Home decorating and VOCs - what risk for AF?

[Rainfern]

We are just starting a major decorating project in the house. My inclination is to buy paints very low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but these are a great deal more expensive. Does anyone have any information on the potential of VOCs to trigger AF? I’m aware of the environmental pollution and other associatedhealth issues. Thank you in advance

[BobD Volunteer]

I always use water based paints in the house due to their low smell levels but use some pretty nasty chemicals in the workshop such as acetone and toluene for cleaning .and and celulose based spray paints (rattle cans) and never noticed any effect on my heart . Get a nasty headache sometimes.

[Rainfern in reply to BobD]

thanks Bob. I have the feeling that like all these things some people are more immune to the impact of these chemicals.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Rainfern]

Totally agree. For years in motorsport asbestos was the prime ingredient in clutches and brakes. Between practise and the race we would blow out all the dust (usually with a sandwich in one hand ) coughing as we went and clean any deposits off the discs only to light up a Marlboro to smoke. Never expected to get to 80 but here I am .

[jeanjeannie50]

What an interesting post Rainfern. I didn't know there were such things as the paints you mention, so thank you for making me aware.

Many years ago I used to belong to a natural healing group and a lady architect member who attended made us all aware of the dangers of the fumes emitted from UPVC window frames. Knowing about that I suddenly became aware of all new furniture, beds, carpets, clothing etc., and the overpowering smell of chemicals used in their making. I once had to wait many weeks before I could sleep in a new bed because of the overpowering fumes it gave off. Also there's a particular large store that when I go in I start to feel odd after a while and have to leave. I've heard others say the same thing.

Jean

[Rainfern in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I’m also very sensitive to toxic chemicals Jean. If a waitress sprays a table close by, I have to move! The trouble with VOCs is that they hang around so long, long after the paint is dry. The paint I’m looking at is by Little Greene - it’s the company used by the National Trust. But there are other companies possibly a little cheaper. It is amazing we used it for our bedroom. Beautiful colours and their intelligent Matt is completely washable and you can slap it over the woodwork as well as the walls. But for the whole of our downstairs it would cost us a small fortune!

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Rainfern]

Difficult to know what to do for the best isn't it. I'll ask at my local home decorating shop in town re the paint you recommend. I like the idea of a washable paint too.

Yes chemicals have an effect on me too. I have to wear a mask if spraying roses in the garden. When councils used to come around spraying weeds I had to keep indoors.

Now the better weather is here I guess we could paint with open windows and doors.

Jean

[Auriculaire in reply to Rainfern]

I have stopped painting and decorating and I am letting the house descend into shabbiness. We renovated our house very slowly one room per year and in all it took about 13 years with work on some parts stretching over 2 years. Now I no longer paint I feel better in winter. I am very sensitive to chemical smells too . I hate being near women who use perfume and sometimes even the smell of the washing up liquid is overpowering. I heat plates before meals and when I take them out of the oven I can smell the dishwasher stuff on them despite it's rinse cycle! Nearly all our furniture is old and I buy mainly 2nd hand cotton clothes . I try to avoid chemicals as much as possible. Still there is a silver lining - money saved!

[Buzby62]

I’ve always been allergy sensitive to breathing anything other than fresh air, I don’t have the answer but mentioned in my bio last year that I had a short episode 73 days post ablation which I put down to overdoing things decorating. I used paint with a mould inhibitor in so maybe the fumes contributed but it was a lot of bending and stretching as well.

Perhaps we should be exempted from decorating 🤞

Best wishes

[Rainfern in reply to Buzby62]

Yes I second being exempted from decorating! We are getting some help, but will be doing some of it, at least washing the walls with sugar soup. I don’t trust mould inhibitors although sometimes they seem to be essential. Our lives have been changed by having dehumidifiers so no longer have to deal with mould thank goodness!

[Afibflipper]

Good morning Rainfern, glad you sound currently very able at this point. Most of the time we paper walls, I have no issues re pastes. When glossing I’m a dulux addict. For ceilings there is artex paint which is nice & thick , used it on coving too. Keep the room well ventilated (used a pedestal fan in the doorway or by window to suck/blow outwards xx

[Rainfern in reply to Afibflipper]

Hi Flipper, thanks for the fan tip. I imagine your place looks beautiful. Good to see you here and glad the mag taurate is still working well for you.

[Afibflipper in reply to Rainfern]

Thanks Rainfern, isn’t it funny we remember certain names, usually from when we first join here. Hope your project goes well, & that you stay well xx

[Cliff_G]

Pretty hard to buy other thannwater-based paints theses days. Back in my early AF days and pre-ablation, though, the oil-based paints and varnishes we used then never caused me an issue, amongst the many triggers that did.

[Rainfern in reply to Cliff_G]

I haven’t used oil based paints for years, but I have grown more sensitive over the years to various chemicals. And having rid myself of persistent AF with an ablation, I think I’m more concerned about potential triggers than I was before!

[Afibflipper in reply to Rainfern]

If you are very susceptible to stuff check out these on Amazon not the full respirator but fit face &mouth with some filtration (see below)

VEVOX® FFP3 Dust Mask - Set of 5 - Valved Face Masks - Respirator - Protection e.g. for Construction, Sanding, Spray Painting, Cleaning, Mould, Fine Dusts or Asbestos Particles

[Cavalierrubie]

How about wearing a mask? I do at times as l am very sensitive to chemicals especially garden sprays.

[Rainfern in reply to Cavalierrubie]

I have a couple of work masks tucked away somewhere- thanks for the reminder.

[Cavalierrubie]

You could go for it in a big way and wear the matching goggles 😂😂😂. Good luck with the decorating - you have reminded me as well urgh!

[Frances123]

The last time I was actively involved in any major decorating was about 12 years and guess I had had Afib for around 6 years or so then, I don’t remember having any Afib from the paint fumes. My Afib wasn’t very frequent at that time. What I became very aware of decades before was the fumes, spores etc from wallpaper paste. It used to make my throat swell and was sore. Wearing a mask sorted it thankfully. Whether that would have triggered Afib had I not worn a mask, I don’t know.

[OzJames]

In Australia we can get Mineral based paints which are slightly more expensive. One of the paints is from Keim which i'm sure is available world wide, it is also breathable if you use on lime plaster walls and so moisture can evaporate out the paint and not stay trapped behind in the brickwork like some modern paints

[Ppiman]

I have used such paints for over a decade now and my how they have improved. In much of northern Europe, I gather, toxic VOCs have largely been removed from many domestic products.

I would choose a top brand low odour paint or varnish every time.

Steve

[Tomred]

Been a painter and decorator 50 years and have afib, connection, dont know, and started when lead was in paint, but VOCs cant be good.