Can Indoor Air Quality Testing Improve Your Spring? A Comprehensive Analysis

Air pollutants like mold, mildew, radon and chemicals from cleaning products, wood burning stoves and smoking cigarettes all impact your indoor environment. Other conditions like temperature and humidity can also impact your quality of life.

Many of these conditions have long term effects and may be difficult to address without a professional. But, identifying these factors promptly can help improve your comfort and wellbeing immediately.

1. Airborne Allergens

Biological pollutants like animal dander, bacteria, pollen and mold release disease-causing toxins into the air. These allergens cause a host of symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, itching and coughing.

Often, people develop allergies to these pollutants from persistent exposure over time. A professional indoor air quality testing can identify sources and recommend remediation strategies.

Pollutant levels that are higher than normal can be caused by poor ventilation or high temperature and humidity levels. Monitoring for chemicals such as VOCs, HC, Methane, Formaldehyde and O3 can also be part of a comprehensive environmental site assessment.

2. Water Damage

Many sources of pollutants besides radon release gases or particles more or less continuously. Activities like smoking, cooking, cleaning and redecorating can also increase indoor pollutant levels temporarily. If a building is poorly ventilated, the pollutants may stay inside longer.

Water damage can leave behind a variety of toxic materials, including asbestos insulation and lead paint. It can also promote mold growth and leach harmful substances from wet materials into the air.

These contaminants can cause a wide range of health symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue and allergies. IAQ testing can uncover these hazards and ensure remediation efforts are effective. Tests can include microbial testing to determine bacteria, fungi and other organisms in air, surface and bulk samples. Testing can also reveal the effectiveness of disinfection and deodorization methods.

3. Mold

Mold spores thrive in damp, humid environments. They are carried in on clothing and can aggravate respiratory problems in sensitive individuals.

A trained indoor environmental professional will collect air samples using a calibrated air pump that pulls spores onto non-viable mediums like cassettes. Those samples are then delivered to a lab for microscopy and analysis.

Acceptable mold spore counts are baselined against outdoor levels on the day of testing as we all carry spores indoors. If spore numbers are higher than normal or if different types of spores are detected, it could indicate the presence of mold in an environment.

If visual inspection reveals apparent mold growth, conditions that may lead to mold, or musty odors, viable (culturing) air samples are recommended. This method of testing identifies the exact genus and species of microorganisms present in an air sample, allowing for more precise diagnosis.

4. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are a common pest that can cause serious health and safety issues. They spread germs, trigger allergies and asthma, and even cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

They can be detected by dark smears on walls or cabinet voids where they hide. This smudge, known as fecal matter, contains pheromones that mark a spot where cockroaches gather.

Large cockroach species such as German cockroaches typically live close to their own kind, which allows them to gather in prime hiding places like stove, refrigerator and dishwasher voids, and wall and cabinet nooks and crannies.

Thorough inspections can help limit cockroach infestations and the allergens they produce, including faecal matter that can become airborne. Seal cracks and crevices to prevent cockroach movement, especially in shared spaces such as apartment buildings.

5. Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that forms when fossil fuels like gas, oil, wood and kerosene are burned incompletely. When people inhale CO, it interferes with their ability to absorb oxygen and can lead to poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning has symptoms that are very similar to the flu, which can make it difficult to identify.

Indoor air quality testing can help identify a variety of pollutants, including biological pollutants like allergens; combustion pollutants such as CO, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides; and volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde, radon and VOCs. Many occupants complain of building-related health problems that mimic the flu or common cold, so it’s important for building owners and managers to respond in a timely manner when concerns arise.