Current events like the pandemic and the California wildfires have us paying more attention than ever to the outdoor air quality. We want to make sure the air we or our children breathe when we step out the front door is safe for all of us and not doing harm to our health. If you perceive a health risk in the outdoor air, you’ll choose to spend the day inside instead. But have you considered getting indoor air quality testing done on your home?
But, when’s the last time you made sure the air inside your home or business was safe?
How Indoor Air Quality Can Be Compromised
Indoor air quality can be easily compromised, as air cannot circulate as easily. Contaminates can come in not only any time a door or window is opened, but also any time someone enters the building. Each person can carry spores into a space on their clothes, while also releasing contaminants into the air each time they sneeze or cough. When you multiply that by how many family members, employees, or visitors your home or business receives, that’s a lot of nasty stuff entering the air! This doesn’t even include the dirt, germs, or bugs that animals can carry from outside into a home.
Do All of those Contaminants Stay Stuck Inside?
How long these various contaminants stay inside depends on a few factors. The contaminants themselves will have different life spans and behaviors. But beyond that, the air flow and circulation, the quality of the air vents, how well the HVAC systems have been maintained, and how much moisture stays trapped in your home will all impact the long-term quality of the inside air.
Outdoor air can be tricky when it comes to this. A home needs a certain amount of fresh air from the outside circulating through it to keep the inside air from becoming stagnant and stuffy. But, at the same time, if the outdoor air quality is compromised, too much of it coming in can be a danger as well.
What Happens When Indoor Air Becomes Polluted
The indoor pollution caused by various contaminants becoming stuck inside can lead to a whole host of problems, including:
- Eye, nose, and throat irritation
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Allergies
- Asthma
In addition to the health risks, compromised air quality can also be a danger to your home itself. When airborne mold spores enter a poorly ventilated environment, it can make it easier for them to take hold and start to grow inside your home or office building.
Signs It’s Time for Indoor Air Quality Testing
If your family, employees, or visitors start complaining of any noticeable health issues that only appear or get worse when they are inside your home or business, it might be time to consider indoor air quality testing.
Other signs that indoor air quality might be an issue include strong or musty odors, trapped humidity, visible mold, or signs of interior condensation. These are all different indicators that air is not moving through a space correctly and that many additional issues could be present.
How We Perform Indoor Air Quality Testing
Some companies will provide indoor air quality testing that only takes samples of the inside air. But at First Call, we feel it is important to take samples of the air inside your home or business as well as outside of it. This gives us an important baseline for understanding what is present in the outside environment around your space and to what extent. We can then compare that with the results of the indoor samples to determine what is “normal” and what isn’t.
We work with third party indoor air quality specialists and have your air samples cross-tested by multiple companies to ensure the results we get back are accurate. This also helps us identify any urgent risks more quickly and inform you if extensive remediation will be necessary.
What if My Air is Contaminated?
If the air in your home or business is contaminated and requires remediation, then we are the best team for the job! We specialize in full remediation services and our own teams will handle the process of locating the root cause of any mold growth, moisture issues, or poor air quality. We will also address and correct those issues so you do not have to worry about the problem again in future.
Due to the ever-changing outdoor conditions, continued health concerns, and the potential for future water damage from hurricanes, it is a good idea to request indoor air quality testing periodically to ensure your family or employees are living and working in the healthiest conditions possible!
Schedule a Free Home or Business Inspection with First Call Today!
To help you get to know us and gain a better idea of the current state of your home or business, we offer free inspections as part of our initial consultation. This can help you understand whether or not there are immediate indications of a deeper issue and understand what costs to expect from the air quality testing process. You can request a free inspection through our website here: firstcallnc.com/services/air-quality-testing.
If you’re still unsure, you can read our client testimonials from other people and business owners across central North Carolina to hear why they were happy they called us first!
