What Are VOCs? A Quick Guide

Have you ever wondered why the smell of fresh paint stays in the air for a long period of time or why some products for cleaning have such a strong scent? The answer is the same for both questions; it is because of volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs for short. Now, you must be thinking, what are volatile organic compounds? It is a kind of chemical that is used for making these everyday items that are used in your home.

These chemicals can easily evaporate at room temperature and turn into gas. Even though VOCs are found in many different kinds of products that are used every day in homes, offices, and plenty of other spaces. There are some VOCs that are extremely harmful to the health of both humans and animals. So, it is important to understand how these VOCs impact the environment and the health of you and your loved ones.

In this blog, you will gain all the valuable information about volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. You will learn about the common sources of VOCs from both indoor sources and outdoor sources. The information you will get will help you to better understand the health risks of VOCs. Their short-term effects and long-term risks to your health. How these VOCs affect the environment, some simple and effective steps for minimizing VOC exposure, the role of air filters in reducing VOCs, and lastly how you can choose the right air filter for removing VOCs for your indoor air.

Common Sources Of VOCs

There are plenty of different sources from where your Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) get emitted. VOCs are released from both indoor and outdoor sources. The presence of VOCs can lower indoor air quality and can increase environmental pollution. So, it is important that a person should be fully aware of these things and how they are impacting their health.

Indoor Sources

A person spends most of their time in indoor spaces like homes and offices. It is important that they should know about the things that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There is a large list of products like building materials such as paint, caulk, adhesives, carpet, and wood products. Other than these, VOCs are also present in home products and personal care products like cleaning equipment, pesticides, deodorants, cosmetics, room air fresheners, gasoline, and fuel oils. Some activities like smoking cigarettes or cigars, dry cleaning cloths, and burning wood in stoves. All of these are sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Outdoor Sources

Even though the levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors are much higher than outdoors. Outdoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also pretty harmful to human health. Some of the major sources are when vehicles burn gasoline, burning wood outdoors, and diesel emissions. There are many other kinds of industrial activities, such as the manufacturing of products and processing the chemicals that play a big role in outdoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These VOCs can get mixed with other kinds of outdoor air pollution that can make the air quality even worse.

Understanding The Health Risks Of VOCs

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be quite risky for human health. It affects a person's health in many different ways. The longer the person is in contact with VOCs, the more harm it will do to that person. These volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can easily be inhaled and can enter a person’s body and their bloodstream. This will eventually lead to various health-related problems. Even though some effects are short-term, however, there are also long-term risks.

Short-Term Effects

Short-term exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This can make you feel discomfort, especially when you are in a space where there is poor ventilation. Some of the most common symptoms include dizziness, headaches, and irritation in the eyes. It is especially dangerous for people who constantly suffer from the problem of respiratory conditions. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) make the symptoms much worse.

Long-Term Risks

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) also have many long-term risks that include several dangerous diseases. When a person is inhaling VOCs for a long period of time, then it can increase the risk of respiratory health problems of that individual. It can also cause damage to organs, like the liver and kidneys. Some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are so harmful that they can increase the risk of deadly diseases like cancer.

How VOCs Affect The Environment

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are not just harmful to human health but can also affect the environment. When the VOC gets mixed with other gases and exposed to sunlight, then it creates smog. This causes pollution, reduces the air quality, and makes it harder for people to breathe. It will also affect animals by causing irritation on their skin, damaging their organs, and causing neurological issues. VOCs also play an important role in climate change problems. It releases methane and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which helps trap the heat. Because of this, the world is facing a global temperature problem.

The extreme heat is causing the melting of glaciers and ice, which is eventually resulting in the rising of sea levels. The carbon dioxide gets dissolved into the ocean, which makes it quite acidic and causes massive harm to marine life. Other than these, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also causing damage to plants. It affects its growth and lowers its ability to produce seeds. So, it is important that we take the necessary actions to keep the air clean and protect the ecosystem of our planet.

Simple Steps To Minimize VOC Exposure

It is important to minimize the VOC exposure. VOC can be easily found in many kinds of everyday products. It becomes quite hard for a person to limit the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) so that they can have clean indoor air quality in their house or office. However, you can reduce VOC by making some small changes in your daily routine. Below you will see simple steps that you can follow to minimize VOC exposure.

