The Air Pollutants That Could Be In Your Home
Posted in Air Quality, on February 08, 2021
In your community, homeowners are booking air quality testing in Toronto and discovering that hidden pollutants, allergens, and chemicals linger in even the cleanest and newest of buildings. Paying close attention to indoor air quality testing results has a big effect on everything from restorative sleep to healthier skin — and good indoor air quality isn’t hard to achieve.
Some of the most common air pollutants that we find in Toronto and GTA area homes include:
Asbestos
Commonly used until the 1980s in everything from insulation to flooring, asbestos was once called the “miracle mineral” for its seemingly endless uses in construction and homebuilding. Asbestos was eventually banned after research uncovered the devastating effects of exposure and increased risk for rare cancers, but it still lingers in many homes.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide can build up indoors from leaking appliances or the improper use of fuel-burning equipment, like barbecues. Carbon monoxide prevents the body from using oxygen efficiently, often causing victims to lose consciousness, and is especially dangerous because it’s invisible and has no taste or smell.
Lead
Peeling or chipped paint isn’t just unsightly — it’s dangerous too. Many household paints are used to contain the toxic heavy metal lead, which causes a range of cognitive and physical defects in fetuses, babies, and children. Before removing any old paint or demolition, indoor air quality testing can help identify the presence of lead and ensure your renovations are safe.
Formaldehyde
This chemical is a common preservative found in everything from composite wood to glue to dishwashing soap. It’s also sometimes created when two chemicals react, causing skin, nose, and airway irritation. Formaldehyde has been linked to several different types of cancer as well as asthma and respiratory issues.
Nitrogen Dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is a by-product of fuel burning. Breathing in air that has a high concentration of this chemical can cause severe respiratory irritation, such as wheezing and coughing. While it’s more commonly identified as a cause of outdoor smog, nitrogen dioxide is commonly picked up during air quality testing for residents living near highways, factories, or industrial areas.
Monitoring Your Indoor Environment Results in Better Health
Indoor air quality testing will help identify these five common air quality irritants and other issues like mold, radon gas, VOCs, dander, dust mites, and more. In the past year, we’ve all been spending more time indoors, and whether or not you’re working or learning at home, you deserve a safe and healthy environment. Air quality testing in Toronto can help you make easy and lasting changes to your home and is an excellent service to have at a home inspection, when you’re expecting, or when you’ve got renovations planned. To ask us more about air quality or book an indoor air quality test, call us at 416-414-5690 to ask about our free consultations.