How To Monitor Indoor Air Quality At Your Home
Tools or devices for measuring and monitoring indoor ail pollutants are in a state of rapid evolution. The ways to quantify minute chemicals at home have evolved faster than we could ever imagine. Currently, there are no specific standards or procedures to determine residential air quality monitoring. However, other methods that have been developed for occupational use can be great devices for observing air quality at home.
Common Methods Involved
The use of air pump is the most common method to measure indoor air pollutants. It actively moves the air inside a medium to save the pollutant of concern. Another technique would be the use of an absorbent media which collects the contaminant through permeation or diffusion. Laboratory analysis may also be done to accurately monitor your air impurities at home.
Indoor air quality may also be supervised through passive monitors. The latter is available from a number of sources which include manufacturers, safety and supply companies, environmental services, and analytical laboratories, among others. These systems have improved in reliability and accuracy, making the results more accurate than ever.
Monitoring Specific Air Pollutants at Home
Your home is exposed to several harmful toxins. This includes asbestos, mold, carbon dioxide, pesticides, and a lot more. Thankfully, there are ways to keep an eye on these pollutants. Here is the list:
• Asbestos
Visual inspection cannot check for the presence of asbestos in your home. However, it can be identified through microscopic and chemical methods. You simply have to submit bulk samples of the toxin in an analytical laboratory and you’ll find out if it exists in your home.
• Formaldehyde
Special monitors are installed at home and sent to the laboratory for analysis. For active monitoring, one may need to consult an environmental service group.
• Nitrous Oxide
Tools are also available to inspect the level of Nitrous Oxide at home. However, these devices are made for industrial use and may show false results.
• Pesticides
Pesticide monitoring involves three basic elements: first is the collection of sample, second is chemical analysis of the collected pollutant, and last is interpretation of the values found.
An average homeowner cannot do indoor air quality monitoring alone. It usually takes expensive equipment to have the values precisely calibrated. Also, the use of analytical laboratories and private consultation are considered important steps to check for toxins at home.
• Radon
To monitor for Radon, one must purchase a lightweight plastic device that collect samples of pollutants. Like most devices, this is installed in your homes and returned to the laboratory for further analysis.
Where to Shop for Devices
The Yellow Pages of your directory is proven to be a helpful source for these monitoring devices. You may find sources for tools or equipment and you may also have access to environmental services or laboratories which help in determining the presence of pollutants in your home.
The cost for such services may vary from company to company. The prices also depend on the type of service required. It is, however, to your own benefit that this process is being recommended.
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November 5th, 2009 at 11:11 am
[...] Indoor air pollution causes greater damage to our health than outdoor air pollution because we are constantly breathing it in and out in a trapped space. In this space, the level of pollutants can be as much as triple what they are out of doors. The effects of these pollutants can vary by age, health and level of exposure. You may have health problems as a result of exposure very shortly after that exposure has occurred or you may not feel the effects in an obvious way until years later. Pregnant women, children, the elderly and the physically impaired suffer the most harm from these pollutants. [...]