When a Homeowner Should Have Their Home's Air Quality Tested

As a homeowner, you may not think much about the quality of the air in your home, assuming that you can always get fresh air just by opening a window or thinking that you would be able to smell or otherwise sense when there is an irritant in the air. However, there may be many dangerous substances in the air around you, and you could be overlooking them because they have no odour or other characteristic that would alert you to their presence. To keep yourself safe, note when it's good for a homeowner to have their home's air quality tested and why this can be beneficial.

You have indoor hobbies or use products that contain pollutants

Do you use lots of products that may contain chemicals released in the air? This can include paint of any sort, solvents, spray lubricants, glues and other adhesives, stains and even items like hair spray and spray deodorants. If you use a lot of these items and especially in a confined space in your home, the chemicals and irritants in those products can get trapped indoors and their toxins become built up. Small, lightweight exhaust fans and even an open window may not be enough to clear these toxins from your home. Have the air quality tested so you know if you're using these products safely or need to invest in a commercial quality, heavy-duty fan to keep that air clean.

The home feels warm and stuffy

A home being warm and stuffy is not itself a sign that there are trapped pollutants and irritants; however, when the home feels stuffy, this often means that there is insufficient circulation in and out of the home. If heat is being trapped in the home, irritants and pollutants from the chemicals mentioned above, as well as exhaust from your home's furnace and other such appliances, may also get trapped. Have the air tested and consider a high-quality exhaust fan or roof vent as well.

The home has had a plumbing leak

A plumbing leak anywhere in the home may increase the risk of mould developing. This can be anywhere along any of the building materials that may have been near that leak. A plumber may have missed developing mould or water stains in that area when fixing the leak, but mould spores may now be airborne. Mould is very dangerous to your health, so it's good to have the air tested, and then find and remove that mould as needed.