Clean air is a fundamental human need. The quality of the air in your home is important not only for keeping allergies at bay, but for preventing the spread of dust, germs, and bacteria. Especially in the colder months, you and your family will likely spend a lot of time indoors, which means it’s important to make sure the air in your home is clean and clear of debris particles. If you’re looking for indoor air quality services in Philadelphia, Green Heating, Cooling, & Electric can help.

Benefits of Air Quality Services

Both homeowners and commercial property owners often assume that healthy air is a given as long as no major contaminants are in the building. But this isn’t necessarily true. One study found more than 40 volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the air of several child care facilities. Another showed that commercial facilities like gyms, offices, and stores had low air exchange rates and were not getting enough fresh air from the outside.

By opting for indoor air quality testing in Philadelphia, you can rid your environment of:

Dust mites
Pet dander
Chemicals
Gasses
Bacteria
Viruses
Allergens

Common Indoor Air Pollutants

According to the EPA, the four major indoor air pollutants are:

Moisture – While moisture is generally non-threatening and present year-round in coastal environments, there is a tipping point at which moisture becomes a problem. Excess moisture in homes can lead to mold, which is highly toxic to breath on a regular basis. On the other hand, too little moisture can cause dry and irritated sinuses.

Volatile Organic Compounds – VOCs are air pollutants that may have adverse health effects. While these compounds have space to diffuse outdoors, they tend to accumulate to unhealthy levels much more easily indoors. These air pollutants commonly come from paints, aerosol sprays, unnatural cleaning products, air fresheners, and other chemical-based household products.

Carbon Monoxide – Of all indoor air quality hazards, carbon monoxide is one that many property owners are well aware of. Too much carbon monoxide can be deadly, and because the gas is odorless, it’s especially difficult to detect. Having a working carbon monoxide detector is the first step to maintaining a safe home or business, but there are additional steps you can take to prevent excess carbon monoxide in the air.

Radon – A concerning study showed that Pennsylvania homes had one of the worst radon problems in the United States. Some estimates showed most counties having well over the admissible amount of radon in the home. Excess radon affects the lungs much like smoking and can even cause lung cancer. Unlike VOCs which are often found in synthetic products, radon is a naturally occuring gas generated from soil, rock, and other natural building materials. This is why it’s common to find high levels of radon in basements, which are underground or at the ground level of a building.

Lead – In addition to testing for these air pollutants, you can get your building tested for lead. This is especially important for older buildings as lead was used in most paints up until the late 70s. Lead poisoning is known to cause serious side effects like interrupted neurological development in children.

If you are concerned about the air quality in your home or have never had your air tested, Green offers indoor air quality services in Philadelphia so you can be certain you are breathing healthy, clean air indoors year-round.