The air quality inside your home impacts everything from the energy performance of your heating and cooling systems to your family’s health. If you have indoor pets, indoor air quality affects their health and well-being, too. This is why it’s so important to have your home’s air quality tested on a regular basis.
How Does Air Quality Testing Work?
When a professional comes to your home to do an air quality test, they’ll ask you several questions. They’ll want to know things like whether you’ve noticed musty odors, water stains on ceilings, or the need to dust more often than normal. Next, the professional will collect air samples from different rooms throughout your home. They’ll also collect a sample of the outdoor air to compare the findings and see if the indoor levels are elevated. Some air quality tests also entail taking surface samples from suspected mold growth, using moisture meters for humidity readings, or using electronic monitors to measure specific gases.
Detecting Mold
Mold is a type of biological growth that can spread quickly and compromise the structural integrity of your home. More importantly, breathing in mold spores can harm your health. There are several ways that professionals go about testing mold, including tape lifts, swabs, and air sampling. If they detect mold spores, the expert will walk you through the different types of mold remediation.
Identifying Dust Problems
It’s normal for a home to have dust. It’s not normal to contend with excessive levels that come from dirty ductwork and have pollen, pet dander, and other airborne contaminants mixed into them. To identify this type of air quality concern, the air quality tester may use a particle counter to measure the number and size of dust particles suspended in the air. Most times, the professional does this type of testing near the HVAC’s supply vents and return grilles.
Testing for Volatile Organic Compounds
Most people don’t realize just how contaminated their home’s air is with VOCs from cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and even furniture. To detect VOCs, professionals have tools like electronic VOC monitors and specialized air sampling pumps. Once the findings come back from the lab, you’ll know whether your home needs improved ventilation to keep VOCs from building up indoors.
Scheduling professional air quality testing is the best way to figure out which pollutants your home struggles with. Once you know that, you can install the right type of air purifier to target those specific contaminants. When you need air quality testing services in Canton, MA, contact AirCare Environmental Services.
