Asthma and Allergies Part 2 VOC’s Fact Sheet
What are VOC’s?
VOC’s are volatile organic compounds. VOC’s have been known to cause cancer, liver damage,
kidney damage, or nervous system damage.
Where are VOC’s found?
These compounds can be found in many common household products such as carpet, cleaning
supplies, paint, air fresheners, cosmetics, space heaters, and vehicle exhaust.
What are signs and symptoms of too much exposure?
 Frequent headaches or nausea
 Eye, nose, or throat irritation
 Skin reactions
 Difficulty breathing
 Vomiting
 Nose bleeds
 Dizziness
How to reduce exposure
Install new carpet only when necessary, use tack strips instead of
adhesives when installing new carpet, use water filters on faucets, do
not dry clean clothes unless absolutely necessary, make sure house is
vented properly, keep humidity in the house low, and perform
renovations in the summer or when nobody is home
What is a bake out?
 Heat the house to a temperature around 100 F, then open all the windows , repeating
the process for two or three days
 You should not go back into the house for at least a week.