After painting and subsequent fumes, which would be better in terms of sleeping tonight?

At this time of year I would close the door on the fumey part of the house, and open the windows. The pollen is low at this time of year.

What kind of paint did you use? (To see how bad the fumes will be)

hi @Adirondackwannabe enamel :)

@partyparty not sure if it’s pollen season in S.A. ?

I would sleep with the windows open.

I’m with lucy, go for the most ventilation you can.

I say a hotel room paid for by the painters! With room service included.

@tedibear39 I wish! loll

Windows open, fumey room door closed.

@janbb thank you :)

I would suggest maximum open air ventilation or spending the night in a motel. I would have all of the windows open, fans blowing out, and the fumey part of the house shut off by doors.

I developed an intolerance for chemicals after having my lungs damaged by one. If it was me, the house would have to be ventilated to the point where I was unaffected or I would have no choice but to stay at a motel.

Tent in the yard, the fumes likely will aggravate your asthma..

you can also get an air purifier. they work amazingly well (i’ve had them) and you can get a good one for 50$ or so on craigslist. they’re great to have anyway, really.

that aside, be sure not to make a wind tunnel. if there’s an entrance for wind (like a window is open in the room with the fumes) and an exit (window open in your bedroom) it will actually push all the fumes into your room.

also, try wedging a towel into the bottom of the door crack. it’ll make your bedroom more air-tight.

Either way have your inhaler close by. Most of the offending monomers should be gone once the paint is dry but I have seen people react for days after.

It depends on the layout of the house, and the direction of the wind. If the fumy room has windows, it would be best to open those, and position a fan in the open doorway blowing in to the fumy room to act as a kind of exhaust fan…unless the wind comes in from the fumy room direction, in which case the fan would be useless in that position.

In the long run, it is a bad idea to keep the fumy room closed up because the fumes will not be able to escape quickly – they will just slowly leak out under the door or through cracks in the building envelope. Ideally, you’d be able to open the whole place up, and let cross ventilation remove the fumes relatively quickly.

Another thing you could do is open all the windows in the fumy room (assuming it has them), close the door, and stuff a rag at the base of the door to block the empty space. This would allow you to ventilate the room while minimizing leakage back to your bed. You’d be surprised how much air can pass through the door undercut.

An air purifier is not worth the extra money for a one time event like this.

Idk what kind of paint enamel is. Water based paint has less fumes than oil based paint. When you buy paint next time, check the VOC content. The lowest VOC content will smell the least. If I ever have my own place, I’d like to try this Milk Paint.

@redrin ‘s suggestion is a good one. I have an air purifier and it is a good plan. However, do your research and get a good one. I paid $500 for mine but maybe you can get a good one on craigslist.

Open all windows. The chemicals will be inside your house recirculating until they somehow escape. People argue about how bad… but the fumes are somewhat bad for your brain.

Get a good night’s sleep in a modest motel and when you return during the day, ventilate the whole house with exhaust fans in the window of the fume filled room(s).

@Dr_Lawrence: I would open the windows instead. There is a Bedbug EPIDEMIC. If you bring them home treating them is very expensive. Until this is resolved I would reserve hotels for when it is your only reasonable option such as traveling.

Fans do not need to be put into the window frame to facilitate exhaust.

I’ve stayed in hostels and motels everywhere, and have never seen bedbugs or other infestations on the epidemic level….or on any level really. That’d be bad for business.

$500 for an air purifier for a one-time event like this? Even if it were $50 I would call it wasteful and unnecessary.

Motel room or tent, for me, a night in our van with the seats down.

If you don’t like how it smells, open a window.

I would personally open the window and crank the A/C!

@everyone thanks so much. I slept with the front door open (but secure with gate) the fumy door closed the air con on and the windows open !! I survived. I will think on buying air-purifiers I will also think of low VOC paints. I always think being in Africa we don’t have those things but I am finding out most of the suggestions we do. thanks again.

@Just_Justine No the pollen will be very low, so your asthma should be OK with the windows open.