Interested?  Let's Chat!

928-288-4194

What are VOCs and How Can They Affect My Health?

Feb 10, 2023 | Healthy Homes

We all know about the danger of breathing in car fumes, using strong adhesives and paints in enclosed spaces, and the risks of smoking. All of these things are known as VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. While we may know that breathing these things in directly can be acutely harmful, we often don’t understand what prolonged exposure can do. Read on to find out how VOCs can affect your health and how to reduce your risk of being affected.

What are VOCs?

Volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs, are compounds with low solubility and high vapor pressure. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used in the production of refrigerants, paints, and pharmaceuticals.

VOCs are found in the air, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, continuously reproducing as they’re stored or transported. Some of the most commonly known VOCs include formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene.

Here are some common sources of VOCs:

  • Dry-cleaned clothing
  • Diesel and gasoline emissions
  • Building materials such as adhesives, carpet, caulk, flooring, sealants, paint, and paint strippers
  • Pressed wood products, varnishes, and finishes
  • Air fresheners, cosmetics, cleaners, deodorants, disinfectants, and pesticides
  • Tobacco smoke
  • Wood burning stoves
  • Office copiers and printers

How do VOCs affect my health?

Inhaling VOCs irritates the eyes, nose, and throat, which can be dangerous to those with respiratory issues like asthma or COPD. It can cause nausea, headaches, difficulty breathing, and eventual damage to the organs and central nervous system. In cases of prolonged exposure, VOCs can contribute to the development of cancer.

(You can read more about the risks involved in each specific VOC in the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Toxic Substances Portal.)

How can I protect myself against VOCs?

Protecting yourself against VOCs is all about being aware of them in the first place, and then taking measures to reduce your exposure to them. It’s not possible to avoid exposure to them completely, but with the right knowledge, you can minimize how often you breathe them in. Here are some ways to reduce your exposure to VOCs:

  • If you use paint or building supplies, look out for products with “Low VOC” on the label. If hiring contractors, ask them to seek out low or no-VOC products to use on your home.
  • If using a product with VOCs is unavoidable, use them in well-ventilated areas. Open windows and doors, and turn on extractor fans and air conditioners.
  • If you’re installing new carpets or other building products, let them air outside to release VOCs before installation.
  • Do not store products with VOCs indoors or in any rooms that are connected to the building you’re working in.

Giving up smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke, and getting out of built-up areas regularly are also good ways to reduce your exposure.

Mandalay Homes Against VOCs

At Mandalay Homes, we know the importance of your physical health. We also know about the significant presence of VOCs, even indoors, especially in new construction homes. That’s why we’re committed to using only low/no-VOC materials and products in our homes. We’ve been the proud annual recipient of the EPA INDOOR AIRPLUS™ LEADER AWARD since 2015.

Every Mandalay home features a fresh air exchange and filtration system called an Energy Exchange Ventilator or ERV. This ventilator runs constantly, so the stale air is circulated from inside your home and replaced with fresh, filtered air from the outside.

To learn more about Mandalay’s healthy homes, click here.

Read More New Home Articles

Mandalay Homes and Water Conservation: Buying a New Home in Arizona When Water’s at a Premium

If you’re looking to buy a new home in Arizona, you may have heard that local community members believe developers have difficulties supplying water to their developments. State law requires all developers in many parts of Arizona to prove that their homes will have a...

Why You Should Buy New: A New Home vs A Used Home

Looking for a new home is always daunting, especially if you aren’t sure whether you should buy a new home or a used home. Unless you’re looking for a home in an area where there are no new build homes or you’re someone who wants a home with history and quirks, this...

Mandalay Homes Meet New Zero Energy Ready Home Requirements

Since 2012, we’ve been building homes with outstanding energy efficiency, and we’ve won a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Housing Innovation Award every year since. In 2013, the DOE introduced its Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program which set the bar for the...

Why You Should Consider Buying an Inventory Home

Looking to buy a new home? Whether this is your first home purchase or your sixth, you’ll know that the number of decisions you need to make is overwhelming. If you decide to buy a brand new home, the number of decisions you need to make goes up by a factor of 10....

7 Reasons We Love Living in Prescott Valley

Thinking of moving to Prescott Valley? Our Jasper community is located at the base of Glassford Hill, and so it’s no surprise that we’ve fallen in love with the area! From the endless views of mountains and desert vistas to the great amenities in the area, there’s...

Your Quick-Start Guide to Buying a New Construction Home

Buying a new home is always an exciting time, but it can also be notoriously stressful. While some stress is usually unavoidable in the process of moving home, our guide below will help you start your journey on the right foot. Why buy a new construction home? There...

