Air Quality in Your Home

Do you have unexplained allergies?

Has your home been inspected for contaminants?

Indoor Air Quality can be a big issue with asbestos, mold, smoke, allergens and many other contaminants being a concern for homeowners, property managers, and building occupants. Identifying whether a structure has indoor air quality issues is a challenge, especially if a contaminant is naturally occurring in your home and the surrounding environment. Many indoor contaminants like mold don’t have established permissible exposure levels and likely never will; it’s difficult to establish acceptable levels because an individual’s reaction to a contaminant can vary greatly based upon their sensitivity.

We see many examples of one person being extremely sensitive to one contaminant while a second person is completely unaffected when exposed to the same contaminant at the same concentration.

Because of this, Guzi-West likes to review and refer to unbiased, third-party sources as much as possible.  One resource that we recently ran across regarding indoor air quality is the EPA’s interactive home tour of typical indoor air contaminants by room. The interactive map can be found here and an excerpt of the information on kitchens is presented below.

Kitchen: A kitchen has appliances that may leak gases, and often contain chemicals for cleaning or removing pests. It is important to properly maintain  and ventilate appliances and safely store chemicals.

​Pesticides: Pesticides used to rid homes of rodents, termites, insects, and other pests, can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat; damage the central nervous system and kidneys; and increase the risk of cancer. Don’t leave food out, and if you must use pesticides, ventilate during and after use and follow directions to limit exposure. Use non-chemical methods of pest control when possible. Learn more about Pesticides.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Common household cleaners, often placed under the kitchen sink, release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), when used and stored. Store household products that contain chemicals according to manufacturers’ instructions and keep all products away from children. Consider purchasing cleaners without VOCs. Learn more about VOCs.

Carbon Monoxide: To help prevent carbon monoxide exposure, make sure appliances such as gas stoves vent outside whenever possible and that all appliances are properly installed, used and maintained. Learn more about Carbon Monoxide.

Worried About Indoor Air Quality in Your California Home?

At Guzi-West, we perform professional testing for indoor air quality in Humboldt/Del Norte, McKinleyville, Eureka, Chico, Redding and surrounding areas. For information about our other services like asbestos, lead-based paint, methamphetamine, allergen, and other inspection and consulting services, check out our website. Contact us today to schedule a professional testing service for your home or business. (888) 351-8189.