You were correct when you answered my question and this video is right on. In my situation it was a mold inspection they wanted. I am looking at the equipment you mentioned but more on a used basis for starters. TSI 7545, TVOC meter. Seems like adding CO, CO2, Formaldehyde, and TVOC readings is what jumps into to a IAQ test vs just a air mold sample. Of course as you say it is really a bit undefined.
Undefined and not absolute! Mold is mold, however, once you start to get into VOCs, one could argue that you’re entering the indoor air quality testing space. At least in South Florida, there is a clear distinction between mold and everything else.
Just measured TVOC yesterday in my apartment at 1.42 and now starting to learn about this stuff. Been having breathing problems for months. Gonna check out other videos you have. Hopefully there is a way to find what’s causing it.
Identification of causation, or put simply, finding the source, is one of the most important parts of any indoor environmental concern. You can attempt your on “source tracking”, where you setup your meter in different parts of your apartment for a period of time and record the average readings. Then you focus your investigative work on the area(s) with the highest average readings. You might also consider buying an at-home VOC testing kit, which would allow you to see the actual chemical compounds present - as opposed to only a number associated with tVOCs. Another option would be to hire a professional, who can use a precision PID to hone in on concerning areas and either collect a sample like mentioned above or another form of VOC procurement. Here is one of the online sites where you can order a kit: www.homeaircheck.com/products/
Hi Josh. Bit of an odd question here, and excuse my english. Do you think a proper VOC (PID sensor) with data logging could help me analyze and compare hundreds of perfumes regarding their strength/performance? For example, I spray a test strip with a light citrus summer fragrance and leave the scent strip near the device for several hours. The next day, I do the same with a much stronger perfume. All I want is to be able to compare the 2 resulting graphs and see how one lasts longer and projects more than the other. One of my doubts is if I'd need to constantly wave the scent strip around the meter in order to get proper readings, or if I could just leave the scent strip next to it and forget. I guess buying a RKI GX-6000 or a Q-Trak XP 7585 would be overkill for my purposes, but I'm not very confident about the accuracy of the cheaper options like the Atmotube, Airthings, etc. Actually, maybe accuracy is not really that important because all I want is a reference point to compare several perfumes. Anyway, do you think a VOC meter would help me achieve what I'm looking for? Thank you!
Hi Joan. First and foremost, thank you for the excellent question! As you mentioned within your last paragraph, I don’t believe that you would need precision with respect to the VOC readings, however, you would want consistency with respect to the readings. As you also mentioned, I too agree that a professional grade instrument may not be needed for your use-case. With that said, I would still make sure that you use a device that maintains good reproducibility. Given that you’re bringing the odors to the device, you could also look to a bench top style VOC monitor, as opposed to something portable. While I don’t have any experience with these types of units, I have to imagine that the price points would be more affordable, given the lack of being able to take it around with you. If you go with a portable unit, and are willing to make a nominal investment $1k or less, you can get an Aeroqual Series 200 device and a VOC sensor for a good price. This would provide you with professional level results, without necessarily breaking the bank - in comparison to meters like me TSI, Honeywell and others. I actually have a used Series 200 meter, which is be happy to part ways with, if you were interested in saving a little money on a secondhand device. If so, send me an email - Josh@learniaq.com. This is the sensor that you would want to purchase. The resolution of the sensor would be sensitive enough for your needs. www.spectotechnology.com/product/voc-sensor-head/?Sales-Performance+Max+2023&hsa_acc=4064136243&hsa_cam=18329976198&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gbraid=0AAAAADNpewi7cOhDGdG8wWS4GSMmbx-gf&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvL-oBhCxARIsAHkOiu0nJ0A86Xod0ttI2lQ0EX1Ue6yWOJmbuKd6ncY2Q4ayvf4V9zj8dhQaArBJEALw_wcB
Hi, new viewer here. I am a mushroom farmer and air quality is a pretty important metric for us in a few different ways. Biological load in our fruiting chambers, CO2 lvls in the various stages of growth, and also particle count in our labs to assess sterility of our work areas in front of our laminar flow hepa filters. What would you recommend for testing hepa filters efficacy quickly.
