Over the past 11 months, there has been a constant flow of new developments regarding COVID-19 seemingly every day. It can be overwhelming trying to keep up with the latest news as new research is published every week. In today’s blog, I am going to discuss if air cleaners can be an effective way to
Asbestos is unfortunately very common in homes built before the 1970s. Common asbestos-containing materials are floor tiles, pipe insulation, wall materials, ceiling tiles, and thermal insulation. Many of these materials, if they are in good condition, can remain in place if not disturbed. A problematic place where asbestos can be found is on or inside
With a pandemic unfolding, a near-blizzard happening outside in Chicago, and February 14th quickly approaching, it’s the perfect time to cuddle up indoors with your special someone. When I hear “Valentine’s Day”, I think of flowers and candies swapped with friends and loved ones, hand-written letters full of sweet nothings, and… mold! That’s right, it’s
Pesticides can have a great effect on air quality without occupants even realizing it. It starts out with finding unwanted guests in our home. I use the term “guests” in jest because I am referring to pests and rodents. With these unwanted creatures, one is led to wonder about what pesticides to use and how
working from home due to the global pandemic. This means that many large and small buildings have been mostly vacant for months. It may seem that a less occupied building does not need as much support from maintenance or building engineers because there are less people. The truth is that buildings still require regular maintenance. One particular environmental hazard to look out for in vacant buildings is Legionella bacteria.
For decades inspectors across the world have depended on using cassettes and laboratory analysis to perform indoor air quality sampling for mold. Our company collects over 2,000 of these spore trap samples every year! However, there are some drawbacks to sampling like this, such as deciding on how many samples to take and where to
Walking into your home after a long day to see black streaks across the walls can be a horrifying scene. You may wonder if it is mold but haven’t noticed any moisture issues. These streaks may be a sign of ghosting. The term ghosting in this context doesn’t refer to supernatural hauntings or cutting off
With everyone spending more time at home these days, it makes for a great opportunity to start crossing off “to-do” list items you haven’t gotten around to. Renovations, remodels, and household projects can help make a space feel more updated, personalized, and better suited for the occupants’ needs. When undertaking these home improvement projects, it’s
Carpets can be great for those who enjoy the look and feel of carpeting. However, carpet can also be the source of a number of indoor air quality problems for those with hypersensitivities. In this blog, I want to address some of the issues that can occur with this material and some of the ways
Because of Covid-19, there has been a newfound interest in ventilation amongst the general public because we know proper ventilation can reduce disease transmission. In previous blog posts, we have also discussed the specifics on what the ventilation targets should be for a building… but how did this come to be? We have novel information
When you picture the contributors to global warming in your mind’s eye you likely imagine clouds of dense smoke billowing from coal-powered electricity plants or the dark plume of exhaust from a semi-tractor. Did you know that in the US, buildings are responsible for 38% of the total carbon dioxide emissions? Buildings use 39% of
I frequently answer calls from clients asking for a professional opinion on air duct cleaning. “Does your company recommend air duct cleaning?”, “Is it a scam?”, “Will it cause more harm?”, and “Will it improve my indoor air quality?” are all common questions that I receive. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to any of
With the colder weather slowly starting to seep its way into a Chicago winter, our thoughts start to turn towards… radon! I know, not exactly in keeping with the holidays, but still it’s something that we need to consider. While spending more and more time in our homes due to the pandemic, the importance of
During the pandemic, people have been spending more time in their homes. This has prompted many of us to have a newfound appreciation for our living spaces, but with this appreciation comes curiosity about indoor air quality concerns. I’ve noticed that requests for radon testing in particular have increased in the past few months. Some
Receiving results that your property contains lead-based paint can be difficult news to hear. However, you’re likely not alone because lead-based paint is actually not uncommon in properties built before the late 1970s. Depending on the condition of the painted surface and renovation plans, managing lead in a property can range from easy and inexpensive
After you have found an environmental problem at your property, you take the next step to resolve it. After contacting a professional to remediate the problem, you might even breathe a sigh of relief. However, sometimes the help you request can lead to dire consequences. In a previous blog, I discussed environmental horror stories from
Halloween is quickly approaching, and what better time to talk about the things that go “bump” in the night. Most of us have heard plenty of stories of witches on their brooms, dancing skeletons, and ghosts rattling chains in the attic of a Victorian home. Could these scary stories have explanations beyond the paranormal or
Have you ever wondered how asbestos is safely removed from a property? Asbestos abatement also known as asbestos removal is an intensive process. To be clear, Indoor Science does not offer asbestos abatement or have financial ties with abatement companies. Earlier in my career, I worked as a project manager overseeing asbestos abatement at schools
A musty odor can be a telltale sign of a mold or moisture problem in a home. Perhaps in your own home, the odor was what prompted you to schedule a mold inspection! Once the mold is discovered and remediated, the odors will likely go away. But what happens when that musty smell lingers in
One of the final stages of asbestos abatement is to have an independent consultant do “clearance testing”. Before clearance testing is performed, the asbestos was identified by a consultant and it was abated by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. Clearance verifies if the abatement work was properly done and the level of airborne asbestos is
Am I getting enough ventilation to reduce COVID risks? Short answer: probably not. Unfortunately, the long answer is very technical. But here it goes… Although it is now widely recognized that COVID-19 can spread via the airborne route and that ventilation is extremely important, we still don’t know how much ventilation is enough. In this
The words “toxic black mold” could strike fear in the heart of any renter, homeowner, or contractor. At one point or another, almost everyone has heard a horror story, read a headline, or watched a talk show about the negative health impacts of the infamous “toxic black mold”. At Indoor Science, we frequently get requests
Living in the 21st century, it is very likely that you have seen a commercial or advertisement about asbestos-related illness or lawsuits. While the term asbestos has mainstream recognition, many aspects of it are not generally understood by the general public. Many will ask how does asbestos form? What does asbestos look like? In this
What happens after you have a failed mold remediation? In addition to having the hassle of performing mold remediation in your property (not to mention the expense), some clients wisely decide to spend the extra time and expense to have a mold inspector verify if the remediation was successful. This is to ensure that the
There are also state and municipal level requirements for asbestos inspections and abatement work. While mold licensing is mandated in a few states such as Florida and New York, every state often has a form of asbestos licensing for workers and inspectors.
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