A home air check test will give you a total assessment of the indoor air you breathe in every day. It is available to the home market, and gives you an affordable, comprehensive air quality audit of the airborne chemicals in your home...such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and mold VOCs (the chemicals emitted from actively growing mold).
Indoor Air Quality Test | Health Reasons You Should Test Your Home
1. Elevated VOC levels in the home can lead to both short-term and long-term health issues. The U.S. Green Building Council's recommended healthy building level is 500 ng/L. In research however, data from hundreds of homes measured by homeowners show the median value is 1,200 ng/L, more than twice the recommended level.
2. High VOC levels can trigger asthma attacks in the more than 20 million US adults and children who have the disease. Asthma is also the most prevalent chronic illness among children. Therefore, finding high VOC levels and their sources can be beneficial to homeowners and tenants.
3. Babies, young kids, pregnant women, seniors, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular ailments can be more vulnerable to indoor air pollution. If your family is made up of any of these groups of people, then an air quality assessment would be highly recommended.
4. Asthma prevalence and severity continue to rise and are at all-time high levels. At the same time, outdoor air pollution is declining. It's a well-known fact that most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, many experts suggest there is a strong association with the increase in asthma illnesses and indoor air quality.
5. Common household and personal care products contain VOCs and off-gas continuously, leaving home occupants constantly exposed to airborne chemicals. A home indoor air quality test can predict the sources of VOC contamination.
6. Many newer, more energy-efficient homes do not "breathe" correctly. A home indoor air quality test can potentially discover HVAC issues before they become more of a problem.
7. Carpeting, vinyl and laminate flooring, cabinets, countertops, and other similar building materials use adhesives that “off-gas” continuously over time, even for years. Many of these materials are manufactured using hazardous chemicals, some that can even cause cancer. Testing for harmful toxins that could be lurking within the framework of the house would be a good idea.
8. Soil gas from environmental contamination can seep into the basement similar to radon. A home air check test can spot this contamination.
Choosing the right air purification system can be challenging. Here are a few suggestions to start you off:
Since they are more affordable and just as effective as larger units, "portable" home air filtration systems...a.k.a. air purifiers, are the most widely sold variety. This type of home filtration system is generally of equal or better quality than a "built-in unit", since it "concentrates" on one area at a time. However, it cannot filter air throughout an entire home, such as a built-in unit. If you plan to use a portable air purification system, you may need more than one unit – such as for one, or a couple of rooms, placing them especially where you may have the most severe indoor air pollutant sources. Portable units are light enough, to move from one place to another, as you move about your home.
Ion air purifiers, when used in conjunction with filters, are also a popular home air filtration system choice. These filters emit negative ions into the air, which neutralize pollutants and allergens. Ion air purifiers may be more costly than traditional filter varieties, although they are generally more effective at destroying microorganisms than other types of air purifiers.
If someone in your family suffers from asthma or another chronic lung condition, you must be aware of how much, if any, ozone your air sterilization system emits. When inhaled, ozone can aggravate the lungs and cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the body’s ability to fight respiratory infections. If you need the power of an ion generator, be sure to select one with additional filters when making your purchase.
In order to rid all of the toxic pollutants from your home quickly and safely, you should set the machine you have to work at full power, while you are away from your home. If it has an extra feature, such as a timer, set it for a couple of hours with an automatic shut off. This will allow the air sterilization system to work without interference. Even removing the smallest portion of the toxic organisms and bacteria from your home can benefit your health. Odors will start to dissipate quickly and you will be able to breathe easier. Sterilization is a good way to stay healthy by avoiding illnesses.
Where Should You Place the Air Purifiers?
Every area of your home has different contaminants. Your kitchen, for example, has lingering odors that are not harmful. Meanwhile, in a bathroom, you have aerosols and various offensive odors. You've got a lot of chemical impurities in the garage, while damp basements can harbor mold growth. Carpet is the one contaminant source related with many allergies and other problems,since it harbors irritants.
Notice how open your house is. Obviously, air needs to move throughout your home and exchanged with fresher outdoor air. But remember, opening windows and doors will also bring in outdoor pollutants. Generally, one unit will do the job in a one-level home. However, if you live with a smoker or in a multilevel home, you may need two or three units.
You may experience health effects from indoor air pollutants soon after exposure or, even years later.
Immediate effects may show up after being exposed initially...or after repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.
The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place the symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from the home and return when the person returns, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.
Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.
While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occur from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.
iate effects may show up after being exposed initially...or after repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.