Here’s Why Epoxy Flooring’s Noxious Fumes Are So Bad for Your Health
All types of epoxies are prone to emitting a certain odor, no matter how expensive or cheap. Of course, the expensive brands are relatively mild as compared to the budget varieties. If you are pouring a residential epoxy flooring, A strong pungent smell is indicative of the emission of noxious fumes. This smell comes from the presence of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Let us take a deeper look at epoxy and why it smells.
Why Does Epoxy Smell?
When the epoxy hardens during the curing process, it undergoes a chemical reaction. It is this chemical reaction, in particular the solvent, that is responsible for the pungent odor.
Epoxy is an epoxide, known to be extremely reactive. When this epoxy reacts with the hardening agent, the reaction emits toxic fumes, ergo the strong smell.
How Long Does the Smell Last?
The time it takes for the epoxy to stop smelling is hugely dependent on the brand you used and its VOC content. The rule of thumb states that, if the batch has been mixed properly, the epoxy will stop smelling once it has cured to a consistency strong enough to bear foot traffic. But the fact lies that epoxy never finishes curing, so even though the smell subsides after a while and the fumes become negligibly toxic, they still exist.
Typically, a decently thick epoxy concrete floor will stop smelling after a week of pouring. If you end up using a very pungent one, it might take nearly a month for the odor to fade away.
Why Are Epoxy Fumes Harmful?
The chemicals present in epoxy flooring are especially harmful if they come in contact with your skin. Even if they do not, inhaling the chemicals in mist form is still considered detrimental to one’s health. The usual symptoms of overexposure to epoxy fumes are irritation in the eyes, inflamed throat and nasal cavity, allergic breakout on the skin, and asthma. The solvent aka curing agent can also cause headaches, brain fog, dizziness, and blurry vision. The chemical mist is also responsible for irritated lungs. In some people, the action of the curing agent is so potent that it can trigger asthma attacks within minutes.
Choose Polyaspartic Polyurea Floor Coatings
Polyaspartic polyurea is a major improvement from their residential epoxy flooring contemporaries. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits is that polyaspartic coatings have nearly a nil amount of volatile organic compounds in them. If you have kids, the elderly, or pets in your house polyaspartic coatings will allow you the peace of mind of knowing that the flooring isn’t putting them in danger. In fact, what’s more, polyaspartic coatings can also be formulated to possess antimicrobial properties.
Get started today! Call Zone Garage at 405-531-4331 to know more about our products and services. We also have financing options available!