School’s out for summer! Are you? If you have time off this summer, now may be the perfect time to spruce up a room (or two!) in your house with a new coat of paint. Here are three tips to help you add color to your house and not our watersheds:
- Choose Non-Toxic: There are many non-toxic paints that you can find at your local hardware store. Look for the term “Non-VOC” or “Low-VOC.” VOC’s are volatile organic compounds that can lead to headaches, allergies, and eye irritation. Prolonged exposure may lead to more serious health risks. Best of all, since most of these paints are water based, the possibility for water contamination is reduced.
- Buy Only What You Need: If you are unsure of how much paint you will need, ask the paint expert at your local store for recommendations. There are paint calculators you can find online that allow you to input details like height, width, number of doors and windows to determine the proper amount. Buying “just enough” helps to reduce waste and will have your wallet thanking you, too.
- Recycle Cans and Paint: If you end up with just a little extra paint at the end of the project, store in a cool dry place for future touch ups. If you decide to discard, remember to let any paint residue fully dry out in the cans and then take to a Household Hazardous Waste collection facility for free disposal.
