In recent years, awareness of indoor air quality issues has continued to increase. It has come to apply to a wide spectrum of potential human health problems. This includes technical issues with things like airflow, HVAC systems, and air exchangers, as well as issues related to airborne, contaminants such as:
Indoor air pollution is becoming an ever-increasing threat to the occupants of residential homes, retail spaces, offices, and commercial properties. It’s estimated that a building with insufficient air handling capabilities may have air pollution issues that can be as much as 25 to 100 times worse than outdoor conditions.
In general, these symptoms are more likely to affect young people and the elderly. However, individuals with chronic respiratory health conditions, respiratory allergies, and chronic inflammation issues can also be vulnerable. In a severe case, even a perfectly healthy adult could be affected by the type of poor air quality associated with Sick Building Syndrome.
There are other substances and materials that can cause indoor air quality issues. Some of them can potentially lead to increasingly severe medical complications.
It’s estimated that up to 80% of indoor air quality issues are related to things like the presence of vapors produced by high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as air quality complications caused by mold spores.
Volatile Organic Compounds and other toxic fumes can be emitted by things like:
Sick Building Syndrome is a broad term that has started to gain increased awareness and traction as a way to describe chronic as well as acute reactions to a building where there is an indoor air pollution issue. While it can vary from person to person, there are a wide variety of symptoms that can affect occupants of homes, offices, retail spaces, apartment complexes or commercial properties.
This includes symptoms such as:
Mold spores exist everywhere in nature. Which means they also have the very real potential of invading your home. When they find wet, humid, and warm conditions, it increases their chances of developing a colony.
As the mold colony continues to expand, it releases more and more spores into the air people breathe. Some strains of mold such as the so-called “Toxic Black Mold” can also release mycotoxins which can lead to even more severe reactions.
Respiratory distress increased problems with asthma, and chronic inflammation problems are just a few of the potential long-term health threats posed by a non-remediated indoor mold problem.
Hydroscience Group’s technicians use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to collect air samples for mold testing. This test often involves a series of small cassettes that are attached to portable battery-operated Indoor Air Quality sampling pumps. A specific volume of air will then be drawn through the cassette.
The Indoor Air Quality Assessor will collect enough samples from within the environment to accurately assess the area. This might also include background samples which will need to be collected from the nearby outdoor environment for comparison.
Indoor air testing tends to be one of the most effective methods for identifying potential sources of Volatile Organic Compounds. This might include a bevy of tests such as:
Vapor intrusion testing has become increasingly popular for testing indoor air quality. This diagnostic essentially implies that VOC vapors are making their way into the structure in question from the nearby outside environment. Additionally, subsurface vapor testing might be needed to detect VOC vapors that could come from a nearby underground storage tank, a pipe leak, the surrounding soil, or potentially contaminated groundwater.
Once we have determined the cause and severity of the indoor air quality problem, our highly trained specialists can help you understand your options. This might include reporting issues to the proper governing bodies, developing a remediation strategy, and upgrading or repairing a compromised feature.
Poor indoor air quality can affect health, comfort, and overall well-being. Hydroscience Group provides professional indoor air testing services to identify contaminants, assess air quality, and recommend solutions for cleaner, safer air.
Contact us today to schedule an assessment and take the first step toward improving the air quality in your home or business.