Hey there! There are different levels of testing how well HEPA filters are working. In my industry, most professionals will utilize a laser particle counter to determine if a HEPA filter is working optimally. An affordable laser particle counter that numerous professionals use is the Dylos DC1700. Might be worth checking out.
Really informative video. Thank you! You are a very good teacher. I have a garage gym. It takes up the entirety of my two car garage. I have rubber horse stall mats as the flooring of the entire area. I’m pretty sure the horse stall mats are made of recycled tires. Since it’s an enclosed area and we are breathing heavy in there, I’m trying to determine if I should worry about toxins+carcinogens emitting from the rubber. Is there a way I can test this with an instrument from Amazon? Or have it tested professionally? I simply want to know if it’s safe or not.
Excellent question! While you could always utilize a handheld VOC meter, I feel like a better use of funds would be to rent yourself a low flow pump and collect a VOC sample using a sorbent tube. Given the fact that your use case is very specific, and limited to one area, a VOC meter would be more than you need. In addition, you’re not going to see the level of accuracy and resolution that you would find with a professional grade instrument. Even with a professional grade instrument, you’ll only be reading TVOCs - which means that you won’t know specific VOCs that are present. With a sorbent tube analysis, you’ll be able to see the most common VOCs present, as well as their levels. Knowing the specific chemical compounds is helpful, as you can compare these against nationally recognized permissible exposure limits (PELs) as well. Here is a link to a rental option: www.homeaircheck.com/product/voc-mold-test/
Love this comment! While I have plans to host an in-person and virtual class to share information relating to just this, I don’t yet have a date in mind. In the meantime, shoot me an email and we can schedule a time for a call. I’m happy to give you some pointers and guidance to get you started! Josh@learniaq.com
Hi Josh, any chance you could review the meters you use and show us how they work when measuring CO, CO2, HCHO, TVOC. Do you prefer PPM or mg/m3? Love to see an example report showing Acceptable levels vs. what you found for a client? Of course, whenever you can do this is fine.
@@IAQJosh Josh, it is so refreshing to see how you always offer to help people. I believe this is one of the ways we get better at our jobs as when we help others it forces us to review the materials and processes…so it’s a win all around. Wish our markets were closer as I would love to shadow you on a couple of jobs…
Hi Josh! Thank you for this information. We had 2 mattresses with fiberglass and we were not aware of it. I removed the cover for one of them and fiberglass came out. It’s been a year and we cleaned it the best we could but I think we still have some. My son is complaining of skin irritation, throat and eyes. What would be the best way to truly figure out how bad it is and best way to remove it. I’ve had testing and air purifiers already
Hi Ana. At the end of the day, our bodies tend to know best - as to whether or not something is bothering us. Sampling/testing is an excellent tool, to evaluate indoor environmental conditions. However, understand that even though we may find “acceptable” levels of fiberglass, mold, etc., this does not mean that an individual within a household may not still react to these lower levels. My personal approach would be to sample both the surfaces and air, looking for fiberglass particles. This sampling would accompany a thorough visual inspection of surfaces, using a flashlight and UV light. UV can be helpful in seeing what is harder to see with the naked eye and a flashlight. What type of testing have you already done? Air purifiers have limitations as well, so one thought/recommendation would be to consider building/implementing Corsi-Rosenthal air cleaners throughout the concerning areas. Given the overall low cost, and excellent filtration of the CR devices, you can clean a lot of air very quickly. The concept of driving clean air upward and drawing return air in along the ground level makes for overall lower particulate within a given area.
Thank you for this great video! I have a question. Will a professional test for mold and asbestos at the same time? I don’t need other aiq testing. I know I have a mold problem in my apartment but if construction is necessary I don’t want asbestos released into the air. My apartment was built in 1979
Excellent question! An IAQ assessment is nothing more than a label for services broader than just mold investigation. In your case, you can certainly request a mold assessment with an asbestos survey In general, there are fewer professionals that perform asbestos (also known as ACM) surveys - due to licensure requirements. Nonetheless, a custom tailored assessment is quite possible in many cases.
