Indoor Air Quality Testing in Mississauga

At SafeAir, your health is our primary concern. We are an air inspection company, offering air-testing services exclusively, without trying to sell you related services or products. When it comes to indoor air environments, we don't just identify problems - we also provide solutions! SafeAir offers a complete range of air-testing servicesto customers in Mississauga and the municipalities of Peel: overall air quality testing, environmental assessments, and more specialized mould testing. We service residential homes, offices and industrial buildings.

In detecting the nature of an indoor air quality issue, SafeAir employs sophisticated air quality testing techniques and equipment. We evaluate the composition of indoor pollutants, we identify their source and we measure their levels. We then present our findings in a detailed report and summary. Our comprehensive air quality testing procedure will show you exactly what you are breathing in, and why.

What is indoor air quality?

Our lungs are one of our most important organs, whose proper function affects all other bodily systems from our brains to our toes. Most Canadians spend up to 90% of their time indoors, making the quality of air that we breathe very important.

Air pollutants are generated for various reasons: poor HVAC ventilation; unregulated humidity levels; circulation of dust and/or particulates; chemical off gassing issues; combustible gases and/or sewer gases; even your every day mould growth. For occupants, the resulting poor air quality can cause symptoms of minor discomfort, or more profound health side effects. Indeed, in the workplace, productivity and efficiency often suffers, as workers are enveloped in unhealthy air throughout the workday.

In Canada, the federal government’s Health Canada agency states that indoor air quality in an industrialized city can be 6 to 10 times more polluted than the air outside. Unfortunately, we only experience the negative side effects after longer periods of exposure.

How do I know if I should test my indoor air quality?

For the most part, the majority of indoor pollutants are invisible and odorless - so proper identification is a critical part of the process. These pollutants make their way into your home in a number of ways:

they get brought in with pets or on shoes and outdoor clothes
they are part of products you use around the house, like cleaning sprays, air fresheners, and soaps
we use them as part of home renovation projects, like paints, solvents, and glues

Only with a professional evaluation, and a proper appraisal of the findings, can there be any rectification of an air quality issue. If you’ve moved into a new house, have recently or are in the process of renovating, or are just interested in improving the safety and wellness of your indoor environment, we can help you determine what sort of testing might be right for your home. At SafeAir, we’ll provide the professionalism you need, along with hi-tech tools and instrumentation, and a team of qualified and experienced experts.

How much does it cost for an indoor air quality assessment?

If you are interested in knowing more about what’s happening in your indoor environment, an indoor air quality test can tell you a lot about what sorts of pollutants, allergens, and particles are present in your indoor environment. Even within a single neighbourhood block, homes can have wildly different problems and needs, which is why SafeAir offers free consultations before providing official quotes. Our consultation helps us understand how size, location, and other unique factors may affect our test, as well as the number of samples we may need to take. This ensures that our services are tailored to fit your individual needs.

What are the symptoms of poor indoor air quality?

It turns out that most of our residential clients contact us when they are already experiencing the negative side effects of poor air quality: various allergic reactions; respiratory and sinus conditions; headaches and bouts of dizziness; and general physical pain. In these cases, the poor air quality issue already exists, and the need for assessment is immediate. Other symptoms, like fatigue, lingering colds and flus, nausea, and skin issues may not seem related to indoor air quality, but can certainly be exacerbated by indoor pollution. If you have lingering symptoms that don’t seem to clear up, or worsen only when you’re at home, an indoor air quality test should be your next step.

What happens during an air quality test?

An air quality test is far more involved than many people think, and at SafeAir, our air quality assessment process goes well beyond testing. Every air quality test starts with a visual inspection both inside and outside, to determine any possible problems or issues around the home. Next, we take a baseline sample to provide a control and then additional samples from any rooms or spaces that you have concerns about. These samples are then sent to a third-party laboratory that provides us with detailed, unbiased results.

We itemize our findings in a comprehensive report, and we incorporate recommendations for rectifying the problem, and subsequently improving overall indoor air quality. In Mississauga and the municipalities of Peel, our reputation precedes us - we use more analytical equipment and instrumentation than anyone else in the industry, and we therefore provide the most accurate, reliable air quality testing in the region.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will an indoor air quality test detect mold?

Yes, SafeAir’s sophisticated air quality testing services will detect mold spores present in your home. Our tests are so sensitive that they also capture what types of mold and how many spores are present - offering you a solid base on which to plan for any necessary remediation.

What are the signs of indoor mold growth?

Mold often grows in homes where it can’t be seen - behind furniture, inside walls, in the attic, or in other hard to reach and out of the way places. Five of common signs of indoor mold growth are:

Discoloured walls

Mold comes in a rainbow of colours and textures, and when it’s growing on the inside of walls it may show on the outside as a stain or discolouration.

Peeling paint and wallpaper: Some types of paint and wallpaper actually trap moisture inside the walls and can make mold growth worse.
Seasonal allergies: If you’ve got seasonal allergy symptoms in February, it’s not likely an increase in pollen that’s causing your discomfort but mold growth. Many of the symptoms that mold causes are similar to allergies or the flu, which can make it difficult to identify in the wrong season.
A musty odour: Mold gives off a characteristic musty odour that is easy to recognize - once you know what you’re looking for.
Skin problems: Mold spores may settle on the skin and cause itchiness and rashes, increasing dryness and possibly even contributing to conditions like psoriasis.

What causes poor air quality?

There are many factors that can affect the indoor air quality of our homes - in fact, every home on your block is likely to have a different indoor air quality issue depending on any number of different reasons. Some of the common indoor air quality causes that we encounter at SafeAir are:

Construction materials: Renovating? Have you looked carefully at the products you’re bringing in (or out) of your home? Many common construction materials are loaded with problematic chemicals or dangerous dusts that may contribute to poor indoor air quality. Many older homes were built during eras with less stringent safety codes and could contain dangerous materials like asbestos, making construction projects a hazardous undertaking. Always assess products that you’re bringing into your home, and arrange for an indoor air quality test if you’re planning on any serious demolition or changes.
Humidity: Elevated levels of humidity in the home can no only make mold growth more likely, but it can also cause condensation and moisture trouble that can affect your insulation and building materials.
Leaks and floods: Any time there is water in your home where it doesn’t belong, it’s best to thoroughly dry it out as soon as possible - mold spores can sit dormant for years and only need a little moisture to reactivate and spread.
Cleaning products: The most popular brands of household cleansers may actually put more pollutants into your indoor air than the surface dirt they clean up! Loaded with Volatile Organic Compounds and other dangerous chemicals, our zest for keeping germ free has resulted in an increase in indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde (a known carcinogen), phthalates (which disrupt our endocrine system), and triclosan (an antibacterial agent that may promote the growth of drug-resistant bacteria).

Working with SafeAir for a Healthier Home

Improving your indoor air quality is more than just a fresh scent indoors - it’s a health issue that affects your whole family. If you’re interested in learning more about your indoor air quality and what sort of improvements you can make, give us a call at SafeAir for a free consultation. There are many improvements, both big and small, that can be easily made to your home that have immediate, positive effects on your wellness. For more information on indoor air quality testing and mold testing in Toronto and the GTA, give us a call at 416-414-5690 or contact us online for more on what we offer in Mississauga.