Step 1: Improve Ventilation

To keep your air fresh inside your home or office. It is important that you have proper ventilation in your space. You need to make sure that you keep the windows open. This will allow air circulation and let fresh air enter your space. You can also use exhaust fans in places like the bathroom and kitchen to remove harmful VOCs and bad odors. By improving ventilation, you will be able to prevent the buildup of VOCs and enhance the indoor air quality.

Step 2: Use Low-VOC Or VOC-Free Products

There are many companies that are manufacturing their products to have a low level of VOC or be free of VOC. You can choose paints, cleaning supplies, and adhesives that are labeled to have a low level of VOC. When you choose to use everyday products with low VOC, then it helps in releasing fewer harmful chemicals in the air. This step will help you to create a much healthier environment.

Step 3: Test Indoor Air Quality Regularly

One of the most important steps is to test your indoor air quality on a regular basis. There are a wide variety of air quality test kits available in the market along with online options for you to use and check the indoor air quality of your home, office, or any other space. If you are not sure how to use the air quality testing kit, then you can also choose to hire a certified professional to test the air.

Step 4: Avoid Aerosol Sprays And Harsh Chemicals

VOCs are also present in many kinds of air fresheners, hairsprays, and disinfectants. So, the next step that you can take to minimize overall exposure to VOC is to avoid using aerosol sprays and harsh chemical cleaners in your home or office. These chemicals can release VOCs that can stay in your indoor air for a long time. It will reduce the indoor air quality and can also increase the risk of having health issues.

Step 5: Switch To Natural Cleaning Alternatives

The last thing that you can do is to switch to a better and more natural cleaning alternative. Instead of using the harsh chemical cleaner from the stores, you can use natural things like vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. This will not only help you in cleaning by removing tough stains but can also help in eliminating bad odors and disinfecting the surfaces safely. It will also help in reducing indoor air pollution and will protect your health.

The Role Of Air Filters In Reducing VOCs

Air filters play an important role in reducing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from your spaces and improving the indoor air quality. You can use a regular air filter that will help in trapping the smaller particles of VOCs. It prevents them from spreading in the air. You can use high-quality air filters as they are designed to eliminate odors and make the air fresher and cleaner for you to breathe safely. Air filters also help in absorbing gases and fumes from furniture, cleaning products, paints, and other things. This amazing quality helps to keep you safe and comfortable for everyone.

Choosing The Right Air Filter For VOC Removal

It is important that you choose the right air filter for your VOC removal. However, since there are so many different types of air filters in the market. It becomes quite difficult to pick the right one for removing harmful gases. So, it is vital that you look for the features that specifically target VOC reduction.

• Use Carbon Air Filters: Carbon air filters are considered as one the best air filter for removing VOCs. these filters are quite effective in absorbing harmful gases and odors. This makes your indoor air cleaner and safe for you to breathe.

• Combine HEPA And Carbon Filters: You can also combine HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters with carbon filters. It will help in trapping dust, pollen, and other kinds of tiny particles. Both of these provide you with better air purification.

• Check Filter Size And Thickness: It is extremely important that you always make sure to check the size and thickness of the air filter before making the purchase. If your air filter is too short or too big for your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) then it will allow outside pollutants to enter your space.

• Replace Air Filters Regularly: One of the most important factors that you need to do is to make a schedule for replacing your air filter regularly. It is highly recommended that you never ignore replacing your air filter otherwise it will reduce their effectiveness and will provide you with the best results.

Conclusion

Here, you have gained complete knowledge about what are VOCs, and their common indoor and outdoor sources. You also had a better understanding of the short-term effects and long-term health risks of VOCs. You discovered how VOCs affect the environment and the simple steps that you can take to minimize VOC exposure. Lastly, you learned about the role of air filters in reducing VOCs and how you can choose the right air filter for removing VOCs. All of this information will help you to keep yourself and the people around you safe.

We at Custom Filters Direct provide you with the best and highest-quality air filters. These air filters are specifically designed to improve the indoor air quality and protect your HVAC system. We have a massive variety of air filters so that you will be able to choose the air filter that will be the best suited for your needs and desires. If you have any questions then you can connect with us by sending us an email at info@customfiltersdirect.com or giving us a call at 877-958-5612. Trust us to help you breathe clean and healthy air.

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