According to the Environmental Protection Agency, air quality and pollution is a greater concern within the indoor environment versus the outdoors. The concentration of pollutants can be much higher inside a home compared to the fresh air outside – 2 to 5 times as many pollutants are found indoors! In the United States, most of us spend our days largely indoors, whether it be in a house or at the workplace. With as much as 90% of our days spent inside, the average person is at a greater risk of health issues due to exposure to indoor air pollutants versus outside pollution.

Declines in-home air quality result for many reasons. One major cause is the amount of pollutants that are introduced to a home environment each day, both from activities and products used indoors, as well as air pollution tracked in from outside. Newer homes are built with energy efficiency in mind – the air sealing performed to help the home retain energy negatively impacts natural ventilation. Without natural ventilation, fresh air is unable to move into the home and replace stale, polluted air, which allows air pollution to build up inside the home.

Indoor air quality is negatively impact that by many of the products we use each day in our homes, as well as natural specific sources. Some of these include:

• Asbestos From Aged and Damaged Building Materials
• Dust
• Lead Paint and Other Lead Materials
• Pesticides Used Outdoors
• Natural Radon Gas
• Carbon Monoxide From Fuel-Burning Appliances
• Mold Growth Within Heating and Air Conditioning Systems

Unfortunately, many Weber City, VA, and Gate City, VA  homeowners aren’t aware of the negative impacts these products and sources have on indoor air quality IAQ. Testing air quality in home environments is important to provide insight into the specific air pollution problems households face. Quality air testing reveals the pollutants present in the home, providing a starting point to address air quality. A home air quality test is used by IAQ professionals to determine which products and solutions should be implemented within the home.

It can be difficult to detect the presence of air pollution indoors without testing the quality of home air. An air quality test and radon test alert Weber City, VA, Gate City, VA, homeowners to the presence of pollutants that cause health issues and put their families at risk. Without testing, homeowners are forced to rely on knowing the symptoms of poor indoor air. Some of the symptoms that an air quality problem can cause include:

• Rooms Feel Stuffy
• Air Feels Muggy
• Odors Linger in the Home
• Surfaces Are Dustier
• Occupants Suffer More Allergy Symptoms
• Occupants Suffer Health Symptoms
• Visible Humidity Problems, Moisture Gathers on Surfaces or Windows
• Visible Mold Growth