Indoor air quality in Paradise Valley, Nevada, is something many of us take for granted. However, if you have dirty air ducts or an air conditioner whose filter has not been cleaned in quite some time, you may be surprised to learn just what is floating around in your air that you and your family members ultimately breathe in.
At Ambient Edge, we are one of the top companies in the Paradise Valley area to perform indoor air quality inspection and testing – and with good reason. We are thorough and use top-of-the-line equipment to ensure that the air you are breathing is just as clean as the air we would want our families to breathe. Contact us to schedule your air quality inspection today.
How Does Pollution Get Indoors in Paradise Valley?
Open doors, windows, leaks, and cracks throughout your home are the gateway to pollution outdoors making its way into your home, leading to poor air quality. Additionally, cooking, cleaning chemicals, carpet and furniture chemicals, mold, pollen, and even tobacco smoke don’t have far to travel when they start inside your house to begin with.
The list of all the bacteria, chemicals, and particles you’re breathing when you’re in your home can be terrifying:
- Wildfire smoke
- Tobacco smoke
- Asbestos
- Carpet and furniture off-gassing
- Cleaning chemicals
- Paint
- Mildew and mold (black mold, mold spores, etc.)
- Pesticides
- Radon
- Vehicle exhaust
An air quality inspection for your Paradise Valley residence can help you determine what is present in your home and how to get rid of it.
Biological Contaminants
One of the things we check air samples for during our quality testing is whether your air ducts are clean. Duct cleaning is incredibly important because if left unkempt, dust, debris, and even mold can build up in your ducts, which your HVAC system will then shoot out at you the next time you turn it on. Breathing in mold and other biological contaminants is never a good idea – and in some cases, it can become an incredibly serious situation, so mold testing is vital.
Symptoms from exposure to allergens can grow worse over time, particularly for those with a preexisting condition such as asthma. At the very least, they can make you miserable, with symptoms like dizziness, watery eyes, and shortness of breath. You can eliminate all of that by getting mold testing done.
Chemical Contaminants
Chemical contaminants are no joke, either. Particles of cleaning products, paints, and pesticides may all remain in your home long after you’ve used them. Plus, there are the added concerns of substances like radon and lead, which can be deadly.
Having an indoor air quality test performed can be your best defense against chemical contaminants because you find out whether a problem exists and how extensive it is. From there, you can take the necessary steps to improve poor air quality.
Combustion Contaminants
Combustion is just like it sounds – particles of products that are flammable. Cigarette smoke and other products containing carbon monoxide belong to the combustion contaminants family.
You should have a carbon monoxide detector in your home because the substance is colorless, odorless, and deadly. Even a minor case of carbon monoxide in the home can lead to health issues like dizziness, nausea, and weakness. An indoor air quality test can help you determine how much carbon monoxide, if any, is present in the air, and our team at Ambient Edge can then work with you on abolishing its source.
Home Test vs. Professional Inspection
You may be thinking to yourself, why should I call a professional when I can spend much less and get a home testing kit? You absolutely can do this. However, the problem with home testing kits is that they aren’t as thorough as a professional inspection.
For instance, most home testing kits test for only one thing. So you may have to buy one test for radon, another for asbestos, another for lead, another for mold, and so on. With Ambient Edge, you simply pay for a one-stop inspection and learn everything you need to know in only one visit!
Why Should You Get a Comprehensive Indoor Air Quality Inspection?
For anyone buying or selling a home in Paradise Valley, a full indoor air quality inspection is a must. In fact, it is often now required as part of the inspection or home sales contract.
Regardless of whether you’re moving or staying in your current home, it’s vital for homeowners to understand if their indoor air quality is poor.
Asbestos
Older homes, in particular, often have insulation, ceiling tiles, or floor tiles that contain asbestos. Asbestos is known to cause cancer. However, if it is properly enclosed and maintained, it should not be an issue. It’s when a professional determines that it is airborne that you need an experienced remediator. If you have asbestos in your home, it pays to know where and in what condition it’s in before it degrades and becomes dangerous.
Carbon Monoxide
More than 400 Americans die every year due to carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Simply having a carbon monoxide detector and alarm installed can save your life.
It is also important to determine if small concentrations are present away from detectors – something a professional inspector can determine.
Animal-Related Items
Pet dander, rodent and insect urine, and droppings – all of these can cause everything from allergy flare-ups to the hantavirus.
Allergens and Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are found in everything from paint, carpet, and upholstery to air fresheners and dry cleaning chemicals. Short-term exposure can worsen allergies and asthma and cause allergy- or illness-type symptoms (headache, dizziness, eye and throat irritation, for example).
Exposure over a period of years can cause internal organ damage and cancer.
Mold and Mildew
Breathing in mildew and mold may be worse than just having to deal with the smell. Respiratory symptoms, sometimes serious and long-lasting, can happen after even short exposures to breathing in mold. Get mold testing done to combat the issues that come along with black mold, mold spores, and more.
Radon
Radon is a radioactive gas naturally released into the soil when uranium breaks down. It is colorless and odorless. The only way to know if your home has radon is to have a professional radon test. While your neighbor may mention they have a radon mitigation system, that doesn’t mean you need one. Radon can enter homes through cracks and leaks, particularly in the foundation. So, there is no real pattern to how it affects homes and neighborhoods.
However, Nevada does have a higher-than-average level of radon, according to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DPBH). Ambient Edge can perform a radon test and tell you for certain if you need to consider a radon mitigation system to help keep you from breathing this cancer-causing gas or if your home is safe.
What Steps Should You Take After Indoor Air Quality Testing in Paradise Valley?
Most of the tests conducted by your Ambient Edge technician will be sent to a lab for professional analysis. As soon as we receive the results, we contact you to share them with you and make recommendations.
Common suggestions include:
- Air filtration systems
- Professional mold inspection and remediation
- Radon mitigation systems
- Overview of proper maintenance or professional removal of asbestos
- Carbon monoxide detectors
While it can feel easier to turn away and not to learn about what’s in your home’s air, the more you know, the better you can take steps – even small, simple steps – to achieve a home with cleaner, safer air.
Need an Indoor Air Quality Test? Ambient Edge Can Help!
Your home should be your haven. As such, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll be able to breathe when you walk in. You also shouldn’t have to wonder whether odorless pollutants are filling up your home that could become a potential health hazard to you and your loved ones, so get in touch with an indoor air quality inspection and testing company in Paradise, NV.
At Ambient Edge, we can help you restore your air quality to the point where you won’t believe you didn’t notice a problem sooner. Within no time, we can have your home smelling like sweet mountain air. Contact Ambient Edge today and start improving the quality of your home’s air!