Why Your Home Needs an IAQ Assessment

July 17, 2024

Portland, OR, climate is one of a kind, with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, making it easy for indoor air pollution to occur. High humidity, allergies to lush flora, and urban pollution are just a few reasons homeowners must know and take action to improve their indoor air quality. To make educated decisions about improving your home’s indoor air quality, a professional air quality assessment gives you a thorough picture of the air quality in your home.

Detection of Hidden Mold

Portland’s wet weather, especially in the winter and fall, makes it a perfect place for mold to flourish. Mold can grow covertly in dark, damp areas, such as behind walls or under flooring. Fortunately, an air quality check can find mold spores in the air. This early detection allows timely remediation to protect your house and family’s health.

Identify Allergens

Many plants in the Pacific Northwest can trigger allergies in certain individuals. The area’s Douglas firs and several grasses can lead to elevated pollen levels. If you suffer from allergies, an indoor air quality study can help you determine which allergens are most prevalent in your house and how to eliminate them best. People with asthma or allergies will like this feature because it allows them to personalize their living space.

Pinpoint Volatile Organic Compounds

Many Portlanders try to use eco-friendly products because the city promotes green living. However, some furniture, paints, and cleaning supplies can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. An air quality evaluation can determine the presence and amounts of VOCs in your house to improve the air quality and find safer alternatives.

Reveal HVAC Inefficiencies

Portland homes with outdated HVAC systems, particularly in more established neighborhoods such as Laurelhurst and Ladd’s Addition, can benefit from an air quality audit. An audit can identify inefficiencies in an older system, such as poor filtering or ductwork problems. Fixing these problems will lead to better air quality and more efficient energy use, lowering utility bills.

Use Findings To Choose Air Cleaning Solution

Based on the findings of your air quality testing, you can choose the most appropriate air cleaning solutions. We recommend that you follow the assessment’s results, which may include installing air purifiers, replacing your HVAC filters, or fixing ventilation problems. Instead of wasting money on general solutions, our method ensures you obtain solutions tailored to your unique needs.

Suppose you want to make your indoor air healthier to breathe. In that case, you can install an air purifier with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or an activated carbon filter, which eliminates gases and odors. Another way to clean the air is with an ionizer, which can destroy germs and viruses. When it comes to eliminating gases, chemicals, and particles from the air, nothing beats an air scrubber, an advanced air cleaning appliance.

Some HVAC systems use UV lamps to destroy mold, bacteria, and viruses as they float through the air as an extra line of defense against airborne diseases. It’s a common practice to place these lights in ducts or close to coils to expose as many dangerous microbes as possible. Proper ventilation, which involves letting in clean air from outside and exhaling stale air, is also essential for healthy interior air quality.

Increase Value of Your Home

Property listings in Portland with excellent air quality ratings tend to fetch a higher selling price. Enhancements made in response to an air quality assessment’s recommendations can serve as a selling factor. In a city where people are so health-conscious, it highlights you care about keeping the community where you live clean and safe.

Long-Term Cost Savings

Finding and fixing issues like mold development, HVAC inefficiencies, and dangerous contaminants can save money and avoid health problems in the future. This forward-thinking strategy aligns with Portland’s values of an eco-friendly lifestyle and conscientious property ownership.

We Bring Peace of Mind to Homeowners

One of the best things about checking indoor air quality is the relief it gives you. Portlanders are very proud of both our homes and our health. The comfort of knowing that you have done everything in your power to guarantee that your loved ones are breathing clean air is priceless. Whether indoors on a gloomy day or throwing a summer BBQ, it lets you make the most of your home.

Now that you understand the benefits of air quality testing for Portland homes, it’s time to schedule one for your house. Climate Control also helps homeowners with heating installations, AC repairs, duct cleaning, water heater installations, and more.

Contact Climate Control today to schedule an air quality assessment for your home. Ask us about our AC maintenance plans!