When we talk about air pollution and mold testing in Potomac, you can think of outdoor pollution caused by gases and car exhaust. However, there are also pollutants inside. Indoor air quality is essential as different pollutants can have serious repercussions on your health, whether your home has mold, radon, or other dangerous air pollutants. Here’s what you need to know about indoor air quality and how to test your home’s air quality.
Common Pollutants Affecting Indoor Air Quality
Common air pollutants that affect indoor air quality include:
- Mold
- Carbon monoxide
- Air pollutants
- Radon
Mold
Mold is a common fungus found in homes. It thrives in dark and humid places. This type of fungus can grow on many different surfaces, including cardboard, wood and paper products, and ceiling tiles. The three most common types of mold are Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Mold can grow in many different places, including fabrics, drywall, and upholstery.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas. This gas claims hundreds of lives each year and makes hundreds of thousands of people sick. Portable generators, furnaces that burn oil and gas, and charcoal grills produce carbon monoxide.
Air pollutants
Common air pollutants include:
- Ozone (O3)
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- Particles (PM 10 and PM 2.5)
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Lead
These common air pollutants are called criteria pollutants in mold testing in Potomac. These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, a variety of health conditions, property damage, and other adverse effects.
Radon
Radon is a radioactive gas that causes cancer. This radioactive gas, like carbon monoxide, is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Frederich E. Dron discovered radon in 1900. This gas causes cancer in smokers and non-smokers.
How to detect air pollutants
More people are spending time indoors, and their health is failing due to pollutants in the air. Air contaminant testing requires an indoor air quality monitor. There are a variety of quality indoor air monitors to choose from, so choosing the best air monitor can be a challenge.
When looking for an indoor air quality monitor, the features to consider are:
- Temperature
- Humidity
- VOC
- ICA
Temperature
Increasing the temperature can increase the reaction time of a chemical, which can cause multiple reactions that lead to a variety of health problems. Indoor air quality monitors keep track of the temperature in your home and alert you when drastic increases occur.
Humidity
Humidity in your home is a big concern because it is the perfect environment for mold to grow. Exposure to mold can cause throat and eye irritation, nasal congestion, coughing and wheezing, and other symptoms. Air quality monitors track the humidity in your home and let you know when these levels are of concern.
VOC
VOCs are gases that are derived from specific liquids and compounds. These gases have short- and long-term health effects. Sources of VOCs include aerosols, pesticides, cleaners and disinfectants, and a variety of other sources. Health effects caused by VOCs include nausea, loss of concentration, and kidney and liver damage. Signs of exposure to volatile organic compounds include:
- Fatigue
- Sickness
- Allergic skin reaction
- Dizziness
- Emesis
- Particle levels
The particles contain dust and allergens in the air. Everyone is exposed to dust, but in large amounts, dust can be harmful to health. Negative health effects of dust include throat and eye irritation, a variety of lung diseases, and different effects on the heart.
ICA
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is the measure of air quality used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by mold testing in Potomac to determine the potential health problems that accompany outdoor and indoor air pollution.
