Having your own home allows you to enjoy the luxury of private space. However, you can enjoy this benefit only if your home is comfortable to live in. Aside from having furnishings, the overall ambiance must also be good, and one thing that helps establish the atmosphere is good air quality.
Indoor air quality testing is essential because most spend their time indoors. Even if we’re indoors, that doesn’t mean that we’re safe from pollutants.
How exactly is indoor air quality tested? This article will tell you what you need to know. Read on below to learn more.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
Many people live in spaces with poor air quality without their knowledge. While it’s pretty common to assume that the air we breathe indoors is clean, it’s far from the truth—indoor pollutants may very well be in your home.
For professional indoor air quality testers, it’s also crucial for you to let your clients know this piece of information. A client may think that their problem is easily solved, but the fact is that they have bigger issues that require many solutions. They should also understand that poor indoor air quality signs are invisible, making air quality testing necessary.
Perhaps the best way to understand the situation is by letting them know the effects of poor indoor air quality on their health. If they’d instead go for one-time solutions, then maybe you can also let them know of the impact of long-term exposure to poor air quality.
The symptoms and illnesses one can get from exposure to poor air quality include:
- Allergies
- Respiratory problems
- Asthma
Aside from that, poor air quality can also cause damage to a house. A space with poor air quality is more likely to get mold. Mold can damage the structure of a home if they’re not cleaned off properly.
Radon Testing
Radon testing is part of the process when testing indoor air quality. It’s a carcinogenic radioactive gas, which means it can cause cancer. Radon exposure is attributed to approximately 21,000 deaths from cancer each year, especially since it’s pretty tricky to spot because it’s colorless and odorless.
Radon gas is produced by decaying uranium deposits, and it can enter indoor spaces through contaminated soil. This means that a home can get radon presence from cracks in the foundation and basement and gaps in doors and windows.
Radon testing is the only way to find if there’s radon presence in a house. Since the test takes time, customers should know not to touch anything, and the space must also be adequately ventilated.
Testing for Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds (VOC), as the name suggests, are dangerous chemicals. Like radon, homeowners may have no knowledge that they’re breathing them daily. Apart from the indoor air, VOCs are also a considerable threat because they also affect other things in a home, such as water sources.
Some examples of VOCs include:
- Air fresheners
- Paints, varnishes, and solvents
- Aerosol sprays
- Household cleaning products
- Gasoline and fuel oil
- Burning wood
Explaining the Results to Clients
In some cases, customers may have tested on their own through the use of DIY testing kits. It’s a great first step, but HVAC and IAQ professionals will provide a better in-depth explanation regarding the results.
You should always level down to the customer’s level of understanding because it’s very likely that they won’t understand what you’re saying if you get too technical.
Conclusion
Having poor air quality indoors can have adverse effects on our health. IAQ experts are tasked with letting customers know that their space has poor indoor air quality. In turn, available solutions to help improve the problem will also be presented. The only thing you need to do is trust in the experts!
Ally Property Inspections provides top-quality services for home inspections in Birmingham. We understand that you only want the best when you’re buying a home, which is why we’re here to help you thoroughly inspect the home of your dreams. Contact us today to learn more!