Six signs that you may need to an indoor air quality test.
If you’re like most of us, chances are you feel very safe from air pollutants inside your home or in your car because the “real” air pollution is found outdoors.
Well, here’s a mind-blowing fact. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution levels are 2-5 times higher than outdoor pollution levels and can become 100 times worse than outdoor air pollution. (1,2)
Seriously, who knew? (Actually, we do since we’re an environmental consulting and testing company and that’s why we’re writing this educational blog post.)
This is why it’s critically important to know the top health signs of a possible indoor air quality problem at your home, school or place of work.
Poor air quality can cause symptoms that area similar to those you would experience when you have a cold or the flu. Here’s a quick list:
General Health Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Dizziness
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose
• Fatigue
What’s more, long-term exposure to poor indoor air quality can also have permanent and negative health effects such as accelerated aging of the lungs. This means that you can lose some of your lung capacity and functions, plus potentially get lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly cancer.(3)
Here’s how to tell if the symptoms are from a cold or something else. If it seems like you just can’t get rid of the “cold” for an extended period of time—and you’ve seen a doctor who says it’s not a cold—you may have an indoor air quality issue.
In this case, we recommend getting an indoor air quality test, such as our Home Health Checkup Package. This package groups together several of our most popular indoor air tests for your convenience and peace of mind.
The Indoor Air Home Health Checkup Package consists of four tests:
Mold Testing
• What is mold? Mold is a type of fungal growth that produces spores. It can cause allergy symptoms or trigger an immune response when people inhale them
• Health symptoms of mold exposure: watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, itching, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, headache, and fatigue.
• Mold tests consist of non-invasive air sampling
VOC/Formaldehyde Testing
• What are VOCs? Volatile organic compounds are harmful gases that are emitted into the air from products or processes.
• Health symptoms of possible VOCs/ formaldehyde exposure: eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches and loss of coordination. At higher levels, they can cause skin rashes, shortness of breath, wheezing and more. (4,5)
• VOC/formaldehyde tests consist of screenings using the latest equipment to everything from building materials, to furnishings, to personal care products and more—all of which can emit harmful off-gases.
Radon Testing
• What is Radon? Radon is a naturally occurring, radioative, odorless gas that is undetectable by human senses and is linked to cancer and other health issues.
• Health symptoms of possible radon exposure : shortness of breath (difficulty breathing), a new or worsening cough, pain or tightness in the chest, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing. (6)
• Radon tests consist of taking non-invasive air samples over the span of a few days.
Optional Asbestos Testing
• What is Asbestos? Asbestos is a natural occurring mineral that was used in consumer products before its dangers were known. It can cause health problems such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and more.
•Health symptoms of possible asbestos exposure : shortness of breath, a persistent or dry cough, chest tightness or pain, dry and crackling sounds in your lungs when you inhale. (7)
• Asbestos tests consist of taking samples of materials from areas such as popcorn ceilings and drywall.
Learn more about our Home Health Checkup Package.
Knowing the state of your indoor air quality is even more necessary due to the COVID pandemic, which has led to more stay-at-home requirements by schools, businesses, and the government to prevent the spread of the illness.
Add the fact that Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors, and you’re looking at indoor air as practically your entire source of life-sustaining oxygen—and who knows what else? (8)
So the next time you’re experiencing a “cold” that doesn’t seem to go away, make sure you explore the other options of what can be causing your health issue. See your doctor, of course. But more importantly, get some indoor air quality tests done right away.
As we mentioned earlier, the Adviro Home Health Checkup Package delivers a lot of valuable information that can help you find out exactly what is in your air. Our certified reports can give you the roadmap you need to improve your indoor air quality—and your health.
Article Resources
[1] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2018). Indoor air quality.
[2] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). The inside story: A guide to indoor air quality.
[3] Sparetheair.com/health.cfm
[4] Health.ri.gov/
[5] atsdr.cdc.gov/formaldehyde/
[6] cancer.org/latest-news/radon-gas-and-lung-cancer
[7] mayoclinic.org (2022)
[8] epa.gov/report-environment/
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