It’s time to prioritize indoor air quality testing

As written for The Safe Driver.

**Editor’s Note:** Although this is not directly related to driving, it does have great importance as it does affect individuals health prior to them entering the vehicle and driving away.

 

Most of us never gave much thought to indoor air quality testing till now. The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought in its wake the realization that:

  • The quality of indoor air matters more than our estimation
  • Indoor air quality is an indicator of the condition of our spaces
  • A lot of indoor pollutants lurk in closed spaces and threaten our well-being
  • Poor quality of indoor air causes nearly 50% of respiratory ailments
  • Harmful elements like bacteria, dust, pollen, mold and others thrive in indoor air
  • Pollution is much higher indoors than outside
  • Current COVID-19 pandemic can spread rapidly if the quality of air is neglected
  • It is possible to enhance the quality of indoor air for our well-being
  • Routine air quality testing goes a long way in maintaining good health Indoor air quality testing experts assess the level of air quality and provide genuinely effective suggestions
  • Gateway Mechanical Services, experts at indoor air quality testing, are equipped to conduct authentic air quality tests and offer the right solutions

 

Consequences of Poor Air Quality

Poor indoor air quality may not be a commonly discussed topic, but it actually affects all of us in some way. Most of us spend the majority of our time indoors, be it at home, workplace or any other place with closed environs. The COVID-19 virus has laid bare the extent to which closed spaces affect our health. The contagion is just one example; a multitude of harmful elements lurk in closed premises and threaten our health.

Poor air quality is known to affect:

  • Lives and means of support: People falling ill may lose the strength and ability to go to work. They lose their jobs, source of income and become financially weak.
  • Economic condition in the long run: Absence at the workplace, hospital visits and medication costs have a big impact on the society and a nation’s economy.
  • Our health by causing:
  • Tiredness
  • Headaches
  • Asthma
  • Breathing problems
  • Irritation to skin, eyes, nose, etc.
  • Psychological effects
  • Climate

and many other aspects of our life. The need for proactive measures to enhance the quality of indoor is therefore very important.

 

How to Enhance Quality of Indoor Air

While the effects of poor quality of indoor air are definitely unsettling, it is not difficult to overcome it. We need to first identify different pollutants that cause deterioration of air and tackle them accordingly. The first step to initiate the process of resolving the problem is testing the quality of indoor air. It is done with the help of Indoor Air Quality Testing, which specialists like Gateway. Mechanical Services offer in Canada.

Gateway Mechanical Services evaluates and examines the indoor air quality within a facility on the basis of following parameters:

  • Carbon monoxide
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Ammonia
  • Sulfur Dioxide
  • Chlorine
  • Hydrogen Sulfide
  • Total volatile organic compounds
  • Temperature
  • Relative humidity
  • Particulate counts for PM2.5 and PM10
  • Formaldehyde
  • Nitrogen Oxide

After assessing and testing, a detailed report on indoor air quality is prepared by the team. Remedial solutions are provided on the basis of issues that are detected within the spaces.

The process addresses the problems arising due to poor indoor air quality effectively so proper action can be taken to overcome the problem.