Hi Jake! Excellent question. My recommendation would be to look to ACAC.org, which is a well respected organization certifying competent individuals. This would be a great resource over looking at individuals with minimum state required credentials. Here is a link to locating a certified Individual: www.acac.org/find
Thanks! Unfortunately, I’m unaware of any type of testing/sampling specific to those needs. I know that an ammonia sensor could be used to provide insight on animal urine, specifically feline urine, but I’m not certain on what could be used for human urine detection. As far as cleaning chemical smells, a decent VOC detector could provide insight on the levels of chemicals still present within an area. If you were looking to categorize these chemicals, you would need to collect a VOC sample using an adsorbent tube, TO-15 canister or similar. This would provide information on exactly what chemical compounds are present.
Hye Josh, I clean ERV, minisplit, furnace and I do duct cleaning. I'm looking to buy a tool to test the air inside my clients or potential clients house. Do you have something to recommend? I want to be able to see if the really need the duct cleaning service and show them the quality of the air before and after the service.
Hey there! As far as a tool for measuring to see if a duct cleaning service is necessary, there unfortunately isn’t anything designed for this. You might consider using a laser particle counter, which will show quantitatively the number of particles in the air. This can be a good tool to demonstrate a particle load reduction after duct cleaning, but there’s also challenges that you may face. If the indoor environment isn’t very clean, the positive impact of your duct cleaning may be minimal, and not really well represented on a particle counter. Personally, I think your best tool would be a high powered flashlight. Casting the light parallel to the surface, you should be able to see how impacted the duct surfaces are. You could go a step further a use white cotton clothes to wipe the surface of the ducts and see how much transfer you get. White gloves are also a good tool for checking cleanliness of surfaces.
Excellent question! For starters, you need to have an idea of what you are looking for. Unfortunately, if you were to call up most companies that perform environmental assessments, they would lead with proposing mold testing. The term “indoor air quality” is a broad term to begin with. Furthermore, a much smaller number of environmental companies perform anything more than mold testing & assessment. In general, a mold assessment is the most common type of indoor air quality check. While it is limited to evaluating the mold/fungi load within your property, it does address one of the more common indoor environmental hazards - moisture and mold. Assuming you are looking for more than just mold, such as VOCs, Formaldehyde, excess dust, etc.,, you’re going to want to research companies in your area and call to discuss your specific wants/needs. A true professional will listen to you and ask questions, as opposed to pushing services your way. The conversation should lead to an obvious service need, in which you and the professional should agree is needed.
While I cannot provide you with the 3 best particle counters, I can share with you my experiences with the only 3 I’ve used. These are the Particles Plus 8306, TSI Q-Trak XP 7585 and the Dylos DC1700. All 3 of these devices have worked well for my needs, providing with me comparative information between different areas. As the Dylos unit is only a 2 channel particle counter, my use for this device was exclusively for evaluating our containment areas post-remediation. As clean is clean, we should read very low numbers on this device. If and when I saw abnormal numbers (double digits on up), I would use this to warrant additional cleaning of the work areas. The TSI and Particles Plus (PP) units are often used during the assessment process, with my personal favorite being the PP. Both are excellent tools for comparing one indoor area to another, as well as the outdoors. I could look at the multiple channels displayed and identify any anomalies amongst the channels. My favorite is the PP, as this device has one sole purpose, which is particle counting. I’m a firm believer in having specific tools dedicated to a single function.
Hello again, Kyle. Spore-trap (air) sampling and surface sampling is typically a good start for a mold inspection. More importantly than testing/sampling is the inspection itself. Looking for water damage indicators, locating areas of elevated moisture content, etc.
Hi Josh. Great video. I get a headache lately every time I go into the finished basement. No other symptoms. I do have allergies but this seems different. Can’t seem to find a legit expert like yourself here in central Connecticut. Would you be able to refer me to someone?
