Home Painting: Do I Need to Board My Pets While My Home Is Painted?
Your home is important to you, but so are your pets. When it’s time to update your home with a new coat of paint, you might wonder if it’s still a safe environment for your furry family members. Generally speaking, paint products have gotten safer, less toxic, and more environmentally-friendly over the years. That said, paint particles and fumes can still pose problems for your pets. So, do you need to board your pets while your home is being painted? The short answer is: it depends. Let’s go over some key considerations when making this decision.
What to Consider with Pets and House Painting
What’s Being Painted?
Paint fumes are more of a concern when they’re contained inside your home. In other words, if your Raleigh house painters are only coating your home’s exterior surfaces, your pets should be just fine hanging out inside. Of course, if you want to be extra cautious, you might decide to remove your pets from the premises anyway. After all, fumes can still make their way inside. Plus, if your pets go outside at all, there’s a chance they might inhale or lick the freshly painted exterior surfaces, which could be dangerous, too.
What Kind of Paint is Being Used?
As mentioned above, paint companies have vastly improved their products over time, making them safer for humans and pets to be around. This doesn’t mean paint fumes are completely harmless, though. Some products are safer than others. When hiring a Raleigh house painting service, ask them about the paint products they use. Paints containing fewer or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are less toxic and therefore a better option for your interior spaces. Keep in mind, though, that even zero- and low-VOC paint products can contain chemicals harmful to pets. As a general rule, if you’re having your interior painted, get your pets out of there.
What Kind of Pets Do You Have?
All pets are different, and some are at greater risk of being harmed by paint products than others. Birds, for instance, are especially sensitive to paint fumes and should be taken elsewhere during the job. Of course, both dogs and cats also have strong senses of smell, and they’re curious to boot, often seeking out new scents and getting too close for comfort. Smaller, contained animals like rodents and fish shouldn’t be ignored either. If your pets primarily live outside, though, you might not have as much of a problem. That being said, you still don’t want them coming inside during a painting project. If possible, collect your outdoor pets as well and bring them to a friend’s home, humane society, or another boarding facility until the job is done.
Think of the Mess
Keeping your pets safe is your main priority, but you also don’t want them ruining your brand new paint job. If your pets are free to roam during and after a Raleigh painting project, keep in mind that you might have a mess on your hands. Worse yet, you might need to touch up some spots that were previously perfect. Consider this just another reason to board your pets during a paint job.
How Long Should Pets Stay Away from Paint?
Even after the paint has been applied, fumes will still linger in the air for another 24-48 hours on average as it dries. You can speed up the process by opening windows and vents to air out your home (as long as the weather is right and your Anderson Painting contractors give you the go-ahead to do so). In other words, if you board your pets, factor in this additional drying time to ensure their safety and avoid any messes. This might mean they need to stay away for an extra day or two after your painters have left.
It’s not easy leaving your pets, even for a couple of days, but it’s often for the best, especially if you’re having your home’s interior painted. At Anderson Painting, we love pets, too, and we want them to return to a safe and beautiful home. If you need more advice on how to take care of your pets during and right after a painting project, call us today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
