Home Air Quality TestingHome air or indoor air quality (IAQ) is a very large area of concern for most citizens in our country. Maximum amount of our time is spent by us inside our own homes. We might be students or employed professionals as a result of which we might be spending a lot of time outside our home. But if we indulge in some self introspection we will find that almost under all circumstances we end up spending more time at our homes only. Consequentially, it becomes imperative for us to ensure that indoor air quality inside our home remains healthy, and free from harmful particles as otherwise those unwanted particles might be harmful to our health. This can be done with indoor air quality testing. Quality of home air can be affected by various factors. Most common factors, which lead to contamination of indoor air, are environmental factors such as the chemicals radon and carbon monoxide, emissions inside the home, microbial contaminants such as bacteria and mold, and any other allergen which has potential to cause hazards to your or your family's health. What you might be indeed surprised to know that indoor air is more often than not, more polluted than the outside air. To make our house safe to live or rather breathe in, we have to ensure that air inside our homes is completely purged. To do so, we need some method to test whether air inside our home is contaminated or not. Purpose served by home air quality testing is dual in nature. First it helps us find out whether there are any contaminants present inside our homes or not. Afterwards, when we have taken requisite steps testing of air inside our homes tells us whether we have been successful in our endeavors or not. Due to rising health concerns throughout our nation, testing quality of home air has become a very important aspect of our lives. Hence many methods have been evolved to test home air pollution - whether the air that we breathe inside our homes is good for us or not. Following is a list of some common contaminants: Radon Uranium is one of the most common sources of home air pollution. These materials are sometimes found in rock bases of buildings and it releases radon, an invisible yet radioactive substance. Best method to detect it is to test rock base itself, on which buildings are constructed. Otherwise, at a later stage testing becomes very difficult. Mold or Allergens Mold are mainly generated inside our homes from two reasons; from natural substances such as plant pollen or animal dander, which can be found freely suspended in air, and from high degrees of moisture within an enclosed area. Whatever might be the cause behind their formation, testing has to be carried out to detect their presence. Destructive inspection is one of many ways by which mold can be detected in air. There are many services that provide analysis and solutions for mold remediation. Every state has its own department to address this issue. You even get a kit for removing mold. Poisonous Gases such as Carbon Dioxide or Carbon Monoxide Of the mentioned gases, the latter is particularly dangerous as it is odorless and even small amounts can be fatal. Specific tests for each gas have to be carried out to detect their presence inside homes. Thus we find that home air quality testing should be made an essential part of our yearly or half yearly schedule. Just cleaning the home outwardly clean is not enough; these things must be looked into too. After all, when we are all so concerned about rising pollution levels, we should remember that 'Charity begins at home'. |