Hi Sully. Sorry to hear of what you’re dealing with. While I don’t know if an expert in that arena, within your area, I can refer you to a colleague that I know within the indoor environmental space. Possibly start here and then see where the process takes you. In many instances, you don’t necessarily need an expert to identify more common environmental issues. EOC Environmental Adrien Deshaies (207) 604-0470
Although I am not an HVAC professional, I am fairly well versed with NADCA’s ACR 2021 Standards. To best answer your question, I will include an excerpt from the standard at the end of this reply. If you follow the steps within the standard, you should be in good shape. You essentially just need a pump capable of 17 LPM and an MCE cassette. Both are relatively inexpensive and pretty readily available. 5.4.1 Test Components: The following describes the materials and test components used to perform Method 2 - NADCA Vacuum Test verification: • Air Sampling Pump: An air sampling pump capable of drawing a minimum of 15 liters per minute through a closed-face cassette containing 37 mm matched weight filters (two 0.8 or.45 micrometer pore size mixed cellulose ester (MCE) filters in series) shall be used. • Filter Media: Filter media within the vacuum cassette shall be 37 mm mixed cellulose ester (MCE) matched weight filters (0.8 or .45 micrometer pore size preloaded in three-piece cassette.) • Calibration Device: The vacuum pump shall be calibrated using a calibration device that is accurate to ±5% at 15 liters per minute. • NADCA Vacuum Test Template: The template shall be 15 mil thick (0.381 mm) and shall provide a 100 cm2 sampling area consisting of two (2) 2 cm x 25 cm slots at least 2.5 cm apart.
The closest person that I personally know of who is competent with building investigations, and has a wealth of knowledge of this industry is Travis West w/ Building Air Quality. He’s north of Houston though. I’ll link his website below, should you like to reach out. www.baq1.com/
Speaking specifically to the State of Florida, no certifications are needed to open a business. However, if you plan on performing mold testing services, you would need to acquire an MRSA state license.
Well that’s the million dollar question right there! Unfortunately, most folks have no way of knowing the true water damage history of a home. Your best bet to combat acquiring a “toxic” home (toxic meaning that it can be very bad for some) is to do your due diligence before taking possession of the home. Thorough visual inspection and mold sampling for what we cannot see are very helpful. Concentrating on areas where plumbing is located is very important.
Indoor environmental assessments may include asbestos testing. For me, they do not (currently), only because I am not qualified to sample for asbestos at the moment. The beautiful thing about an indoor environmental assessment, which includes IAQ testing, is that a professional can pretty much evaluate anything that falls under the umbrella of the indoor environment. There are no set rules or standards for these types of investigations.
Absolutely! Feel free to email me anything you’d like. Bare with me on any slow responses this week, as I’m coincidentally heading to a military base for mold assessing services.
You were correct when you answered my question and this video is right on. In my situation it was a mold inspection they wanted. I am looking at the equipment you mentioned but more on a used basis for starters. TSI 7545, TVOC meter. Seems like adding CO, CO2, Formaldehyde, and TVOC readings is what jumps into to a IAQ test vs just a air mold sample. Of course as you say it is really a bit undefined.
Undefined and not absolute! Mold is mold, however, once you start to get into VOCs, one could argue that you’re entering the indoor air quality testing space. At least in South Florida, there is a clear distinction between mold and everything else.
@@IAQJosh thanks Josh! Always great info on your Videos…
Just measured TVOC yesterday in my apartment at 1.42 and now starting to learn about this stuff. Been having breathing problems for months. Gonna check out other videos you have. Hopefully there is a way to find what’s causing it.
Identification of causation, or put simply, finding the source, is one of the most important parts of any indoor environmental concern.
You can attempt your on “source tracking”, where you setup your meter in different parts of your apartment for a period of time and record the average readings. Then you focus your investigative work on the area(s) with the highest average readings.
You might also consider buying an at-home VOC testing kit, which would allow you to see the actual chemical compounds present - as opposed to only a number associated with tVOCs. Another option would be to hire a professional, who can use a precision PID to hone in on concerning areas and either collect a sample like mentioned above or another form of VOC procurement.
