- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
- Moisture and Humidity Control issues
- Biological Contaminant (mold, bacteria)
- Proper Fresh Air Ventilation
- Formaldehyde
- Asbestos
- Radon
- Lead Dust
- Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOC)
- Proper Air Filtration
Indoor Air Quality Associates Consulting Services specializes in analyzing indoor air quality to keep everyone safe in their daily environment.
Call us today at 215.336.0224 to schedule your analysis of the air you breathe every day.
Many times air quality problems are very different for Residential and Commercial buildings. Other times they overlap quite a bit. A common issue in both commercial and residential buildings is thermal comfort. If an occupied space is overheated during the winter, relative humidity levels drop. This condition results in drying of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. Conversely, if an occupied space is overcooled during the summer, excessive humidity levels can result. Mold may start to grow on metal supply diffusers because condensation forms on the cold metal surfaces. The higher relative humidity may also result in mold activity on carpet and drywall. These are serious problems but they might be able to be prevented by a temperature change.
If you are interested in Residential Air Quality testing check out our Residential Building Page
If you are interested in Commercial Air Quality testing check out our Commercial Building Page
You do not need a ton of contaminants to have air quality problems, but the presence of contaminants certainly adds to the concern. Mold and other biological agents are the most common contaminants because they will grow anywhere there is food and moisture. When looking for mold, we follow the moisture, which usually gets us to the basement or crawlspace.
Certain chemical species may also be present. Formaldehyde is very common because it is an ingredient in so many building products. And certain VOC’s can also occur if furnishings are new and in their chemical off-gassing phase. In many cases, the solution to the chemical off-gassing effect is increased ventilation. That takes us back to the beginning.
In commercial buildings, air quality issues are frequently driven by the performance of mechanical ventilation. Given an adequate air change rate produced by fresh air ventilation, the background concentrations of air contaminants are usually not a problem. If fresh air ventilation is not provided, background contaminants from such common materials as furniture and carpet can accumulate and cause upper respiratory irritation. When symptoms such as headaches and drowsiness are reported, we suspect that ventilation rates are perhaps lacking.
