Air Quality Test

Indoor Air Quality

This site is about testing, and improving your indoor air quality. You might think that since it is "indoors", the air quality will be good. You also may believe that the air quality is naturally better than that of the air quality outdoors. Many times your indoor air can be much worse than you would think. Learn how to test and fix your indoor air quality.

The first step is to determine the quality of your indoor air.

Indoor air quality can be as bad or worse than air outside.

Air Quality

Why the big concern now about indoor air quality (IAQ), is the air quality worse now that it was in the past?

IAQ did not used to be a big problem. This is because before the 1970's, there were almost no energy conservation rules and regulations for buildings and homes. Much of this changed in an effort to conserver heat and cold losses in buildings, and ultimately conserve more energy and cut costs.

Structures began to be built more tightly, with better windows, and improved seals. This resulted in less natural air circulation.

The Sick Building Syndrom (SBS) entered into our culture during that time.

Air Quality Testing

One of the firsts test to check is Radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. Tests for radon are very inexpensive compared to other indoor air quality tests.

Carbon Monoxide monitors. Each home should have a carbon monoxide monitor, they are also inexpensive and will not only test your air, they can save your life, as carbon monoxide can be deadly.

Dosimeters. These can test for volatile organic compounds, specific chemicals and/or materials.

You can purchase monitors or detectors to measure; formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, water vapor and other pollutants. The devices can be setup inside your home for a specified period of time, and then sent back to a lab for proper analysis.

Symptoms of Bad Air Quality

Symtoms of poor IAQ are as seeming simple as an odd smell in the air, to more extreme, where bad air may make people sick.

It can be very diffecult to pin point the cause of the air quality degration due to the wide variety of causes and the different immunity and sensitivity levels of people.

Some of the common reasons for air problems are carbon monoxide, mold, and fabrics.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) did a study and found that in 500 cases, the top reasons for IAQ problems were: Inadequate ventilation, an indoor contamination, and outdoor contamination, microbial contamination, and contamination from building fabric.

Health Effects of Indoor Air Quality

Sick Building Symdrome condition show symtoms of headache, nausea, dizziness, eye, respiratory irritation, muscle pain, etc. The symtoms disapear when the worker or homeowner leaves to live or work in another buliding.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Ventilation. Increase the ventilation, or improve the current ventalation system. Make sure the system and any filters are properly maintanined. There should be enough supply of natural fresh air into the building or residence.

Air Treatment. Treat the air with air filtration devices designed to clean the air. Control the air temperature and humidity levels appropriatly.

Other tips for improving air quality can be as simple as plants. There plants can help to clean your indoor air: peace lily, bamboo palm, English ivy, mums, and gerbera daisies.