VOC Testing Irvine

VOC Testing and Indoor Air Quality Testing in the Irvine Region

Sometimes, health problems like asthma and allergies can be triggered when you breathe in low-quality air. The World Health Organization confirms that 90% of people worldwide breathe in polluted air every day. Smoke from wildfires has pushed into Irvine, causing the outdoor air to be more polluted, and the indoor air quality might not be any different depending on how often you test your indoor air quality.

Effects of Poor Air Quality

If you do not regularly do indoor air quality testing, it will cause some adverse side effects on your health and the HVAC system.

In addition to Irvine, we also perform Indoor Air Quality Testing and VOC Testing in the entire surrounding region including, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Orange, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Yorba Linda.

Short-term Health Effects

Regular exposure to poor indoor air quality can cause some immediate effects on your health. Some of the short-term health effects are:

- Asthma symptoms
- Nose and throat irritation
- Allergic reactions
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Eye irritation
- Nausea

Long-term Health Effects

If care is not taken, the short-term health effects will lead to long-term and permanent health effects. Some of the long-term effects are:

- Respiratory diseases
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Mood changes
- Neurological disorders
- Increased risk of congenital disabilities (for pregnant women)

HVAC system defects

Even though an unclean or faulty HVAC system can affect indoor air quality, poor indoor air quality can also, in turn, cause a defective HVAC system. The particulate matter accumulates inside the air ducts, thereby clogging up the filters and other components. This will cause the system to overwork and diminish its performance.

Cleaning the HVAC system is only a temporary solution, so if the indoor air quality does not improve, it will lead to the same results.

Benefits of Indoor Air Quality Testing

Better health effects

Poor indoor air quality causes adverse health effects. So, when you regularly do indoor air quality testing and correct the problem, you will have a higher chance of reducing and preventing the adverse effects the pollutants can cause.

Comfort

You might not notice your discomfort until you take steps to improve your indoor air quality. When you improve your indoor air quality, you may be relieved of regular headaches, pet and home odors, dry skin, and other symptoms.

Lower Energy Bills

Poor indoor air quality affects the effectiveness of the HVAC systems, causing an increase in the use of energy and its bill. The improved air quality will ensure the HVAC system works effectively (provided they are clean) and enable the proper use of energy.

Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality

Housekeeping activities

Your daily housekeeping activities can cause the indoor air to be contaminated. Some of these activities include using chemicals to wash, dusting the home and the use of air fresheners. Many of these activities are necessary, so you might not be able to do without them, but you can compromise by using chemicals that contain less VOCs and get rid of the containers immediately you are done with them.

Dirty HVAC system

If you do not make it a habit to clean your HVAC systems regularly, they will not function as well as they should, and the air circulation will be affected. Also, if there is microbial growth in the HVAC system, it will contaminate the air circulating indoors.

Maintenance Activities

Regularly doing routine maintenance activities is necessary, but they can contaminate the indoor air. Activities like renovation, decoration, remodeling, and pest control that involve using chemicals that contain pollutants. So, if there is not enough fresh air circulation after such activities, it will affect the indoor air quality.

Individual Habits

Habits like smoking can affect indoor air quality. Tobacco smoke can get stuck in rugs, woods, and the like, especially if you do not let in outdoor air for cross-ventilation.

Insufficient distribution of clean air

A faulty HVAC system can affect the distribution of clean air. If you do not allow fresh air into the home, the ventilation system keeps circulating the unclean stale air, reducing the air quality, and causing harm to your health. Also, if you stay where the outdoor air is easily polluted, there will be an inflow of contaminated air, causing poor indoor air quality. 

We're happy to help you out with your Indoor Air Quality Testing needs, however, keep in mind, we also undertake Mold Testing and Air Scrubber Rental in the California region. Don't forget to see our Blog Pages to find out more on our Mold Testing and Indoor Air Quality Testing services.

Pollutants Found During Indoor Air Quality Testing

Indoor air quality testing involves an expert taking air samples from different areas of your home. These the air samples are then sent to the lab to test for potential pollutants. You can test for other contaminants or a specific one at the moment. Some of the common pollutants discovered during indoor air quality testing are:

Volatile Organic Compounds

VOCs percentage is often high after home renovation or remodeling due to the compounds found in the chemicals (paint) used. This is why indoor air quality testing is usually recommended for new and renovated homes. VOCs can also be found in your homes if you often use washers containing VOCs, air fresheners, and similar products. Whether or not you just renovated your home, your indoor air can still test for VOCs.

Mold

Mold and bacteria are prevalent in humid spaces. Not all molds are harmful, but some toxic ones like Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, and Acremonium can also be found in the indoor air. If toxic molds are found in your home air, remove them immediately to prevent poor indoor air quality.

Carbon monoxide Tests

Carbon monoxide is one of the most common pollutants discovered in the home. It can come from burning wood and fossil, fumes from cars, and similar activities. More homeowners now install carbon-monoxide detectors in their homes, so you can quickly know if it reaches a dangerous level.

Allergens

Depending on your sensitivities, you can ask to test for a specific allergen because there are many kinds of allergens. Some of the common, typical air allergens are:

- Pollen
- Vermin particles and waste
- Pet dander
- Dust mites
- Asbestos

Asbestos was once a popular building material until it was discovered that the material is a pollutant dangerous to health. However, it will not affect you until you renovate or take any action that disturbs it. You can test for asbestos if any part of your house contains material with asbestos.

Conclusion

If you take your health as a priority, you should regularly do indoor air quality testing. After testing your indoor air, the company will recommend the necessary steps to improve your air quality. Call on an indoor air quality testing company today. 

In addition to our services in the Irvine area, we also perform Indoor Air Quality Testing and VOC Testing in the entire surrounding region including, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Orange, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Yorba Linda.

Please call us to make an appointment at: 888-217-2719

If you'd prefer to email us, click on the Contact Us link.