Here is one of the online sites where you can order a kit: www.homeaircheck.com/products/
@@IAQJosh 04:43 05:52 Hi, What Brand/Model Of VOC Test Device is that you're using in your Tool Kit??
Wow, this is such an insightful post! Thank you for sharing this valuable information
with us.
Thank you for watching!
We need refresher courses in human services.
Anything to help humans be better humans, I’m all for!
Hi Josh. Bit of an odd question here, and excuse my english. Do you think a proper VOC (PID sensor) with data logging could help me analyze and compare hundreds of perfumes regarding their strength/performance? For example, I spray a test strip with a light citrus summer fragrance and leave the scent strip near the device for several hours. The next day, I do the same with a much stronger perfume.
All I want is to be able to compare the 2 resulting graphs and see how one lasts longer and projects more than the other. One of my doubts is if I'd need to constantly wave the scent strip around the meter in order to get proper readings, or if I could just leave the scent strip next to it and forget.
I guess buying a RKI GX-6000 or a Q-Trak XP 7585 would be overkill for my purposes, but I'm not very confident about the accuracy of the cheaper options like the Atmotube, Airthings, etc.
Actually, maybe accuracy is not really that important because all I want is a reference point to compare several perfumes.
Anyway, do you think a VOC meter would help me achieve what I'm looking for?
Thank you!
Hi Joan. First and foremost, thank you for the excellent question! As you mentioned within your last paragraph, I don’t believe that you would need precision with respect to the VOC readings, however, you would want consistency with respect to the readings.
As you also mentioned, I too agree that a professional grade instrument may not be needed for your use-case. With that said, I would still make sure that you use a device that maintains good reproducibility. Given that you’re bringing the odors to the device, you could also look to a bench top style VOC monitor, as opposed to something portable. While I don’t have any experience with these types of units, I have to imagine that the price points would be more affordable, given the lack of being able to take it around with you.
If you go with a portable unit, and are willing to make a nominal investment $1k or less, you can get an Aeroqual Series 200 device and a VOC sensor for a good price. This would provide you with professional level results, without necessarily breaking the bank - in comparison to meters like me TSI, Honeywell and others. I actually have a used Series 200 meter, which is be happy to part ways with, if you were interested in saving a little money on a secondhand device. If so, send me an email - Josh@learniaq.com.
This is the sensor that you would want to purchase. The resolution of the sensor would be sensitive enough for your needs. www.spectotechnology.com/product/voc-sensor-head/?Sales-Performance+Max+2023&hsa_acc=4064136243&hsa_cam=18329976198&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gbraid=0AAAAADNpewi7cOhDGdG8wWS4GSMmbx-gf&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvL-oBhCxARIsAHkOiu0nJ0A86Xod0ttI2lQ0EX1Ue6yWOJmbuKd6ncY2Q4ayvf4V9zj8dhQaArBJEALw_wcB
Hi, new viewer here. I am a mushroom farmer and air quality is a pretty important metric for us in a few different ways. Biological load in our fruiting chambers, CO2 lvls in the various stages of growth, and also particle count in our labs to assess sterility of our work areas in front of our laminar flow hepa filters. What would you recommend for testing hepa filters efficacy quickly.
Hey there! There are different levels of testing how well HEPA filters are working. In my industry, most professionals will utilize a laser particle counter to determine if a HEPA filter is working optimally.
An affordable laser particle counter that numerous professionals use is the Dylos DC1700. Might be worth checking out.
@@IAQJosh awesome thank you!
Really informative video. Thank you! You are a very good teacher. I have a garage gym. It takes up the entirety of my two car garage. I have rubber horse stall mats as the flooring of the entire area. I’m pretty sure the horse stall mats are made of recycled tires. Since it’s an enclosed area and we are breathing heavy in there, I’m trying to determine if I should worry about toxins+carcinogens emitting from the rubber. Is there a way I can test this with an instrument from Amazon? Or have it tested professionally?
