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Do I Need an Indoor Air Quality Test?

Homeowner using CPS device to test indoor air quality and viewing results on smartphone.

If you’re a homeowner, you might have heard about indoor air quality (IAQ) testing but probably haven’t given it a whole lot of thought. After all, air quality problems are rarely in the news. 

However, that doesn’t mean that you’re off the hook when it comes time to test your indoor air quality. In fact, beyond carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, there are other forms of indoor air pollution that you need to be mindful of if you want to protect your short-term and long-term safety.

If you’re wondering how to improve your indoor air quality, here’s everything you need to know about indoor air quality testing.

When Should You Test?

In an ideal world, everyone would conduct frequent and regular air quality testing to minimize the risk of respiratory illnesses and improve their air quality. However, this is not feasible for everyone, and if you fall into the latter category, how do you know when to test your indoor air quality?

Poor indoor air quality is usually present when you notice health problems appear for no apparent reason. Some symptoms that could indicate poor indoor air quality are: 

  • Respiratory issues (like aggravated asthma and allergies)
  • Headaches 
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Shortness of breath
  • Congestion
  • Unusual coughing and sneezing
  • Irritated eyes, nose, and throat
  • Memory loss
  • Fatigue
  • Depression or other cognitive changes

Poor IAQ is also the leading cause of lung cancer, which is why it’s better to learn how to improve your indoor air quality sooner than later. 

What Should You Test For?

When you test the indoor air quality in your home, there are several different kinds of pollutants that you should be paying attention to. These can be broken down into three categories: 

  1. Particles and allergens. Particulate matter includes dust, pet dander, dust mite feces, smoke, and hair. 
  2. Germs and infectious agents. These include viruses, bacteria, mold, flu virus, and pollen growth. 
  3. Chemical gasses and odors. Common sources and examples include chemicals from cleaning products, pesticides, off-gassing from building materials, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, benzene, and various other volatile organic compounds. 

These pollutants can cause a broad spectrum of different health symptoms and make your home an uncomfortable place to live. IAQ testing becomes a very custom process depending on your concerns. Some assessments may call for more expensive mold sampling and checking radon levels. These kinds of air pollutants may not create issues immediately, but they can cause asthma attacks, respiratory distress, and even cancer down the line if they’re left untreated. 

Remember, it’s usually best to seek a trained specialist to test your indoor air quality. IAQ technicians have access to commercial-grade equipment and can offer a professional opinion on how to improve your indoor air quality.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

It’s important to tackle indoor air quality issues at the source, and an expert assessment can help with this. But here are some things you can try yourself before calling an expert: 

  • Clean ceiling fans, furniture, floors, and carpets to reduce dust in the air
  • Program the air conditioner to dehumidify to 55% relative humidity or lower to reduce microbial growth
  • Change air conditioning filters regularly
  • Use UL Greenguard Certified cleaning products
  • Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home

If you’ve taken these steps but you’re still concerned about the air in your home, you may benefit from an expert indoor air quality assessment and solutions that tackle the root causes.

Indoor air quality solutions vary widely based on each home and the concerns of the occupants. This is why we offer personalized air quality assessments to better understand what is right for you and your budget. Solutions may include: added dehumidification, introducing conditioned fresh air from outside, air purifiers, ultra-violet lights, sealing air leakage, system cleaning, and sanitization, better filtration strategies, etc.

The right solutions can transform your stale indoor air so it feels like you’re breathing fresh outdoor air in an instant. To find out more about indoor air quality testing or speak with an IAQ specialist about whether you should test your indoor air quality, call Polar Bear today!

