Many Massachusetts homeowners want to know— can you sleep in a freshly painted room safely? You probably already know that if you take a deep breath over a can of paint, you're likely to feel headachy or dizzy. But can those paint fumes be more harmful than simply giving you a headache?
It's wise to be cautious around fresh paint that is full of VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds. A VOC is a gas that various products or processes emit into the air. They're both dangerous on their own and when they mix with other pollutants to form new gasses.
So no, you don't want to sleep in a freshly painted room unless you've used low- or zero-VOC paint products. It takes time for VOC paint fumes to dissipate.
The Type of Paint Makes The Difference
First, you can choose a safer alternative like low VOC, zero VOC, or oil-based paint. If you use a low VOC paint you can sleep in the room the same day it's painted as long as the paint has dried. The paint smell will likely linger, so be careful if you're sensitive to smells.
If you really need to sleep in the painted room on the same day, make sure you let your painters know this information so they can make the needed adjustments. For example, Benjamin Moore makes a great quality zero VOC paint, called Eco Spec. Sherwin Williams makes a similar product called EcoSelect. If you communicate these needs to the ProTEK Painters team, we can be sure to select these paints for you.
The only downside about low VOC or zero VOC paints is that these paints are considered to be "premium," which means that your paint job will be a little more expensive.
How Long After Painting Can I Sleep In A Room?
Even if you choose a zero VOC paint, we'd recommend allowing the paint to dry before you sleep in any room. This not only helps protect you from fumes, but protects your paint job from smudges and handprints as well.
Water-based paints take roughly four hours to dry. Oil-based paints take roughly 24 hours to dry, and require ventilation to dry safely. An oil-based paint is generally going to be a higher-VOC option.
Sleeping in a room after the low VOC paint is dry is a good guideline for healthy adults who don't have any respiratory problems. However, if the person who is sleeping in the room is a child, an elderly person, or a person with any breathing disorders whatsoever, then we recommend waiting two or three days before allowing anyone to sleep in the room.
What Are The Harmful Effects of Breathing Paint Fumes While Sleeping?
Breathing paint fumes in your sleep can lead to severe respiratory problems, including asthma attacks, breathing difficulties, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Breathing in these fumes may also lead to headaches, a loss of coordination, and nausea. In addition, VOCs are also known to damage the liver, kidney, and central nervous system.
You can be aware of these symptoms and take action against them while you're awake, but when you're asleep, you'll tend to be unaware of them, and so remain exposed for far longer. This can lead to long-term complications, even death in rare cases.
Effects of Paint Fumes on Children, Pets, and the Elderly
Paint fumes will impact children, pets, and the elderly far faster, and these groups may suffer longer. They're also at the highest risk for death after sleeping in a freshly painted room.
It's a good idea to let a room dry out for two to three days if a child or an elderly person is expected to sleep there.
A Safe Interior Paint Job
When you choose ProTEK Painters, you're choosing an environmentally-friendly house painting company who will work with you to ensure that your interior paint job is as safe as possible. We'll help you choose the paint options that best meet your goals and project time table.
If you live in Newton, MA or anywhere else in our service area, contact us to schedule an estimate today.
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