I simply want to know if it’s safe or not.
Could I order a $150-$250 VOC monitor to determine this?
Excellent question! While you could always utilize a handheld VOC meter, I feel like a better use of funds would be to rent yourself a low flow pump and collect a VOC sample using a sorbent tube.
Given the fact that your use case is very specific, and limited to one area, a VOC meter would be more than you need. In addition, you’re not going to see the level of accuracy and resolution that you would find with a professional grade instrument. Even with a professional grade instrument, you’ll only be reading TVOCs - which means that you won’t know specific VOCs that are present.
With a sorbent tube analysis, you’ll be able to see the most common VOCs present, as well as their levels. Knowing the specific chemical compounds is helpful, as you can compare these against nationally recognized permissible exposure limits (PELs) as well.
Here is a link to a rental option: www.homeaircheck.com/product/voc-mold-test/
@@IAQJosh That makes sense. Thank you so much for the info. I'll look into renting for sure!
Any recommendations on a place for an hvac professional to start learning about proper IAQ assessment tools and procedures?
Love this comment! While I have plans to host an in-person and virtual class to share information relating to just this, I don’t yet have a date in mind.
In the meantime, shoot me an email and we can schedule a time for a call. I’m happy to give you some pointers and guidance to get you started!
Josh@learniaq.com
Hi Josh, any chance you could review the meters you use and show us how they work when measuring CO, CO2, HCHO, TVOC. Do you prefer PPM or mg/m3? Love to see an example report showing Acceptable levels vs. what you found for a client? Of course, whenever you can do this is fine.
Hey there! Happy to develop some content around this feedback. I’ll put this into my Topic Planner. Thanks for the idea!
@@IAQJosh Josh, it is so refreshing to see how you always offer to help people. I believe this is one of the ways we get better at our jobs as when we help others it forces us to review the materials and processes…so it’s a win all around. Wish our markets were closer as I would love to shadow you on a couple of jobs…
Hi Josh! Thank you for this information. We had 2 mattresses with fiberglass and we were not aware of it. I removed the cover for one of them and fiberglass came out. It’s been a year and we cleaned it the best we could but I think we still have some. My son is complaining of skin irritation, throat and eyes. What would be the best way to truly figure out how bad it is and best way to remove it. I’ve had testing and air purifiers already
Hi Ana. At the end of the day, our bodies tend to know best - as to whether or not something is bothering us. Sampling/testing is an excellent tool, to evaluate indoor environmental conditions. However, understand that even though we may find “acceptable” levels of fiberglass, mold, etc., this does not mean that an individual within a household may not still react to these lower levels.
My personal approach would be to sample both the surfaces and air, looking for fiberglass particles. This sampling would accompany a thorough visual inspection of surfaces, using a flashlight and UV light. UV can be helpful in seeing what is harder to see with the naked eye and a flashlight.
What type of testing have you already done? Air purifiers have limitations as well, so one thought/recommendation would be to consider building/implementing Corsi-Rosenthal air cleaners throughout the concerning areas.
Given the overall low cost, and excellent filtration of the CR devices, you can clean a lot of air very quickly. The concept of driving clean air upward and drawing return air in along the ground level makes for overall lower particulate within a given area.
Thank you for this great video! I have a question. Will a professional test for mold and asbestos at the same time? I don’t need other aiq testing. I know I have a mold problem in my apartment but if construction is necessary I don’t want asbestos released into the air. My apartment was built in 1979
Excellent question! An IAQ assessment is nothing more than a label for services broader than just mold investigation.
In your case, you can certainly request a mold assessment with an asbestos survey In general, there are fewer professionals that perform asbestos (also known as ACM) surveys - due to licensure requirements. Nonetheless, a custom tailored assessment is quite possible in many cases.
Very Informative. Thanks man!
Glad you found valuable information in this video. Thanks for watching!
Any good resources for finding mold testing and/or assessment companies for homeowners ?
