The holiday season is upon us, which means we spend more time indoors to stay out of the cold and to spend more time with family and loved ones. This also means more shared meals and enjoying Grandma’s cooking. The delicious odors that come from cooking are pleasant and enjoyed by all. However, this blog post will discuss the impacts that cooking has on indoor air quality and some recommendations to minimize its negative effects.
On many projects that I have worked on throughout the years, I have been asked to evaluate a building for “Sick Building Syndrome”. Now, what is this syndrome? Is the building somehow sick? Not exactly. According to the EPA, sick building syndrome (or SBS) describes “situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort
I’m sure you are familiar with asbestos, but did you know that there are different types of asbestos? In previous blogs, we discussed the basics of both chrysotile and crocidolite. Chrysotile is a serpentine based mineral which was the most common asbestos used. Crocidolite is a blue amphibole mineral more rarely used than chrysotile. These
You may have just finished up a major renovation project in your home or office and have been left with a huge amount of construction dust as an unwanted byproduct. Maybe you have seen news stories on the dangers of silica dust and worried “is it in my home?”. In this blog, I will go
Are you feeling sick when you’re indoors? Do your symptoms vary depending on your location? Being in the indoor air quality industry we receive many calls from potential clients who fear that their indoor environment is making them ill. This blog post will discuss “sick building syndrome” and “building-related illness symptoms”.
Recently I have been getting a number of assignments that involve issues with a crawl space. These projects are interesting because they’re not always easy to figure out; add to that the fact that you just never know what you are going to find in this dark and creepy area! Let’s take a look at
Halloween season is finally upon us again. This is the season of haunted houses, horror films, and spooky costumes. While we attribute horror stories with supernatural entities such as vampires,
As the cooler temperature of autumn rolls in, many people can not wait to get the windows open and light up their favorite pumpkin pie scented candle. Candles can add a relaxing fragrance to your home, and are a huge business in the US. Estimates show that annual candle sales in the US approach $2
Cost is oftentimes a top concern for potential clients. We understand that while you may have a pressing indoor air quality problem that you would like to resolve, your budget may not allow you to consider indoor air quality testing. We like to work with our clients to provide a quote based on the type
If you are a regular reader to this website, I think you understand the importance of radon testing. It is a serious health issue and the second leading cause of lung cancer. “Should you have radon testing done?” is not the question per se; that is obvious. But for many, the next logical question becomes
Last week, Americans across the country remembered the 18th anniversary of the attacks that occurred during 9/11. These attacks not only killed thousands of Americans in the initial strike but also created environmental conditions that continue to affect citizens exposed to the toxic dust of the World Trade Center collapse
Here in Chicago, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. Kids are going back to school, parks and beaches are closing, the days are getting shorter, and the summer heat is starting to fade. This changing of seasons means we are starting to spend more time indoors, which often means an uptick in indoor
The team at Indoor Science performs hundreds of indoor air quality assessments per year, from commercial and residential to industrial. After doing a number of assessments, we begin to notice patterns and common questions. One common question being “why is my basement musty?”. This may seem like a simple question but there are many factors
Researchers at Yale University and the University of Tulsa recently conducted a study to see if mold growth in one section of a house can affect other areas of the home. This is an interesting question, especially for people who have health issues which can be aggravated by mold growth. Can mold in one level
While watching one of your favorite films or television series, there are often scenes in very unique environmental settings. Such as a chase through an abandoned tunnel or a scene involving an old warehouse. While many can be sets inside of a Hollywood studio, some producers choose to use real locations for an authentic look.
Previously, I posted a blog about the benefits of mold and fungi in the environment, in food production, and its potential as a future energy source. In this post, I would like to focus on mold in a more specific context: how mold impacts the brewing industry – my personal favorite.
If you have done some basic research into mold testing, you have probably come across information on air sampling. For this blog, I will focus on the most common type of mold air samples, spore traps. Each specific mold problem is unique, so there is no one-size solution for the number of air samples. The
Wouldn’t it be great if you could spot an obvious scam by seeing a company name like “Scams R Us”! Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to spot these companies that can take advantage of you. To answer the question “Is mold testing a scam?”, I would answer “yes” and “no”. It depends. Let’s look at
Buying or remodeling an older property can be exciting. However, one item that can be uncovered is vinyl floor tile installed before the late 1970s. Vinyl floor tiles made before this time period could potentially contain asbestos and derail a major housing project. In this blog, we will discuss vinyl floor tile and how to
We often receive calls for general inquiries about mold inspections. We understand that a mold problem is not a common occurrence so we are ready and willing to answer multiple questions from potential clients. One question that comes up often is “can you take air samples for mold only and not perform a full mold inspection?”. This blog post will answer this question and also provide some information on our typical mold inspections.
You may have just recently undergone a renovation in your home and noticed that the fresh paint odor seems to be very strong and lingers months after you finished. Maybe you had some new furniture delivered, and ever since you have been suffering from headaches in your home. These are just two examples of common
You have probably seen in the news or websites about the possibility of carcinogens in your home’s air. But what exactly does that mean? What are carcinogens? Simply put, a carcinogen is anything that can possibly cause cancer. It can be something in the air, a product that you use, or a certain type of
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), millions of homes in the United States still contain lead paint. While people typically associate lead exposure with peeling paint chips in an older home, one hazard that can be overlooked is lead present in household dust. In this blog, we will discuss lead in settled dust and
The average person may not know what indoor air quality (IAQ) entails or what it is. We get calls from potential clients who are unsure of what questions to ask regarding their IAQ concerns. Some people may even be hesitant to call because they feel as if their concerns are not related to IAQ. This blog post will provide some guidance on when indoor air quality testing may be needed most.
Our company frequently gets calls from potential clients who are shopping around for services, and we often hear the questions “What makes your inspections different?” For mold inspections, one size does not fit all. You want to make sure the person coming out to your home does the best job possible. Moisture: The Key to
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