Residential
Indoor Air Quality Investigations Information
Do you know that poor indoor air
quality (IAQ) in the home can affect the health of the occupants? Excessive
moisture, mold, pets, lifestyle, chemical contaminants and carbon monoxide are
some things that can cause indoor air quality problems. The good news is that
there are ways to deal with problems and improve the quality of the air. Most of
the time, you can solve an IAQ problem yourself. CMHC’s The Clean Air Guide
is a good reference to start with. But occasionally, solving an IAQ problem
may require a professional's investigation. These are some answers to questions
you may have about IAQ investigations.
What is an IAQ investigation?
Is an IAQ
investigation the same as a home inspection?
How can I tell if I
need an IAQ investigation?
Does an IAQ
investigation include air testing?
Shouldn’t you find
out if toxic molds are present?
What if I suspect carbon monoxide?
What does the CMHC IAQ Investigation Residential Procedure involve?
What are the benefits of hiring a trained professional to do an IAQ
investigation?
What should I receive
from the IAQ investigator?
What is an IAQ investigation?
An IAQ investigation is an inspection of your home to
determine if there are indoor air problems and to identify the sources and
solutions.
Is an IAQ
investigation the same as a home inspection?
No. Home inspections, which are primarily for real estate
purposes, document the condition and deficiencies of the home at the time of the
inspection. They seldom include inspections for indoor air quality purposes. An
IAQ investigation focuses on indoor air quality concerns.
How can I tell if I
need an IAQ investigation?
An IAQ investigation may be
needed for a number of reasons:
-
You are about to undertake a
renovation. Making sure the air quality is improved is a good idea.
-
You suspect a problem but
you don’t know what to do. There may be a history of flooding, roof leak or
a previous fire.
-
You can see mold, but it
keeps coming back after cleaning.
-
There may be an odour in the
house that cannot be explained or removed.
-
You suspect symptoms linked
to the house. You may feel better when you are away from your house. Or, you
associate the onset of symptoms with a specific event, such as moving to the
house or a renovation. Friends or family may also experience symptoms while
visiting.
-
Someone in the family may be
sick or have
allergies and you want to ensure the house is not contributing to health
problems.
Does an IAQ
investigation include air testing?
Testing the air for molds and other contaminants, as a first
step, is not recommended by CMHC. Laboratory tests give you limited information.
Tests for a specific chemical contaminant can tell you if the chemical is
present. Tests for molds can tell you the genus (family) or species of molds
that are detected. The significance of the results is subject to interpretation.
Furthermore, the results do not tell you the sources and how to correct the
problems. A building-science based inspection has proven effective in
identifying IAQ problems and solutions. Taking remedial action is far more
important than identifying individual contaminants.
Shouldn’t you find
out if toxic molds are present?
When mold is found to be growing in a house,
the solution is to clean it up and correct the cause. The currently accepted
guidelines emphasize fixing the problem rather than identifying the type of
mold. However, specific situations may require mold testing. The investigator
will let you know if tests are advised.
What if I suspect carbon monoxide?
Seek immediate help. If you suspect carbon monoxide, call a
qualified heating contractor or your gas company to check your heating system.
What does the CMHC IAQ Investigation Residential Procedure involve?
An IAQ investigation using the
procedures developed by CMHC includes:
1. Gathering information
about your house, its history and any health concerns of the occupants.
2. Conducting a comprehensive
walk through and documenting IAQ problems of the house at the time of the
inspection.
3. Analyzing how your house
performs based on the information collected.
4. Writing a report that
identifies the problems, pinpoints their sources and recommends solutions.
What are the benefits of hiring a trained professional to do an IAQ
investigation?
A trained IAQ investigator is
more likely to find the problems, determine the causes and provide the
appropriate correction measures. You can avoid mistakes and unnecessary costs if
the problems and solutions are properly evaluated.
What should I receive
from the IAQ investigator?
Any IAQ investigation should always include a written report
providing an assessment of the problems, causes and recommended solutions. A
written report that ranks the recommendations according to their importance and
costs would make it easier for you to make decisions or take steps to correct
the problems. There likely will be too much information to remember if you
receive only a verbal report. The onus would be on you to make notes yourself
during the walk through and evaluate the merit of solutions suggested by the
investigator.
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