The smell of new materials fades on its own, but sometimes far too slowly. Ozone treatment speeds that up — if it is used at the right moment.
After renovation there are several sources of smell in a room at the same time, and each has a different solution:
| Source | How long it off-gasses | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Water-based paint | Days | Airing |
| Alkyd paint, varnish | Weeks | Airing, then ozone treatment |
| Adhesives, sealants | Weeks | Airing, then ozone treatment |
| New furniture (chipboard) | Weeks to months | Airing; ozone treatment helps |
| Construction dust | Does not off-gas | Physical removal |
| New linoleum, carpet | Weeks | Airing, ozone treatment |
Paints and varnishes do not cure because “the water dries out”, but because two processes take place: the solvent evaporates and a film forms. With water-based paints the first stage is quick. With alkyd paints and varnishes the film forms by reaction with oxygen in the air, and that process continues for weeks — throughout which volatile compounds are released from the surface.
With chipboard and new furniture the mechanism is different: there it is adhesive components off-gassing from inside the material. That happens much more slowly, because the compounds first have to travel from the depth of the board to the surface. That is exactly why the smell of a new wardrobe can last for months while paint smell disappears in weeks.
The key distinction, which determines everything else, is between off-gassing smells and deposit smells.
Construction dust is a separate and underrated problem. It is fine, settles everywhere — on the tops of wardrobes, in radiator fins, on ventilation grilles, behind door architraves — and lifts again every time the air in the room moves. Gypsum and cement dust smell little in themselves, but they carry paint and adhesive residue on them, and that smells for a long time.
One more practical factor people miss: off-gassing depends heavily on temperature. If the work was finished in winter and the flat is cool, off-gassing is slow and the smell seems milder — but the compounds stay in the material. When the heating is turned up fully or spring arrives, the smell comes back. So warmth is your ally here: a heated, well-aired room clears itself of off-gassing far faster than a cold one.
Ozone treatment does not stop off-gassing. It only removes what has already been given off.
This is the only decision on this page that really matters. Ozone treatment removes what is already in the air and on surfaces — but it cannot stop off-gassing that will continue from deep inside a material.
In practice that means: if paint has not fully cured, ozone treatment will give a result for a few days and then the smell will come back. So the order is as follows:
If you are not sure when that point is, tell us what work was done and when — it can usually be judged from the description alone. A simple self-test: close the room for six hours and then walk in from outside. If the smell has built back up almost as strongly, off-gassing is still going on and it is too early to ozone-treat.
There are also cases where we say ozone treatment is not needed at all. If only water-based paints were used and two weeks have passed since the work finished, with airing, the smell will go on its own and there is no point paying for treatment. We say so over the phone or from your description, not at the end of a call-out.
No exact deadline can be given, because it depends on the combination of materials, the room temperature and how intensively it is aired. But the order of magnitude can: water-based paints — days, alkyd paints and varnishes — weeks, new chipboard furniture — weeks to months.
Three things shorten that time more than anything else.
In Latvian conditions a renovation finished in October is often more troublesome than the same work in May: outdoor temperatures no longer allow long airing, and people move back in sooner. That is exactly the season when ozone treatment after renovation is ordered most.
We establish what materials were used and how long ago the work was finished.
If there is construction dust in the room, it has to come out before ozone treatment.
We treat the surfaces the dust has settled on.
We treat the room once the off-gassing has largely finished.
We air the premises before they are put back into use.
In most cases one treatment is enough. If the room contains a lot of new chipboard furniture whose off-gassing carries on for a long time, the effect will be partial and a repeat treatment may be needed after a few weeks — we say so in advance so that it is not a surprise.
Ozone treatment €1.20/m², minimum €60. If there is a lot of construction dust and surface treatment is needed, we set the price after an inspection — see also Disinfection after renovation work.
It depends on the materials. Water-based paints need only a few days; alkyd paints and varnishes usually several weeks. Tell us what was used and we will suggest a time.
Ozone does not damage fully cured surfaces. That is exactly why it matters not to treat before the materials have cured.
Yes, it usually reduces chipboard smell substantially. If off-gassing is still active from deep in the board the effect will be partial, and a repeat treatment may be needed.
Describe the situation — we will tell you whether treatment is needed at all, and which one.
Fill in the form — we will call you on the number you provide, ask a few clarifying questions and propose a solution.
Thank you! We will contact you on the phone number you provided shortly.
