What Is Indoor Air Quality? How Do We Test It?
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings. If your indoor air quality is not optimal, it is known to harm building occupants. Indoor air quality test is a process to identify and determine the level of contaminants in the indoor air of buildings. This procedure is necessary to be done as these contaminants can carry adverse effects on the building occupants. This assessment enables you to efficiently identify what remedial action is required to improve the health of your workforce.
What Contaminants are Present in the Air?
- Bacteria, viruses, fungi (including moulds), dust mites, and pollen are examples of biological contaminants.
- Examples of chemical pollutants include tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, and VOCs.
- Dust, dirt, or other substances can flow into the building from the outside and produced by building activities.
How to Test Indoor Air Quality
- Invest in an indoor air quality sensor
- Assess the health symptoms of building occupants
- Purchase a reliable air purifier
- Request an indoor air quality assessment from an air quality professional
Now, let’s talk about the last part of testing for the indoor air quality of your house – call an air quality professional for an indoor air quality assessment! What is an indoor air quality assessment, you might ask? The goal of an indoor air quality assessment is to identify problems with the air quality in buildings and develop long-term solutions to improve the health and safety of your building’s occupants. An indoor air quality assessment is done by collecting air samples, examining building occupants’ exposure to indoor contaminants, collecting samples on surfaces, and studying the airflow within the buildings.
What to Expect from an Indoor Air Quality Assessment (IAQ) Test?
ENVIRO Group specialises in indoor air quality assessment, in which we identify and eliminate hazardous contaminants in buildings. Our services include indoor air quality assessment, consultation, and problem-solving. ENVIRO Group will customise the type of monitoring to meet your specific demands and needs. The tests are based on the following 11 parameters, per the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality 2010 by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
- Air temperature
- Relative humidity
- Air movement
- Carbon monoxide
- Formaldehyde
- Ozone
- Respirable particulates
- Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC)
- Total bacterial counts
- Total fungal counts
- Carbon dioxide
What are the Procedures in an IAQ Assessment?
We will begin by initiating a visual inspection, taking humidity readings, and our expert assessor will look for anything that might be a sore point. In areas of concern, we collect air and surface samples looking for contaminants such as mould or VOCs.
Indoor Air Quality Assessment Procedures
- Overall walkthrough inspection of the building.
- Inspection of the air duct system and the mechanical ventilation and air conditioning (MVAC) system.
- Surveying the IAQ health risk of building occupants by distributing a questionnaire.
- Conducting in-situ IAQ sampling, data collection, and testing
- Laboratory testing for microbial contamination.
- Following the testing survey, we will compile the findings into a report and recommendations to assist you with any improvements.
- Detailed reporting of the IAQ Assessment approved by a DOSH-registered IAQ Assessor.
Contact ENVIRO Group today at 1-800-88-7900 to get your indoor air quality in check. Breathe easy, live well.
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