Hi Jake! Excellent question. My recommendation would be to look to ACAC.org, which is a well respected organization certifying competent individuals. This would be a great resource over looking at individuals with minimum state required credentials.
Here is a link to locating a certified Individual: www.acac.org/find
@@IAQJosh Much appreciated. Will check that out.
Thanks for the video. Which make and model of particle counter do you use ?
Thanks for watching! I use a Particles Plus 8306. It’s a wonderful 6 channel particle counter.
Great cannel. Do you have a test for when you want to test public rest rooms that have a strong urine / leftover cleaning chemical smells?
Thanks! Unfortunately, I’m unaware of any type of testing/sampling specific to those needs. I know that an ammonia sensor could be used to provide insight on animal urine, specifically feline urine, but I’m not certain on what could be used for human urine detection.
As far as cleaning chemical smells, a decent VOC detector could provide insight on the levels of chemicals still present within an area. If you were looking to categorize these chemicals, you would need to collect a VOC sample using an adsorbent tube, TO-15 canister or similar. This would provide information on exactly what chemical compounds are present.
Great video, good information.
Why thank you! Thanks for watching.
Hye Josh, I clean ERV, minisplit, furnace and I do duct cleaning. I'm looking to buy a tool to test the air inside my clients or potential clients house. Do you have something to recommend? I want to be able to see if the really need the duct cleaning service and show them the quality of the air before and after the service.
Hey there! As far as a tool for measuring to see if a duct cleaning service is necessary, there unfortunately isn’t anything designed for this. You might consider using a laser particle counter, which will show quantitatively the number of particles in the air. This can be a good tool to demonstrate a particle load reduction after duct cleaning, but there’s also challenges that you may face. If the indoor environment isn’t very clean, the positive impact of your duct cleaning may be minimal, and not really well represented on a particle counter.
Personally, I think your best tool would be a high powered flashlight. Casting the light parallel to the surface, you should be able to see how impacted the duct surfaces are. You could go a step further a use white cotton clothes to wipe the surface of the ducts and see how much transfer you get. White gloves are also a good tool for checking cleanliness of surfaces.
How can I get professional person to check it inside home air quality
Excellent question! For starters, you need to have an idea of what you are looking for. Unfortunately, if you were to call up most companies that perform environmental assessments, they would lead with proposing mold testing. The term “indoor air quality” is a broad term to begin with. Furthermore, a much smaller number of environmental companies perform anything more than mold testing & assessment.
In general, a mold assessment is the most common type of indoor air quality check. While it is limited to evaluating the mold/fungi load within your property, it does address one of the more common indoor environmental hazards - moisture and mold.
Assuming you are looking for more than just mold, such as VOCs, Formaldehyde, excess dust, etc.,, you’re going to want to research companies in your area and call to discuss your specific wants/needs. A true professional will listen to you and ask questions, as opposed to pushing services your way. The conversation should lead to an obvious service need, in which you and the professional should agree is needed.
Can you give at least 3 most recommended particle counter for IAQ testing? Thanks
While I cannot provide you with the 3 best particle counters, I can share with you my experiences with the only 3 I’ve used. These are the Particles Plus 8306, TSI Q-Trak XP 7585 and the Dylos DC1700.
All 3 of these devices have worked well for my needs, providing with me comparative information between different areas. As the Dylos unit is only a 2 channel particle counter, my use for this device was exclusively for evaluating our containment areas post-remediation. As clean is clean, we should read very low numbers on this device. If and when I saw abnormal numbers (double digits on up), I would use this to warrant additional cleaning of the work areas.
The TSI and Particles Plus (PP) units are often used during the assessment process, with my personal favorite being the PP. Both are excellent tools for comparing one indoor area to another, as well as the outdoors. I could look at the multiple channels displayed and identify any anomalies amongst the channels. My favorite is the PP, as this device has one sole purpose, which is particle counting. I’m a firm believer in having specific tools dedicated to a single function.
What kind of test do you recommend for a home inspection?
Hello again, Kyle. Spore-trap (air) sampling and surface sampling is typically a good start for a mold inspection. More importantly than testing/sampling is the inspection itself. Looking for water damage indicators, locating areas of elevated moisture content, etc.
