Verify Air Quality Testing

Mold causes cancer in dogs Our pets, especially dogs are very susceptible to developing allergic reactions as well as serious diseases from poor indoor air quality as well as hidden mold growth. Dogs are like small kids in body size and spend the majority of their indoor life on or near the floor. Water damage and hidden mold growth tend to be hiding behind walls (near the bottom of the wall) as well as under flooring. This makes the vicinity of the mold growth a potential hazard to dogs and kids crawling on the floor. Mold growth produces mold spores which can become part of the breathable air. Many mold species produce mycotoxins which are toxic chemicals used by mold to battle other fungi. Inhaling an abundance of mold spores with mycotoxins can make you sick. Inhaling carcinogenic mycotoxins such as Aspergillus flavus can lead to cancer. The best way to protect your dog from developing cancer from a hidden mold growth issue in your home is to have a profession...

Wrong Way To Do Mould Remediation The mould remediation industry in Canada has taken off over the last decade or so. When we started air quality testing, mould inspections and mould testing in the Toronto area there were only a handful of large environmental companies doing mould assessments and only a few asbestos contractors dealing with mould removal. Toronto has seen a huge spike in contractors willing to do mould removal…many don’t know what they are doing. Just yesterday we were called in by one of our residential clients in the Toronto area that was concerned about how the mould growth in his basement was being removed by a contractor hired by his landlord. I have been doing air quality assessments and mould inspection in the GTA for about 18 years, never have I seen a worse mould remediation contractor like this. The mould removal contractor was cleaning up mould growth in the basement bathroom and kitchen area. None of his workers was wearing the proper Pers...

Safe Indoor Air Quality Safe Indoor Air Quality Is Filtering Out Bacteria, Viruses, and Allergens Now more than ever it is important to have good indoor air quality and safe indoor air quality. Your furnace filtration system needs to be able to filter out bacteria, viruses, and allergens including mold spores. There are lots of filters on the market with these claims but do they really perform as advertised. Most homes in the GTA have either very poor air filtration or no filtration at all due to cheap pleated media filters on the market. This leads to a whole host of indoor allergy symptoms and homeowners suffering needlessly when indoors. Let’s face it, the outdoor air isn’t as great as it used to be in Toronto coupled with people self-isolating at home due to the recent pandemic…now is the time to protect the indoor air of your home. Let’s look at the standard pleated furnace filter. Its basically like a facemask for your furnace. All of the airborne allergens suc...

Although it doesn’t really even feel like spring today in Toronto, summer is just around the corner. Soon it will be air conditioning weather and spending time indoors to beat the heat. Make sure you have good indoor air quality for the summer to make sure you and your family stay healthy. Here are a few issues that can negatively affect your indoor air quality especially with the hot and humid Toronto and GTA weather coming up. We can’t stress enough that a comprehensive and professionally indoor air quality assessment is the most important first step in keeping your indoor air quality healthy. Think of an air quality test as a ‘physical for your home’. Once you know what your indoor air quality problems are, the easier it is to improve your indoor air quality and the air you breathe. GTA Indoor Air Quality Threats: The most obvious culprit for poor indoor air quality this summer is heat and humidity. If your temperature is too high, the air can feel very un...

Humidity and Air Quality Winters in Canada tend to be very cold and very dry from a relative humidity standpoint. Low outdoor relative humidity can lead to dry indoor air quality or low indoor relative humidity. Relative humidity indoors that is either too low or too high can lead to poor indoor air quality. Ideally, the indoor relative humidity for maximum occupant comfort is usually in the 55%-60% range. This is where we feel most comfortable year-round and at this level our sinuses and respiratory system, even our skin is properly supported. This is considered good indoor air quality from a relative humidity perspective. However, this level of humidity is not sustainable in our climate. In the summertime, our outdoor humidity in the Toronto area is usually 65%-85%. If we use air conditioning or dehumidifiers then usually indoor relative humidity in our homes, apartments even at work tend to fall into the 55%-65% range without much effort. On certain hot and humid day...

Poor Air Quality Can Keep You Up Insomnia and poor indoor air quality are more linked than you might think. The quality of your indoor air quality in your home may be the most important factor in you getting a good night’s sleep. According to Statistics Canada, almost 3.3 million people suffer from insomnia and roughly 5.4 million people in Canada are diagnosed with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Researchers have found a link between poor indoor air quality contributing to sleep apnea. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/sleep-apnea-bad-mood-air-pollution-can-affect-you#Howpollutionaffectsairways What are the main factors that affect or cause poor indoor air quality? Increase or abundance of airborne particles or dust.   Lack of fresh air or poor ventilation leading to an increase in Carbon Dioxide or CO2. Increase in VOC’s or airborne chemicals from furniture, contents or decorating materials including paint. Presence of formaldehyde from adhes...

COVID-19 and Indoor Air Quality Yale Study finds that COVID-19 may be controlled indoors with good indoor air quality. During this difficult time where most of us are self-isolating and staying at home, the health of our home and the quality of the air we breathe is of utmost importance. Dr Meredith McCormack of the America Lung Association and associate professor of pulmonary and critical care at Johns Hopkins University stated on March 27, 2020, as printed in the New York Times, “increased pollution increases susceptibility to infection”, “…a person exposed to air pollution would likely have a worse outcome if they were exposed to coronavirus”. She added, “now that many of us are cooped up at home, indoor air quality is even more important”. Numerous studies suggest that poor air quality, and this includes indoor air quality, may deplete the immune system and leave occupants more susceptible to a viral infection and more severe health symptoms. So individuals wit...