How Often Should I Have My Indoor Air Quality Tested

The quality of your indoor air plays a significant role in your health and overall well-being. The presence of strange odors, aggravated allergies and various pollutants are some of the common signs indicating that your indoor air quality has deteriorated. Here at Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating, we offer professional indoor air quality services.

So, how often should you test the quality of your indoor air? This will depend on a few factors and any signs of bad IAQ you notice.

Strange Odors in the Home

If you’ve lived in your home for some years, you’re probably used to the familiar indoor scent. If you suddenly notice a strange odor that doesn’t seem to have any obvious causes, chances are you need to have your indoor air quality tested. Something could be wrong somewhere, and you won’t be able to point it out without engaging professional HVAC services.

Some weather conditions, such as when it is windy, may push unpleasant smells into your home. It wouldn’t be much of a problem if your ventilation system dealt with it. However, if the smell just won’t go away, you may be looking at the wrong culprit. You’ll need to have the indoor air quality tested to identify the problem.

Inconsistencies in Air Temperatures and Distribution

While small inconsistencies are common, there shouldn’t be any major temperature differences between air-conditioned rooms. Let’s say you walk into your bedroom to retire for the night but are suddenly hit by cold air. When you go back to the living room, you find it warm just like you left it a while ago. While it could be the problem of your air conditioner, it may also be an indication that you need to check your indoor air quality.

Inconsistencies in air temperatures may cause circulation problems and affect the quality of your indoor air. You could start by checking your air conditioner for faults. If any are found, be sure to get HVAC repairs. It may also be important to consider changing the zoning system to have uniform air temperature in all rooms.

Humidity Problems

If the humidity in your house is either too low or too high, you need to test the quality of your indoor air. You are staring at low humidity your indoor plants begin to wither and the wallpaper starts peeling off the wall. Constant static electricity may also point to very low indoor humidity. Low humidity in your indoor air can become a health hazard if not checked.

Too much humidity in your indoor air is also a problem. This may encourage the growth of mold and mildew as well as the breeding of parasites such as dust mites. Excess humidity in your house may also cause breathing problems, as well as some allergic reactions in some family members. You may also experience dampness in the house. When you see these signs, know it is time to test the quality of your indoor air.

Growth of Molds and Mildews

The growth of mold and mildew is a sure sign that something is wrong in your home. Since they develop in damp areas, you could start by investigating possible causes of wetness in your house. Check if your faucets are leaking. In fact, check the entire plumbing system for possible cracks and leaks. If everything is working just fine but mold is still thriving in your house, you may need to test your indoor air quality.

Poor indoor air quality may be the reason for the growth of mold in your rooms. Testing may reveal certain factors, such as too much moisture, which encourages the development of mold and mildew. If this is the case, you may have to check your air conditioners to see if they are in good working order.

HVAC System Is Over a Decade Old

How old is your HVAC system? Like any other device, an HVAC system will depreciate with age, especially in terms of efficiency. While they should work for quite some time, 10 years may be the limit. But before you go about overhauling the HVAC system, you need to be sure. The quality of your indoor air is an important factor.

Replacing the air conditioning system in your home can be time-consuming and costly. For this reason, it’s best to reach out to an IAQ technician. The system may only need repairs, but a replacement will be better if the quality of the indoor air is consistently poor. Breathing in fresh clean air is much more important than anything else, and therefore, a worthwhile investment.

The Presence of Allergy-Causing Pollutants

The level of allergens in your house may also dictate how often you should test your air quality. Many of these pollutants are invisible to the human eye, but they make their presence to be felt in various ways. If you, or members of the family, experience allergic reactions such as sneezing, coughing, irritation of the eyes and shortness of breath, allergy-causing pollutants could be the culprit.

Testing the quality of the indoor air may help you to determine if pollutants have infested your house. Since they may hinder the efficiency of your air purification devices by clogging them, you’ll want to eliminate them. Check the quality of your air regularly to know if these unwelcome particles are in the air so you can take appropriate corrective measures.

Structural Changes in Your Home

If you have undertaken certain structural changes in your home, you will need to test the quality of your internal air. Adding a new floor, another room or extra window may change the way air flows in your home. Structural adjustments may cause the accumulation of dust particles in your house, thus, impeding the efficiency of your HVAC systems. You need to test the quality of the air before settling down to determine if it’s still safe for breathing.

Sometimes, you need to replace your air filtration systems. You may want to move from the traditional equipment using ducts to the modern ductless systems, which are more efficient. Once they are in place, you have to test the quality of the indoor air to see if they are working efficiently. You should always partner with reputable HVAC service providers for the best results.

Exercising Due Diligence

How often you should test the quality of your indoor air may depend on your power of reason. Though the frequency of the tests is not cast in stone, you can exercise due diligence in determining when the tests are due. If you suspect that something doesn’t smell right, conduct an indoor air quality test. It could save you a lot of trouble and health problems from breathing unclean air. If you want to be safe, get at least one test a year.

Strange odors, issues with humidity, structural changes and the aging HVAC systems may determine how often you should test the quality of your indoor air. If you’re unsure, give us a call at Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating in San Antonio, TX. We have been in business for many years. We’ve acquired the experience and expertise required to handle heating, cooling and IAQ-related projects.