Why Get Your Air Tested?
Indoor air pollutants are all around us
The air quality in your home has as much to do with your comfort as it does your health. You may not be able to see them, but indoor air pollutants exist and they are all around you. Harmful chemicals and toxic agents can spread throughout the air in your home and begin to impact your health. And because it is often invisible you may not have considered testing for it.
However, if you have allergies or asthma, or experience frequent headaches or nose irritation in your home, it’s time to discover the source of the problem to find a solution.
From hazardous mould to chemicals from cleaning products, do you know what you’re breathing in at your home? The causes of indoor air pollution vary from region to region, house to house and even room to room. Contaminated air diffuses in from outside, but it also comes from a variety of indoor sources like construction materials, consumer products, mould, insects and pets. Poor ventilation can let it accumulate to unhealthy levels, a problem that often peaks in autumn and winter as we seal up buildings to conserve heat.
Homes, Schools, and Offices
Most of us spend much of our time indoors. The air that we breathe in our homes, in schools and in offices can put our health at risk. Some pollutants in the air are especially harmful to children, elderly people, and those with health problems.
Some pollutants can be chemicals and gases or living organisms like mould and pests.
Some pollutants cause health problems such as sore eyes, burning in the nose and throat, headaches, or fatigue. Other pollutants cause or worsen allergies, respiratory illnesses (such as asthma), heart disease, cancer, and other serious long-term conditions.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
VOCs evaporate into the air when certain products are used or sometimes even while they are being stored. They have low boiling points, causing them to “off-gas” significant amounts of vapour even at room temperature.
Some VOC vapors cause short-term health issues like:
- eye, nose, and throat irritation
- headaches, loss of coordination, and nausea
- allergic skin reaction
- laboured breathing
- fatigue
- dizziness
MoUld Growth
Mould spores are literally everywhere; controlling moisture is the key to preventing their growth. Most moulds cause human health problems, but our sensitivity varies, and no federal standards exist for permissible levels.
Symptoms may include:
- headaches
- dizziness
- nausea
- coughing, sneezing
- sore, itchy throat
Tobacco Smoke
There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure; even brief exposure can be harmful to health. It can cause cancer and serious respiratory illnesses. Children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke. It can cause or worsen asthma symptoms and is linked to increased risks of ear infections and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Symptoms may include:
- Ear infections
- More frequent and severe asthma attacks
- Respiratory symptoms (for example, coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath)
- Respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia)
- A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Surface Dust
There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure; even brief exposure can be harmful to health. It can cause cancer and serious respiratory illnesses. Children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke. It can cause or worsen asthma symptoms and is linked to increased risks of ear infections and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Symptoms may include:
- Ear infections
- More frequent and severe asthma attacks
- Respiratory symptoms (for example, coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath)
- Respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia)
- A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
