights, Marin and Hillsborough and throughout the greater Bay Area.
