September 1, 2016
Greene Solutions recently started utilizing an Air Quality test that performs a thirty-minute spot check of a home’s air quality. We are doing these tests because current studies are finding that air quality in homes can suffer as the home is tightened. The test measures Particles, Chemicals, Carbon Dioxide, Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Monoxide. When we are alerted to potentially dangerous conditions the test can be administered for longer periods such as three days where the air quality is measured every thirty minutes. This time of year houses are closed up due the hot weather. We are finding elevated levels of Carbon Dioxide in most homes we have tested. Carbon Dioxide is not to be confused with Carbon Monoxide which is the deadly one. Carbon Dioxide levels above 750 ppm are cause for concern. It can cause fatigue, headache, nausea, strained eyes and itchy skin. It can also contribute to “Sick Building Syndrome.” Ventilation is the best way to air out the house. Frequently opening the windows to bring in fresh air, turning on exhaust fans in bathrooms, and turning on the fan when cooking are all ways to ventilate. Turning on fans expels air from the house and pulls air in from building leaks. Bath exhaust fans are available with timers that can be set to expel stuffy air throughout the day. Some fans also bring in fresh air from outside. More extensive solutions can pull heat, humidity and cold from the air as it passes into and out of the house. The point is that indoor air can be more polluted than outside air. Do not let your home get “Sick Building Syndrome.” Call a professional, like Greene Solutions to diagnose your home.
