Q: My handyman husband is catching up on house repairs this winter and chemical-type odors from caulks and glues, etc. are bothering me. Is it in my head?
GG: No, it’ s not just in your head. Many products in hardware stores, from varnishes to stains, paints, caulking, other types of sealants, glues and adhesives contain volatile chemicals (VOCs). These can include toluene, xylene, trimethylbenzene and other solvents. These can produce a heavy chemical odor when used slowly dissipates after the product dries (e.g., paint) or hardens (e.g., glues, caulks). Also such chemicals can cause temporary effects on the brain such as headache and drowsiness and in some sensitive people may trigger an asthmatic attack.
In most cases, if the job is small and done with adequate ventilation, there will not be much exposure to the user or bystander. However, larger projects involving extensive surface area, such as painting an entire room, furniture stripping and using adhesives to glue down carpet, can result in VOC exposures that may cause the symptoms mentioned above. It is best to do these projects in the spring when you can open windows and fully air out the room being worked on.
Here are some general tips for working with such hardware store items around the home: 1) Use water-based rather than oil-based paints; 2) Don't use products intended for exterior use inside—they often contain a higher content of VOCs and you don’t need such strong products inside; 3) Read the label and use with ventilation such as an open window or exhaust fan; 4) Keep small children out of the area until all odors are gone; 5) Save larger projects for warmer weather when its easy to ventilate the house or when you can take a project to the garage and work on it outside.
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Dr. Gary Ginsberg is a public health toxicologist in Connecticut and a lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health. He has written a book geared toward the general public, “What’s Toxic, What's Not,” and also has a website, whatstoxic.com, to answer questions about chemicals found in consumer products and in our homes.
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The Yale School of Public Health invites you to submit questions for Dr. Ginsberg as part of this recurring monthly series. Contact us through Facebook or by e-mailing Michael Greenwood at michael.greenwood@yale.edu