Tag Archives: Home Construction

Importance Of Indoor Air Quality Testing

Have you ever wondered whether the air that we breathe indoors can be equally harmful as outdoors?

When it comes to healthy living, the air that circulates inside our house is often more crucial than the outdoor air, pollution, smog and other environmental factors. Research suggests that the indoor environments can have up to five times more pollutants than outdoor ones thus affecting several parts of our body including skin, lungs, nose, eyes, and throat among others. Once inhaled, these very air pollutants can continue to have harmful effects as and when it is processed through our systems. Just think over it. Ever felt stuffy in a room only to feel refreshed once you have stepped out? That lethargic feeling is directly related to the poor quality of air inside the house. And when you are exposed to such an indoor environment year after year, it can have a serious effect on your daily life.

 

What are the root causes of poor indoor air quality? 

According to the experts from The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) here are the factors that can lead to poor indoor air quality: 

  • Building Design and construction 
  • Building wasn’t checked thoroughly to see if it was suitable for the occupants 
  • Ventilation systems are dirty and damp 
  • Indoor contaminant sources 
  • The equipment and activities carried out indoors that add to the contaminants 
  • Moisture trapped in the building enclosures 
  • Failure to check filtration and air cleaning 
  • Poor outdoor air quality 
  • Poor ventilation rates 

 With Canadians spending over 90% of their time staying indoors combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now more than ever that the role of indoor air quality has gained prominence. First, we need to understand the need for getting an air quality test done within your premises. 

https://gatewaymechanical.ca/indoor-air-quality-testing/

Why is an Indoor Air Quality Testing required? 

  • Healthy buildings improve performance and productivity of the residents 
  • Healthy folks take lesser sick leaves 
  • The test validates your space’s current indoor air quality 
  • Verification of your space meeting the indoor air quality standards 
  • Address any concern or issue arising due to a complaint 
  • Prioritize the health and safety of the occupants 
  • Obtain or renew LEED, WELL or BOMA BEST certification 

Gateway Mechanical as a company continuously strives to assess, audit and improve health and safety program to reduce the risk of injury in a changing work environment. The indoor air quality test offered by Gateway Mechanical will solve all your queries regarding the health of your space’s air quality. This test investigates the air quality within your premises for the following: 

  • Temperature 
  • Relative Humidity 
  • Particulate counts for PM2.5 and PM10 
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2) 
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) 
  • Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) 
  • Ammonia (NH3) 
  • Chlorine (Cl) 
  • Formaldehyde (HCHO) 
  • Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) 
  • Nitrogen Oxide (NO) 
  • Sulphur Dioxide (S02) 
https://gatewaymechanical.ca/can-hvac-systems-spread-coronavirus-covid19/

For in depth information on the procedures involved in getting the Gateway Mechanical air quality testing done within your premises, you can always go and check out on gatewaymechanical.ca  

It turns out there’s a lot we can do to control and reduce these contaminants to make our facilities, buildings, and spaces safer. To summarize, good indoor air quality significantly increases occupant health and experience in the provided space, enhances performance and productivity, drastically reduces absenteeism, optimizes returns on your investments, and eventually boosts your triple bottom line.  For the Silo, Mike Robert.

Almost 200,000 Canadian homes have Dangerous levels of Radon

November is Lung Month and also Radon Action Month, and health officials are urging Canadians to test their homes for radon.

It is estimated that 3,000 Canadians die each year from lung cancer caused by exposure to radon. Yet only about 4% of Canadian homes have been tested for radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. As a result, most Canadians are unaware of the deadly gas that may be present in their homes.

How Radon Enters A House

What is radon?
Radon is a naturally forming, radioactive, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. It is found in almost all soil, and is produced by a natural process as uranium breaks down into radium and then into radon gas. Radon in turn breaks down into solid radioactive elements known as “radon progeny” (such as polonium – 218) that attach to airborne particles. Radon enters a home through cracks in the floor or walls of the basement or foundation.

Radon and your health
Because they are radioactive, radon and radon progeny emit alpha particles, a high-energy radiation that damages DNA in human cells and causes lung cancer. When radon is inhaled, particles become lodged in the lungs where they continue to emit alpha particles. Some studies have also suggested a link between radon and leukemia, though it can’t be definitely determined and more research is needed.

What you can do
Here are a few simple steps you can take to control radon levels in your home and help protect those you love:

1) Test for Radon. The first step in managing the risk of radon is to have your home tested. Every home is unique, and a home with dangerous radon levels can be next door to a home with virtually no radon. Any radon level higher than 200 becquerels per cubic metre (200 Bq/m³) is considered by health authorities to be unsafe. Testing should always be conducted by a qualified contractor, and should include both short-term and long-term testing. Look for a radon mitigation professional who is C-NRPP certified online.

2) Mitigate Radon. A qualified radon mitigation contractor will help you determine the most effective way to reduce radon in your home. These techniques include:

a) Sealing cracks. Since radon enters your home through cracks in the floor and the foundation, sealing cracks and leaks is an important first step. However, sealing cracks will limit but not completely stop the flow of radon into a home.

b) Suction. On effective method of eliminating radon includes inserted pipes into or below the foundation slab. These pipes are then connected to a vent fan that pulls radon from below the house and releases it out into the open air.

c) Depressurization. This generally involves drilling a hole in the basement floor and extending a pipe beneath the slab of the house. The pipe runs up through the home and then vents outward with the help of an inline fan.

d) Ventilation. Installing a heat recovery ventilator increases ventilation by drawing outside air into the house and expelling radon-contaminated air. Air is warmed or cooled as needed, and air filtration can be added to filter the outdoor air coming in.

e) Filtration. While filtration is not the only method by which radon can be reduced, research has shown that even standard HEPA filters can reduce radon by as much as 85%. And while air cleaning is not recommended to control radon because most filtration systems, even HEPA filters, are incapable of stopping the tiniest particles to which radon progeny adhere. IQAir’s HyperHEPA filtration, on the other hand, filters particles down to 0.003 microns – the smallest particles that exist.

IQAir Air Purification SystemsGiven that November is Lung Month and Radon Action Month in Canada, now is as good a time as any to test your home for radon. The sooner you have your home tested, the sooner you will be on your way to ensuring yours is a healthy home for you and your family.

This article is brought to you by our friends at IQAir North America, Inc., a member of the Swiss-based IQAir Group that develops, manufactures and markets innovative air purifiers and air quality products for indoor environments around the globe. IQAir is the exclusive educational partner of the American Lung Association for the air purifier industry. Jarrod Barker

UPDATE- From Futurism: “Say goodbye to ‘cracks’, self-healing concrete has arrived.” Concrete that is mixed with Bacteria to self-heal and last for two hundred years. https://www.facebook.com/futurism.co/videos/496701823842355/