Southampton - Now that the long, languid days of summer are behind us for another year, our focus begins to turn indoors. It's time to think about all those little household chores and home improvement projects we didn't get around to when the beach beckoned. Maybe you're ready to bring a fresh infusion of color to your indoor space and repaint a room or two. Most of us take painting pretty much for granted - you go to the paint store, pick out the color you want and come home and put it on the walls. Another job done. We don't give paint a second thought. But maybe we should.

Kelly-Moore Paints offers environmental paints. Image courtesy of bestgreenhometips.com

Paints can be problematic. For kids - and grownups - with allergies and sensitivities, the paint on the walls at home, in school or at the office can trigger asthma attacks or headaches or other physical problems. Paint can also contribute to our environmental woes. If you've ever walked into a freshly painted room, you've probably noticed the fumes. It smells like, well, paint. Maybe your eyes start to burn and tear. Those fumes come from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) given off by the paint as it dries. These chemical compounds are mostly solvents added to paint to improve its viscosity and ability to adhere to surfaces.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), exposure to VOCs can cause a variety of health problems, on a short- or long-term basis. VOCs also give off greenhouse gases that eventually end up in the atmosphere. If you're insulating and weatherstripping your home to save energy, more of these gases will be trapped inside your house. In recognition of the problems these compounds can cause in indoor spaces and to the environment as a whole, over the past 10 years both federal and state governments have set limits on the amount of VOCs allowed in paints.

Oil-based paints are the worst culprits. Unfortunately, these products also offer excellent surface coverage and durability, and it can be a tough choice to give them up. But if you have health concerns, or you're worried about the environmental effects of traditional oil-based paints, there are plenty of alternatives available. You can find low-VOC, no-VOC, and all-natural paints to use in your home. You won't have to paint all your rooms white, either - there's a good range of colors available.

Even your paint brushes can be reused. Image courtesy of pointclickhome.com

A number of major paint manufacturers, and smaller companies, too, have introduced low- or no-VOC brands to the market. Some are based on old-fashioned milk-based paint formulas, and others are high-tech. Below are some brands to look for:

Low-VOC Paints
 • AFM Safecoat - Safecoat paint (afmsafecoat.com)
 • Benjamin Moore - Aura, Eco Spec (BenjaminMoore.com)
 • Cloverdale Horizon (cloverdalepaint.com)
 • Home Depot - Freshaire Choice (homedepot.com)
 • Kelly-Moore - Enviro-Cote (kellymoore.com)
 • Miller Paint Co. - AcroPure (millerpaint.com)
 • The Old-Fashioned Milk Paint Co. - 20 classic colors, all free of VOCs and harmful pollutants (milkpaint.com)
 • Sherwin-Williams—Duration Home, Harmony, ProGreen (Sherwin-Williams.com)
 • Yolo Colorhouse - several varieties (yolocolorhouse.com)

One caveat about the low-VOC paints is that they are reported to be less durable and long-wearing than traditional paints. But as with most things in life, there are trade-offs. If you want to minimize the risks posed by VOCs, whether for health concerns or environmental reasons, low-VOC paints may be the answer for you.

To find out more about the relative merits of different brands of low-VOC paints, here are two websites with helpful information. Green Seal, a non-profit environmental organization, tests products and certifies as eco-friendly products that pass their stringent testing procedures. They've tested paints, and you can find the results at their website, greenseal.org. Another place to find info on green products is treehugger.com, a consumer guide to all things green.

Oh, and another plus for the low-VOC paints? You can clean the brushes and rollers in a snap with soap and water. So pick-up your brush and give that room a whole new look this winter.