Breathing in an environment filled with tiny pollutant particles can lead to asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues. Good indoor air quality is crucial for maintaining your family’s health. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), around 90% of people spend most of their time in homes. So, it is very important to take an indoor air quality test to identify the presence of pollutant particles. These tests will reveal the concentration of different particles in your air.
In this blog, we will discuss the importance of indoor air quality tests and why they are necessary to maintain a healthy environment.
What’s Included in an Indoor Air Quality Test
Air quality matters a lot because it directly affects health. Multiple tests are performed to check the indoor air quality. Some of the common tests are described below.
Radon test:
Radon is an odorless and colorless gas that is the reason behind the respiratory and lung diseases. Due to the odorlessness, you don’t even know how much gas you inhaled. Therefore, testing this harmful gas for a better life is an absolute necessity. A professional home inspector identifies the presence of this harmful gas with the latest tools.
It is necessary for all homeowners to get this inspection done if they want to keep their families safe from lung-related complications. It is also important for those looking to buy a home because it tells you if the new home has a safe concentration of radon or if you need to take some steps to ensure it is within recommended limits.
Mold test:
Indoor air quality tests for mold are performed to identify the mold types in the home. Mold thrives in a humid environment and a higher concentration of mold can cause several health issues. These issues range from lung problems to exacerbated asthma. That’s why it’s important to know how much mold there is in your home’s air.
The test is done using various methods, such as surface, air, and bulk samples. The presence of a mold indicates a current or past moisture problem. A professional home inspector recommends mold mitigation and other preventative measures in the inspection report. If you want to know more about why hire a professional mold testing read this blog.
Carbon Monoxide Testing:
A carbon monoxide (CO) test is performed to check out the quantity of CO in the home’s air. The abundance of this gas causes serious health problems and can even cause slow poisoning if inhaled for a relatively long period.
The main cause of CO production is the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels from different sources like stoves, furnaces, and fireplaces. The majority of people spend most of their time in the house. Therefore, they use indoor stoves for cooks, which is the reason for increasing the CO level in the home.
A professional home inspector identifies the CO level in a home and can help you identify the exact sources of this harmful gas. Once you know the reason, you can take the necessary steps and make your home CO-free.
Advantages of scheduling an indoor air quality test
Scheduling a home inspection to check indoor air quality has various advantages. Clean air plays an active role in keeping the environment healthy and preventing harmful diseases. Poor air quality may be the reason for asthma, allergies, and lung issues. Therefore, it is important to get a 1st Rate Inspections to help improve the air quality of the home.
How to improve the quality of the indoor environment
Improving the quality of the indoor environment depends on various factors, such as using devices and maintaining a lifestyle. Here, we discuss some effective steps that can help to improve indoor air quality.
Open the doors and windows:
Opening the doors and windows allows fresh air to enter, helping to maintain a good indoor environment.
Effect of exhaust fans:
Install an exhaust fan, especially in the kitchen and washroom. It will remove moisture to keep the ambient temperature moderate, and a drier environment will also help you avoid mold growth in your house.
Whole house ventilation system:
While these might not be for everyone. But if you can, use mechanical ventilation systems such as HRVs (Heat recovery ventilators). They help to exhaust stale air and intake fresh air.
Avoid smoking indoors:
Smoking produces tobacco pollutants in the air. These microelements cause lung and heart diseases in both adults and children.
Proper maintenance of fuel-burning appliances:
Fuel-burning appliances such as stoves, furnaces, fireplaces, and heaters should be properly maintained. If they are not, they produce CO that leads to respiratory system complications, among many health issues. Due to the odorlessness and colorless gas, we cannot imagine how much this harmful gas we inhale. To prevent CO gas, use a detector that can alarm when it reaches a maximum level.
Importance of dehumidifier:
Dehumidifiers prevent the growth of mold in the basement or ground and help maintain the temperature and humidity level.
Value of humidifier:
On the other hand, use humidifiers in the dry season to maintain the moisture level in the air, preventing dryness and discomfort in breathing.
Regular cleaning:
Clean the home regularly and remove all dust particles using a vacuum cleaner.
Final words
Air quality is crucial for life and plays an important role in our health. Fresh, clean air can protect us from different harmful diseases. We’ve explored various methods to find out if your indoor air is polluted and how to maintain a healthy indoor environment.
We strongly recommend that you schedule a test for an indoor air quality on a regular basis. Get a consultation from 1st Rate Inspections about your indoor air and see if you need to make a few adjustments for a better, healthy life.