Hi Josh. Great video. I get a headache lately every time I go into the finished basement. No other symptoms. I do have allergies but this seems different. Can’t seem to find a legit expert like yourself here in central Connecticut. Would you be able to refer me to someone?
Hi Sully. Sorry to hear of what you’re dealing with. While I don’t know if an expert in that arena, within your area, I can refer you to a colleague that I know within the indoor environmental space. Possibly start here and then see where the process takes you. In many instances, you don’t necessarily need an expert to identify more common environmental issues.
EOC Environmental
Adrien Deshaies
(207) 604-0470
what is the best device to check the dust in the duct as per NADCA requirements
Although I am not an HVAC professional, I am fairly well versed with NADCA’s ACR 2021 Standards. To best answer your question, I will include an excerpt from the standard at the end of this reply.
If you follow the steps within the standard, you should be in good shape. You essentially just need a pump capable of 17 LPM and an MCE cassette. Both are relatively inexpensive and pretty readily available.
5.4.1 Test Components: The following describes the
materials and test components used to perform Method
2 - NADCA Vacuum Test verification:
•
Air Sampling Pump: An air sampling pump capable of
drawing a minimum of 15 liters per minute through
a closed-face cassette containing 37 mm matched
weight filters (two 0.8 or.45 micrometer pore size mixed
cellulose ester (MCE) filters in series) shall be used.
•
Filter Media: Filter media within the vacuum cassette
shall be 37 mm mixed cellulose ester (MCE) matched
weight filters (0.8 or .45 micrometer pore size preloaded
in three-piece cassette.)
•
Calibration Device: The vacuum pump shall be
calibrated using a calibration device that is accurate to
±5% at 15 liters per minute.
•
NADCA Vacuum Test Template: The template shall be
15 mil thick (0.381 mm) and shall provide a 100 cm2
sampling area consisting of two (2) 2 cm x 25 cm slots
at least 2.5 cm apart.
Miller Cliffs
Anybody that you know of that does what you do in the Austin, TX area? I've had a lot of mold inspectors but nothing definitive has been found.
The closest person that I personally know of who is competent with building investigations, and has a wealth of knowledge of this industry is Travis West w/ Building Air Quality. He’s north of Houston though. I’ll link his website below, should you like to reach out.
www.baq1.com/
Glover Shoals
What certificates are needed to open a business?
Speaking specifically to the State of Florida, no certifications are needed to open a business. However, if you plan on performing mold testing services, you would need to acquire an MRSA state license.
If I am not the first homeowner how do I know if timothy flooded the bathroom when the kid wasn't my child?
Well that’s the million dollar question right there! Unfortunately, most folks have no way of knowing the true water damage history of a home.
Your best bet to combat acquiring a “toxic” home (toxic meaning that it can be very bad for some) is to do your due diligence before taking possession of the home. Thorough visual inspection and mold sampling for what we cannot see are very helpful. Concentrating on areas where plumbing is located is very important.
Why does it have to be Timothy?! Maybe it was Josh, Joey, or Jerkface! WHY do people always make fun or blame little Timmy??
Does it also test for asbestos particles in air by any chance?
Indoor environmental assessments may include asbestos testing. For me, they do not (currently), only because I am not qualified to sample for asbestos at the moment.
The beautiful thing about an indoor environmental assessment, which includes IAQ testing, is that a professional can pretty much evaluate anything that falls under the umbrella of the indoor environment. There are no set rules or standards for these types of investigations.
@@IAQJosh Thank you for your response!
Wowww
I know, right!
McLaughlin Ford
Vergie Haven
Dedric Trail
1689 Russell Port
561 Marilyne Passage
Good morning. May i email you the equipment my unit has for military services and you could help me create a sampling plan?
Absolutely! Feel free to email me anything you’d like. Bare with me on any slow responses this week, as I’m coincidentally heading to a military base for mold assessing services.
Josh@learniaq.com
Quinten Roads
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