Since global warming started giving us a tough time, the industries and authorities have recommended making things greener and eco-friendly. An eco-friendly product or service does not produce the toxic chemicals which are responsible for the rupture of the ozone layer. Since global warming has changed several things around the globe, this is high time to make green products and the most important industry to implement this is the construction companies.
Many ways can be adopted to make green building possible. The list starts from the raw material to the construction techniques. Painting is an integral part of the construction and applying an eco-efficient method for painting can contribute to an eco-friendly environment.
Eco-efficiency and sustainability are the same things, the terms mean to select a product that can stay for longer and produces less waste. There have been sustainable lights, sustainable lightning methods, and sustainable furniture and so on.
Top 8 tips to choose an eco-efficient paint
Here are ways to choose an eco-efficient paint for your home:
1. Research comes first
If you need something that is sustainable yet can look good on your walls, you need to make a lot of research about it. Getting into paints is not easy, every brand is there to promote their paints in the best possible way. Every brand claims to be greener and eco-efficient, but you have to do your homework. You need to research what type of ingredients make up for sustainable paint. You might have to study the carbon footprint and the pigments used in the paints. But in the end, all of this research is worth it if you can get sustainable paint. The energy you put into the research of the paints will be beneficial for your future generations. So, as they say: Choose wisely!
2. Damage resistant
Here comes when you think about the exterior and the interior paint. The exterior paint should be able to handle the ups and downs of the climate. The exterior paint should be damage resistant. It should be able to handle the rains and thunderstorms. Talking about the exterior paint, the paint is further subdivided into different materials. Like the paint that is durable for wood is different, the one for bricks is different, and for siding it is different. But some companies are making damage-resistant paint for the overall exterior. Well, that depends on the colour you want and the budget you have.
3. UV Resistant
A sustainable paint would be able to resist damaging UV rays. There are many UV coatings available in the market that can be coated on the paint. But some paints have this feature built-in them. The UV resistant paint is supposed to protect the exterior, especially the roofs, metal sidings, and doors from the harsh sun rays.
4. Urban heat island effect
The urban heat island effect is the one in which the urbanized areas feel higher temperature than the rural areas and this happens due to the waste heat generated due to the waste produced in those areas. Paint can be a part f the urban heat island effect. To avoid the UHI, you should choose to paint with a lighter colour. A lighter colour is supposed to increase the light reflectance thus reducing the temperature in the air.
5. Color of the paint’
As discussed earlier, the colour of the paint has a lot to do with the temperature rise in the environment. It is s better idea to choose a lighter colour as exterior paint for your house rather than choosing a darker tone. Dark paint will absorb more sunlight and will increase the energy, resulting in elevated temperatures both inside and outside the house.
6. Air-purifying paint
Thanks to advanced technology, there are paints available in the market which are supposed to clean and purify the air. They purify the air with the help of light-activated catalysts which aim at neutralizing the airborne pollutants. The air purifying paints are also responsible for regulating heat inside the brick buildings. The air purifying paint absorbs the heat and then releases this heat inside the building. This is very helpful for the winter season.
7. Volatile organic compounds
Volatile organic compounds, usually referred to as VOCs are chemical compounds that have a high vapour pressure and a low water solubility. They are a part of the recipe for the paints and are found in all of them. The green companies are finding ways to omit the VOCs from their paints. The VOCs are lightweight and they emit gases from the surface of the paint, thus elevating the heat and energy in the environment. And this is not all, these VOCs have adverse effects on health.
8. Should be washable
Yes, this is the most important thing to note down. If you are looking for paint that can go on for years without the need for redoing it, it should be washable. This will help maintain those clean walls and make a good impression every time. Since there are many things the exterior paint goes through like, dust, rain, mud, colours, and how could you forget the pen marks. It will be great to get paint that can be washed and can look clean every time.
Summary
In a nutshell, you need to be mindful of the options you have and be comparative about the qualities you need in your paint. Be specific about the qualities you need and the areas you think need the most protection. Selecting a paint is not just about colour contrast, but there are many other things you should be thinking about. Think about the sustainability of the paint and save yourself from the hassle of a paint fresh up every other year.
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