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Outdoor Air Quality versus Indoor Air Quality
We face environmental pollutants every day. We are very familiar with outdoor pollutant risks like car emissions, industrial smog, brushfires, and windblown dust, but what about indoor air pollutants? Indoor air pollutant levels are frequently 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels! Indoor air quality is affected by microbes such as mold and bacteria, aerosols, household odors, pet dander, off-gassing VOCs, and asbestos.
Research shows that people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. That means, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.
Let’s Look at What is Behind Poor Indoor Air Quality
ODORS
When you smell something bad in your home, your first thought is typically to spray some air freshener. Air fresheners only mask the odor. Even worse, they are full of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which will make your indoor air pollution even worse. Bad odors can be caused by:
- Carpet
- Pet urine
- Mold and mildew
- Excess moisture
- Old insulation
ASBESTOS
Numerous homeowners are tearing out floor tiles and old pipes and knocking down ceilings and walls, as part of their do-it-yourself home renovations. However, in their efforts to improve and beautify their older homes, they may unknowingly be introducing toxic asbestos fibers into the air. The two best tips we can give are:
- Do not disturb asbestos materials like popcorn ceilings, insulation, and floor tiles.
- Use trained and qualified contractors for remediation efforts that may disturb asbestos and for cleanup.
MOLD
A broken pipe or flooding rains can bring water into your home, garage or even your office. Mold can literally establish itself to the point of noticeable odor and visibility within hours after a broken pipe or flooding rains. If not taken care of correctly, mold spores can spread throughout your home. There can be as many as 1-12 million mold spores per square inch. When disturbed, these spores will become airborne and can travel to other areas. Mold will not go away by itself. An important prevention tip for mold is:
- Have a professional restoration company use air scrubbers to clean the air and dehumidifiers to remove the remaining moisture.
PET DANDER
Three out of five of all households in the U.S. have pets. Your carpet, even if it is regularly vacuumed, can harbor a large quantity of pet dander in and around the carpet fibers. In fact, it’s one of the top sources of indoor air pollution. To improve air quality:
- Having your floors cleaned professionally is one of the best ways to ensure that your air quality is improved. A Commercial Cleaning and Restoration technician can tell which method or equipment is suitable to get rid of pet dander. They can also advise on what to do if a pet goes on a call of nature.
You Can Do Something About Indoor Air Quality
Health effects associated with indoor air pollutants include Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply following these suggestions:
- Clean the house safely without the use of toxic chemicals
- Avoid perfumes and air fresheners that cause depression
- Control indoor pet issues
- Use a good air filter system
- Have Commercial Cleaning & Restoration run Indoor Air Quality Testing
- Identify specific issues in the home or building
- Identify and eliminate mold and other contaminants
Test Your Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air pollution is a hidden cause of many health problems, including allergies, asthma, and cancer. For that reason, you may want to consider Commercial Cleaning and Restoration’s air quality testing service. We have established an exclusive partnership with air quality expert Dr. Sneller in Tucson.
- First, we collect air samples or surface swabs in possible affected areas. We test for the leading air quality offenders:
- Mold and pollen
- Fiberglass
- Vehicular carbon exhaust
- Allergenic plant particles
- Natural and artificial fibers
- General airborne dust level
- Then you will receive written test results which will give us an idea of what the contaminants are so we can develop a plan to correct the issue.
- If the problem is mold, you should have Commercial Cleaning and Restoration address the mold issues.
- If mold is identified and remediation work is completed, the customer should have a new “Clearance test” done. This must be done before anything is put back in the room.
- This test will mimic the first test and is designed to show that all the contaminants were removed properly. This test is important, and the reports must be included with property sale documents if the owner is ever to sell the building, especially if insurance played a part in the remediation and clean up.
- CCR policy – If CCR did the cleaning and the clearance test indicates contaminants are still present, then CCR will continue to clean and will pay for the additional clearance test.
What is the Cost of Indoor Air Quality Testing?
Each air sample is $150.00 with a minimum of three samples taken = $450.00. If multiple areas are affected, then additional samples may be needed. A sample will be taken outside to compare the sample of the inside air quality and to the normal air quality particles in the area. That will show the common mold spores and other allergens like the pollen types in the area.
Make sure to ask your insurance carrier if they will pay for the air quality testing in the case of a restoration type claim.
Commercial Cleaning & Restoration is EPA and IICRC Certified to Remediate Your Problems.
If your home has a musty or unpleasant smell, your indoor air quality could be the reason. Here at Commercial Cleaning & Restoration, we offer professional indoor air quality solutions and can help improve your home’s indoor air with air quality testing, carpet cleaning, remediation, and restoration services.
Carpet • Tile • Area Rugs • Upholstered Furniture
At Commercial Cleaning & Restoration, we want the best for you and your carpet and we will work to prove it to you.
We also clean area rugs and upholstery.
CALL US TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Having your floors cleaned professionally is one of the best ways to ensure that your air quality is improved. We suggest professional cleaning every six to twelve months. If you have pets in the home or suffer from allergies, you should consider more frequent cleanings.
