When you get pregnant, it suddenly seems that there is an ever-growing list of doubtful dangers and hidden hazards to beware of: cold cuts, caffeine, alcohol, aspirin, fish and frisbees. (OK, so I have never seen frisbees on such a list, but I imagine they could be harmful during pregnancy!). So, with all of this caution and concern, is it safe to paint your Connecticut home while pregnant?
Exterior Painting During Pregnancy
In terms of the chemicals contained in paint, there is no trouble with exterior painting during pregnancy. The constant supply of fresh air makes it totally harmless (unless maybe you are spray painting heavy-duty paints on an industrial scale!). The main concern with exterior painting during pregnancy is ladder safety. Pregnancy can affect your balance and stability, so we would not recommend using ladders or carrying heavy paint buckets at this stage.
Interior Painting During Pregnancy
Because a home interior has less airflow than the exterior does, there is more possibility of chemicals building up in the air and becoming a hazard. Some experts warn that this makes painting a potentially dangerous activity during pregnancy. Fortunately, there are many Zero-VOC paint products available that can take all concern out of the picture.
VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) evaporate into the air when traditional paints are drying. However, Zero-VOC paints have no harmful chemicals that are released into the atmosphere. This means that, whether you are painting yourself or hiring a professional painting contractor, you don't need to be concerned about harmful paint fumes when you are pregnant. As an added bonus, these paints are also virtually odorless, meaning you can breathe easy during the whole process.
If you are a DIY painter, the same concerns about ladder safety apply with interior painting during pregnancy. Don't stretch or reach as much as you normally would, and definitely use extreme caution with ladders.
If you are hiring a professional Connecticut painting contractor to paint your home interior, be sure to ask for Zero-VOC paints to keep your family safe and healthy, especially the littlest member!
Southington Painting is a commercial and residential painting contractor serving central Connecticut. If you have any questions about interior painting, exterior painting, or even commercial painting, feel free to contact us by phone or online. Please note, however, that we're not experts on pregnancy... if you have questions about that, call your doctor!
