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Indoor Air Testing in Toronto

AirQualityInspections.ca specializes in Residential and Commercial Indoor Air Testing and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) services in and around The Greater Toronto Area (GTA).



Indoor Air Quality Facts

  1. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is used to describe chronic symptoms caused by poor indoor air quality.
  2. People are not born with allergies, but become allergic as a result of contact with allergens (Source: Health Canada).
  3. Children, people with heart & lung disease, and seniors are especially sensitive to air pollution.
  4. Monitoring your homes Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system helps ensure safe indoor air.
  5. Chemical Off Gassing pollutants – like Formaldehyde – cause asthma in children aged six months to three years (Source: Health Canada).
  6. Off Gassing can be reduced by buying products marked ‘No VOC’ or ‘Low VOC’ and testing indoor air quality for VOCs.
  7. Many promotions for air filters and purifiers make exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims (Source: Ontario Lung Association).
  8. 50% of all illness is aggravated or caused by polluted indoor air (Source: American College of Allergies).
  9. Today’s homes and building are built air-tight, resulting in natural air-cleansing agents being kept out and contaminants kept in.
  10. A recent study found that allergen levels in super-insulated homes is 200% higher than it is in ordinary homes.

Contact AirQualityInspections.ca for a free initial consultation or for more information about Indoor Air Testing Services in Toronto.

Indoor Air Testing – Toronto

In fact, the term 'sick building syndrome' (SBS) is used to describe an excess of chronic symptoms caused by exposure to poor indoor air quality. Some short term symptoms may be described by:

Long term symptoms may include:

What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identifies six major sources of potential indoor air quality problems, including:

  1. Inadequate Ventilation
  2. Humidity and Temperature
  3. Inside Contamination
  4. Outside Contamination
  5. Microbial Contamination
  6. New Building Materials

Inadequate Ventilation - If too little outdoor air enters a home or building, pollutants can accumulate to dangerous levels. In most cases, indoor air exchange is controlled by Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Most HVAC’s are central forced-air heating & cooling systems which have positive and negative effects on indoor air quality. Negative impacts occur when these systems circulate large volumes of air throughout your home, spreading indoor pollutants generated in one room to the rest of the house. Forced-air systems can also act as sources of indoor air pollution due to damp or dirty ductwork and older or dirty filters.

Risks can be reduced by increasing the ‘air exchange’ (outdoor air coming in). Positive air exchange helps re-circulate indoor air which helps to remove chemical gas and vapors (i.e. radon, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde) that build up over time.

Humidity and Temperature – Indoor Air Quality issues may occur when humidity and temperatures range outside of acceptable relative humidity levels, which should range from 20% – 60% year-round. Levels less than 20% in the winter and greater than 60% in the summer should be considered unacceptable. Elevated relative humidity can promote the growth of mold, bacteria, and dust mites, which can aggravate allergies and asthma. To achieve maximum occupant comfort, relative humidity should be maintained between 30% – 50%.

Inside Contamination – Indoor air pollutants can be caused by Biological Pollutants (mold, bacteria, dust mites, animal dander, cockroach debris, rodent debris, carbon dioxide) and Chemical Pollutants (Copy machines, office products, tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, cleaning solvents, radon). Chemicals stored indoors have also been identified as significant sources of indoor air problems in some investigations.

Outside Contamination - This is caused by the re-entrainment of previously exhausted contaminants, generally caused by improper air intake placement or by periodic changes in wind conditions. A common problem is vehicle exhaust fumes from parking garages, or loading docks being drawn into a building ventilation system.

Microbial Contamination – This is mostly associated with water leaks & infiltration, elevated indoor humidity, humidifiers, and contaminated ventilation ductwork. It can lead to mold growths, bacteria and dust mites, aggravating allergies and asthma.

New Building Materials - This results from building materials (including carpeting, drapes, paints, plastics, etc) releasing gasses and other chemicals into the air during and shortly after the materials are first installed. Also known as ‘Chemical Off-Gassing’, vapors and gasses are released into the air during the process of aging, evaporating and decomposing, polluting indoor air quality. All of these materials off-gas potentially hazardous chemicals and odors called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Inhaling VOCs - or absorbing them through the skin and mucus membranes - can affect indoor air quality and result in serious health risks including:

Increased ventilation after installation will enhance the dissipation of these chemicals.

*A 2005 Health Canada study reported that certain “formaldehyde levels were significantly associated with hospitalization for asthma in children aged six months to three years.”

Contact AirQualityInspections.ca for Indoor Air Testing in Toronto

3219 Yonge Street
Suite 310
Toronto, Ontario
M4N 3S1
Tel: 416.575.6111
Toll Free: 1.866.310.4219
Mississauga: 905-824-5733
Barrie and Collingwood: 705-719-0746
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