3 More Reasons We Love Living in Mountain Gate, Clarkdale AZ

Thinking of moving to Clarkdale? You’re not alone, this small town is getting a lot of attention from people looking for a quiet but friendly small town they can call home. Small towns like Clarkdale are hard to find.  We wrote about 7 reasons you’ll fall in love with...

7 Reasons You’ll Fall in Love with Clarkdale

We all know the feeling of visiting a town or city and feeling like something about it just doesn’t sit right with you - it’s too busy, too noisy, or there’s too much trash on the sidewalk. While no town or city is perfect for everyone, we can certainly say that the...

Housing Innovation Award: Building Sustainable Homes in AZ

When our founder, Dave Everson, was first asked to build energy-efficient homes back in 2012 by the City of Phoenix, he was skeptical. That skepticism quickly turned into a fascination with what innovation could be achieved in the area of energy efficiency. Since,...

Mandalay Homes Earns 2018 Energy Star Partner of the Year

Mandalay Homes Receives Energy Star Partner of the Year for the 2nd Year in a row. Prescott, Arizona - Mandalay Homes is proud to announce that it received the 2018 ENERGY STAR ® Partner of the Year Award for its outstanding efforts in building homes with sustainable...
Add iON PLUS Solar Package for $2,500
Upgrade to iON PLUS Solar and HERS 25 significantly lowering your energy bills. You own the solar system and qualify for the tax rebate. Contact one of our experienced sales representatives for details. Offer ends Sept 30.
*Promotion valid only in connection with new home purchase agreements on or before Sept 30, 2020 and may not be available on inventory homes for sale. Mandalay reserves the right to cancel or change this promotion at any time, without prior notice or obligation. Promotion cannot be combined with any other promotion or incentive without Mandalay's approval.
Upgrade to iON ZERO for $2,500
Upgrade to iON ZERO and HERS 0 significantly lowering your energy bills. You own the solar system and qualify for the tax rebate. Contact one of our experienced sales representatives for details. Offer ends Sept 30.
*Promotion valid only in connection with new home purchase agreements on or before Sept 30, 2020 and may not be available on inventory homes for sale. Mandalay reserves the right to cancel or change this promotion at any time, without prior notice or obligation. Promotion cannot be combined with any other promotion or incentive without Mandalay's approval.
Upgrade To the Next Level of iON for $2,500
Upgrade new 600 & 700 series homes to iON ZERO and HERS0 or upgrade 500 series homes to iON PLUS (HER25) significantly lowering your energy bills for just $2,500. You own the solar system and qualify for the tax rebate. Contact one of our experienced sales representatives for details. Offer ends Sept 30.
*Promotion valid only in connection with new home purchase agreements on or before Sept 30, 2020 and may not be available on inventory homes for sale. Mandalay reserves the right to cancel or change this promotion at any time, without prior notice or obligation. Promotion cannot be combined with any other promotion or incentive without Mandalay's approval.
GET $7500 TOWARDS iON PLUS OR DESIGN STUDIO UPGRADES!
Sign a contract today and get $7500 towards the iON PLUS Energy Storage upgrade OR the your Design Studio selections.
*Promotion valid only in connection with new home purchase agreements on or after April 16, 2020, or until further notice, at select communities. Promotion is provided in the form of a credit towards the purchase price of either the iON PLUS upgrade or Design Studio selection upgrades. Mandalay reserves the right to cancel or change this promotion at any time, without prior notice or obligation. Promotion cannot be combined with any other promotion or incentive without Mandalay's approval.
This home is eligible for energy tax rebates.

Installation of renewable energy and energy storage is eligible for state and/or federal tax rebates. Availability and rebate amounts are subject to change. Learn more about state and federal tax rebates in your area visit WWW.DSIREUSA.ORG

Home Start & Delivery
While we cannot guarantee the exact your new Mandalay home will be completed* our improved build processes let us get pretty close. Ask your sales rep for details.
*Start and delivery dates represented here are estimated based on current cycle times. They are estimates only and do not account for weekends or holidays. These estimate may be adjusted at any time prior to contract. Actual start and delivery may be affected by conditions, including but not limited to, weather, customer change orders, industry trends, material availability, and product availability.
More Information
Virtual Appointments Available.
[gravityform id="21" title="false" description="false" ajax="true"]
Schedule an Appointment
[wpv-post-body view_template="element-by-appointment-byline"]
[gravityform id="32" title="false" description="false" ajax="false"]
More Information
[gravityform id="22" title="false" description="false" ajax="true"]
More Information
Sales Offices Are Closed Today, Virtual Appointments Available.
Request a brochure
[gravityform id="1" title="false" description="false" ajax="false"]