Did you know that you take as many as 23,000 breaths every day? With every breath, you take in contaminants present in the air — in fact, the air inside your home can be up to 100 times dirtier than the air outside.
Poor indoor quality can contribute to a long list of health impacts, and you may be wondering, “Are home air quality tests worth it?”
If you’re dealing with certain issues or have concerns about airflow or common air pollutants in your community, then the answer is a resounding “yes.”
What Is a Home Air Quality Test?
Homeowners have two choices when it comes to home air quality assessments: a DIY home air quality test or a professional evaluation.
Purchasing an at-home test kit to check your home air quality yourself is convenient, but it does have some drawbacks. Test kits typically only test for one pollutant, like radon or mold, and the results are notoriously unreliable.
Professional home air quality tests are more detailed and check for a variety of pollutants to provide an incredibly accurate overview of indoor air quality. Using sensitive equipment like gas detectors and analyzers, screening kits, and particle counters, a professional can test your home environment for:
- Mold
- Ozone
- Natural substances, like pet dander and radon gas
- Combustion byproducts from candles, tobacco, fireplaces, and carbon monoxide
- Hazardous chemicals
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from products like paint or cleaners
- Offgasses from new materials, like furniture, mattresses, and other household items
- Degrading materials, like asbestos or insulation
Reasons to Test Your Home’s Air Quality
Are air quality tests worth it? One of the greatest test benefits is the ability to pinpoint the source of specific symptoms and health issues. Poor indoor air quality can contribute to long-term health impacts like heart disease, respiratory conditions, and cancer, but even in the short term, breathing dirty air can cause:
- Poor sleep
- Headaches
- Respiratory issues like coughing, sneezing, and wheezing
- Irritated eyes, throat, and nasal passages
- Increases allergy and asthma symptoms
A professional air quality assessment not only helps identify problems but also pinpoints the source of trouble so you can make changes to create a healthier and more hospitable environment. Get a test whenever you suspect an issue.
In addition to preserving your health, another factor to consider when determining, “Are home air quality tests worth it?” is the potential impact on your HVAC system. Many air quality issues stem from problems within your HVAC and ductwork, which can increase the risk of malfunction and reduce energy efficiency. Fixing those issues can solve multiple problems and keep your family healthy.
Schedule a Home Air Quality Test
Given the insights that they can provide and the benefits to your well-being, the question shouldn’t be, “Are home air quality tests worth it?” but rather, “How do I schedule an air quality assessment?”
If you have concerns about what your family breathes in every day, call Hummingbird Heating and Cooling at (315) 399-9962 to schedule a test in your Syracuse, NY area home. The results and our professional insights will help you feel good about every one of your 23,000 breaths!
