Top 5 Ways to Test the Air Quality
in Your Home
Do you ever question whether the air in your home is as pure as it should be? The air quality becomes an essential factor affecting families and children since they spend most of their time indoors. Polluted air can affect one’s disposition and health, and adversely affect one’s mood.
Fortunately, there are ways to test the air in your home that don’t involve going through a long and tedious process.
In this blog, we will discuss some home air quality testing techniques that will assist you in the assessment of air quality in your home and how to maintain it.
5 Best Methods for Home Air Testing to Ensure Your Home Air Quality
Whenever the topic of air testing is being discussed most people including homeowners do not prioritize the issue of testing the air in their homes. Proper air test not only focuses on recognizing undesirable air quality but also serve to make the best use of heating and cooling equipment which in return could save you money.
However, to get the best result on the quality of air in your home, it is recommended that you do several tests. Here are some of the most effective methods for testing the air quality in your home:
1. Use an Indoor Air Quality Monitor
One of the easiest ways to assess the air within your home is to install an indoor air quality monitor. These devices help measure air quality and identify such gases as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds or VOCs.
If you are a resident of areas more exposed to pollution or are using an older model, choosing a specific monitor is important since some will be made to detect things like radon or fine particles. Some of them come with applications that enable one to check the air quality in your home and regulate the heating and cooling system.
2. Conduct Mold Tests
Mold spores are very minute particles that are extremely harmful and can be found in the air; therefore, it is critical that people undertake mold testing on a regular basis. Mold tests come in several forms, including surface swabs, tape strips, and Petri dishes for mold development.
To get even enhanced results air pumps can be used to capture mold spores from the air and the samples collected can be taken for analysis. In case there have been changes in your house, for instance, if you or any of your members have a cough, difficulty in breathing, or if there is an odd smell, it is advisable to test for mold.
3. Perform a Radon Test.
Radon is an odorless, tasteless, colorless radioactive noble gas that penetrates buildings through cracks in basement floor slabs and can cause lung cancer. Radon testing is critical, especially in places with a high concentration of the gas.
For a short amount of time, use charcoal canisters to clean the air, or for a longer period of time, employ more accurate ways. If the radon level is excessive, a specialist can provide a solution by sealing cracks and boosting air circulation in the home.
4. Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas produced when carbon-containing things burn, is another example of a deadly gas. It is recommended that every homeowner install a CO detector, particularly if they have chosen to utilize gas-powered appliances inside.
CO detectors alert you when the levels of CO rise beyond the threshold levels as you make the transitions. It is helpful to put carbon monoxide detectors close to the ceiling since they pick up the upward air flow of the gas. These detectors can be any manually operated device that runs on batteries or plugs in.
5. Test for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Some common examples of VOCs include paints, cleaning materials, air fresheners among others which are in our homes. Due to high indoor VOC concentrations compared to outdoor ones, testing for VOC is essential to encourage a healthy indoors.
While some VOC tests can give real-time results, other types such as the sorbent tubes are designed to sample and test the air in a laboratory. You need to know the sources of VOCs so that you can avoid them or minimize their use to enhance the quality of air in your house.
Conclusion
DIY kits allow you to do many air quality checks, but interpreting the results of an air sample or even making corrections on your own may prove challenging.
But to get a more accurate conclusion and recommendations, it is recommended that you consult a residential air quality testing professional. Not only can a professional perform the testing properly, but they can also suggest what steps to take if an issue arises.
This may involve redesigning your HVAC system, removing mold, or doing radon remediation. By doing these actions, you and your family can also breathe cleaner air and improve your health.