You may be wondering why anyone would get their air tested for pollutants. It is normal to feel as though your home is a safe place away from the pollutants you experience when you’re out and about. The truth is there are many pollutants that can be lurking in the air in your home. These pollutants can be present in your furniture, cleaning products, and even the building material of the home itself! Here are some of the most common air pollutants you may find in your household.
Radon
Radon is a noble gas that can be hazardous to your health. It is generally brought into your home by soil or rocks surrounding your home or brought inside. Even finished stone such as marble and quartz can potentially cause a spike in your radon levels due to their exposure to rocks and soil. If you have a well, it is a good idea to test your water for radon, as it may be a potential cause of high radon levels in your home- not to mention your water supply! After long term exposure (5+ years) it can potentially lead to health risks including lung cancer.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide is easy to come by- we create it when we exhale. It most commonly becomes an issue when it is a byproduct of heat sources or gas powered appliances. It is odorless and tasteless and can cause quite a range of side effects based on the concentration such as fatigue, headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and is fatal at very high concentrations.
Mold
Mold travels through the air through spores and can contaminate our air as well as wreak havoc on our homes. That is why it is so important to deal with mold as soon as you see it in your property. Mold causes many health risks as well as destroys our homes from the inside out. If you suspect you have mold in your home it is important to contact a professional like Insight Environmental and begin testing to avoid long term risks and damage.
Asbestos
Asbestos is one of the air pollutants that is more commonly recognized. It is generally found in old building materials such as tiles, fireproofing, and insulation. When these materials become disturbed or damaged, they release asbestos into the air and can cause serious health risks. Just as we said with mold, it is important get rid of the pollutants and get an asbestos testing for your home if you know or even suspect you are being exposed to it in order to prevent health risks.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a pretty common pollutant in indoor spaces. It is typically released by finished wood products, furniture, and even the building materials used in your home like adhesives, insulation, fabrics, and sealants/coatings. Unfortunately formaldehyde is even found in our cosmetics and self care products. The risks of formaldehyde vary based on the level of concentration and exposure, as well as personal sensitivities to it. Formaldehyde is commonly known to cause cancer. It falls into the category of a Volatile Organic Compound – or VOC – which we will expand upon next.
VOC- Volatile Organic Compounds
VOCs are chemicals that are released into the air by solids and liquids we use indoors, such as cleaning products, paints, wood preservatives, and aerosol sprays. The concentration of this sort of pollutant is exponentially higher indoors than it is outside. It is always important to check product labels for scary ingredients and to use chemicals in a well ventilated area.
Is it possible to have a home without pollutants? Unfortunately in this day and age it is not. That doesn’t mean we can’t do our best to eliminate some of the riskier chemicals and pollutants we are exposed to to make your home a safer environment.
Insight Environmental can help you know what you are dealing with in your home. We offer mold, asbestos, lead, bacteria, and radon testing. We provide indoor air quality testing and will supply you with a detailed report to give you insight on what you can do to improve your home’s air quality. Call your trusted environmental inspection and testing company today to schedule an appointment for indoor air quality testing.
