Indoor Air Quality testing

[skipdup]

My wife was reading that it's possible for indoor contaminates to cause you to feel bad, allergies, fatigue, etc.
We live in an older house and we're kind of thinking it'd be nice to know...
I goggled and found a few companies that offer kits that you send back to them for analysis. They supposedly test for all kinds of bad stuff in the home.
Anyone know if this kind of testing is legit and/or recommend a company?

Thanks,
Skip

[Hugh R]

I know an awful lot about the subject. I'm a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and that is part of what I do.

Radon you can't feel or get affected by in an acute sense, its causes lung cancer, but is rare. Open the test kit for 24-72 hours and send it in. Available at Walmart, HD, etc.

3M makes dosimeter badges that can test for votatile organic compounds, but older homes likely don't have VOCs which come from plywood, carpet, etc. Also, they only test for what you ask to be tested, typically 2-3 VOCs. If you don't know what to test for, they give you a generic result. Formaldhyde is a good candidate to test for in newer homes.

Older homes have been known to have creosote treated beams, like telephone poles. If so, a little creosote goes a long way towards a smell/odor issue. Basement electric exhaust fans help.

Mold? do you see or smell it? If you see it, or see water intrusion, you don't need a test to confirm it"s presence. You must first fix the water intrusion problem then spray it with a 10:1 water: bleach solution. Bigger water intrusions may require removal of drywall or lathe and plaster. The U.S. EPA has a lot of info on line on this subject. Air sampling for mold is $ and mostly unnecessary unless you see/smell mold.

Tell me why you think you might have indoor air contaminants?

[recycled sixtie]

Your wife has a legitimate concern about air quality. About 5 years ago we had mould in our basement caused by using the humidifier in the basement too much especially in the winter. Also the panelling was basically just fibreboard with some insulation behind it which had fallen down over time. I removed all the old panelling(I used an air breather filter mask) and treated the walls with a special mould spray and removed all the mould. Apparently this job is supposed to be done by professionals but I must have done a good job because there is no more mould.

To get back to your question my wife says that she thinks that u can get an air quality test kit which would be a lot cheaper than getting somebody in to professionally test it. Do what u have to do to get clean air in your house. Other risks are: you may have radon(?) gas, asbestos tiles, mould, dust etc. I find that we feel better in the summer because the furnace is not running(forced air gas furnace). In the winter the furnace blows who knows what(we change the furnace filter regularly). Is the prof. air quality tester a scam? Definitely not.
But perhaps you can do it yourself. There is nothing worse than allergy problems/breathing problems.

[Hugh R]

If you have a central HVAC, you can get carbon impregnated filters which will help, but the better rated ones put a load on your AC blower due to the back pressure. The HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters) allergen HVAC filters work well, again with more back pressure. If you have central air, check the condensate pan for drainage and mold, if mold is present, clean it out and put a little bleach in it.

[skipdup]

Thanks guys.
We don't see or smell mold.
Both of us have just not been feeling well and we're both fatigued. Doctors visits/tests show nothing wrong. MAJOR changes in both diet and exercise haven't yielded real benefits.
So basically, just looking to eliminate air quality from the list...

Below are two different testers that "look" interesting. Any thoughts?

AirLab Home Air Quality Test Kit | AirLab Test Kit

home air check | Indoor air quality test for mold and testing for healthy air IAQ

Thanks,
Skip

[ShakinJoe]

You might beso used to mold smell that you are immune to the smell itself.

Ask a friend who does not regularly visit to tell you if they smell mold or musty odor in your house.