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John Thistle
John Thistle
21:32 17 May 23
I recently had my air conditioning unit installed by Polar Bear Air Conditioning in Cayman Kai. I was very pleased with the service I received. The workmen, Jerome, Tony, and Nathan, were all professional and courteous. They arrived on time and were dressed in their uniforms. They laid out carpeting where they would be walking inside the house to avoid leaving debris or making a mess. They worked clean and kept the space tidy. They were polite and provided me a good understanding of the work they completed as well as showed me all pieces of equipment. They emailed me a jpg image of each piece of equipment's information plate so that I could record it in my home management software, as requested.Here are some specific details about the work they did:They installed 3 new high-efficiency air conditioning units that are much more energy-efficient (26 SEER) than my old units.They cleaned and disinfected the air ducts, as well as replaced previously installed flex ducts with rigid duct work that is superior in efficiency and durability.They installed new filters to help keep the air clean and free of allergens.They explained the operation of the new units to me and answered all of my questions.They cleaned up after themselves and left my home in good condition.I would highly recommend Polar Bear Air Conditioning to anyone in need of air conditioning installation or service. They are a professional and reliable company that provides excellent customer service.
Charles Mobley
Charles Mobley
01:19 01 May 23
Our ac stopped working a few weeks ago and Polar Bear sent Roemaine and Tyrone to diagnose the problem. Roemaine and Tyrone very quickly identified the problem and communicated with me. It turns out the best option was replacing the condensing unit which Paul quoted within a matter of minutes and they had expert installation team (Tony and Jerome) complete late in the afternoon with short notice. I’m very happy with their work!
TQ
TQ
17:26 22 Feb 23
I have, over the years been trying to find a reliable, professional A/C maintenance and repair company. I have tried a few. That search is now over after using Polar Bear. Billy and Jerry were absolutely a pleasure to work with. Knowledgeable and professional from the initial diagnosis to the final repair. I highly recommend this company and the team that came to do work on my AC. Tim.
Gill Gordon
Gill Gordon
01:58 27 Jan 23
Polar Bear technicians are always very polite, friendly and professional in their service. Each of their technicians that we have dealt with have been great and they are always super responsive to getting someone out. Pictured are Antony and Billy who completed our recent service 👍
Zichri M.
Zichri M.
22:27 30 Dec 22
Great work. I received an email and also a call from the dispatcher that the tech would be calling me, and sure enough, the tech (Simon) called shortly after that to let me know he was on his way which was very much appreciated. The customer service from all of the team and updates was spot on, and Simon was very thorough and very knowledgeable. He was also very courteous and professional. I rate Polar Bear as the best company in town. Great work!
Glenroy Miller
Glenroy Miller
03:27 24 Dec 22
Tyrone is very knowledgeable and professional, he gave me a step by step update of what he was doing. He also gave advice on how best to protect not only the unit but my family. My wife and I are totally satisfied with the service.
Kyle Roberts
Kyle Roberts
22:50 23 Dec 22
Polar Bear's service and response was amazing! Nicole who answered my phone call and scheduled me was extremely friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable! The Technician assigned to me was Simon and he was also extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. Within a minute of looking at my system he knew what the errors and issues were! He was able to fix one of the two problems that day, and then came scheduled and came the following day to fix the remaining issue. He was perfectly on time and the courtesy call before arrival both times before arriving was a welcome touch as it made sure that I was ready.Will continue using polar bear for all my HVAC needs! 5*
Kayla Shibli
Kayla Shibli
01:09 05 Oct 22
My experience with Polar Bear has been awesome!!!! From the beginning, the office staff were so professional and kind, then receiving my AC quote, the gentleman has been very prompt in his response time—, the kind of employee that puts customer first and has such a nice and an approachable attitude, very patient in answering my questions and providing guidance as required by me- customer focus completely, then as if that wasn’t enough to convince me to move my AC maintenance and installation to Polar Bear; the technicians that attended to my AC installation provided such excellent service— what stood out was how they used a carpet that was placed on my floor to avoid making any mess on my floor and whatever mess they did make, the technician used their broom to remove it. I know this message is long but I really wanted to express my THANK YOU and appreciation for such excellent customer service that I’ve experienced by Polar Bear — you have won me as a customer!! THANK YOU! Keep up the excellent customer service!!! Looking forward to building a relationship with you as a new customer.
Robert L White
Robert L White
11:48 15 Aug 22
Olivia and Demitri very professional , competent and are delightful people! She came by and diagnosed some issues with our AC system . I am reviewing your estimate at this time..I truly enjoyed meeting them. They both real assets to your Company!Rob
Omari Rankine
Omari Rankine
04:58 10 Jul 22
I am very pleased with the service that was provided by Polar Bear. I had an issue where the ac was not working at one of my rental properties after hours on a weekend. Rohan came all the way out to East End at 10pm and worked on the issue to get the system back up and running. He was very thorough and explained the issue in detail, and the measures I needed to take to prevent it from reoccurring. Excellent customer service
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