Asbestos testing is serious business (which is not to say that volatile organic testing or mold inspections aren’t). Asbestos has been linked to cancer. Its use has been banned in more than 50 countries. In the United States, it is strictly regulated, but, as long as it accounts for less than 1% of the product, it is still being used in a large number of consumer products.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium, which is a thin layer of tissue covering almost all of your internal organs. The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lungs and can cause shortness of breath and pain when coughing, among a number of other symptoms. There is no cure.

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral that can be found in nature. It became popular in manufacturing because of its heat-resistant properties. And, because asbestos was cheap, it was widely used, not only in manufacturing but also in heavy industry and things like construction and shipbuilding.

According to the Mesothelioma Center, “For most of the 20th century, asbestos was a primary component in almost all types of insulation. No device was too big to insulate with asbestos — or too small.”

How Did Asbestos Get into Our Homes?

“Historically, most asbestos exposure has occurred on the job. Asbestos miners and factory workers who handled raw asbestos on a regular basis have suffered the worst health consequences,” the Mesothelioma Center says. “However, asbestos-containing consumer products have extended the risk of exposure to people from all walks of life.”

Here in the United States, we love our gadgets, right? Well, following World War II, when more and more of those gadgets were coming to market, asbestos was being used for insulation. As long as the products that contained asbestos remained intact, there was no concern, but if they were damaged or broken, the risk of contamination was there.

Some of the many products that contained asbestos insulation included:

• Ovens and stoves
• Toasters
• Coffee pots
• Baby bottle warmers
• Popcorn poppers
• Dishwashers
• Washing machines and dryers
• Ironing boards
• Curling irons
• And get this, according to the Mesothelioma Center, “Fluffed chrysotile — commonly known as white asbestos — was once sold as fake snow for Christmas decorations.”

If you think your home or workplace might be in need of an asbestos inspection, please don’t delay. Contact our environmental testing experts – or another qualified asbestos testing company – with your questions and concerns as soon as possible.

The post What Is Asbestos and How Did It Get into Our Homes? appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

A thorough indoor air quality assessment – including things like VOC testing, an asbestos inspection, formaldehyde testing and a mold inspection – is a good idea if employees of your company seem to be suffering ill health as a result of the time they spend on the job. Not every ailment contracted as the result of the poor indoor air quality in a workplace is as hard to pin down as Sick Building Syndrome.

With Sick Building Syndrome, the exact cause of the complaint can’t be specifically identified. There are a host of building-related illnesses, however, that can be accurately diagnosed and linked to specific contaminants in the air.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the term Sick Building Syndrome refers to “situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building.”

On the other hand, the EPA uses the term Building Related Illness when “symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.”

Often this condition is temporary, but some buildings have long-term problems. Frequently, problems result when a building is operated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures. Sometimes indoor air problems are a result of poor building design or occupant activities.

Sick Building Syndrome VS Building Related Illness

Sick Building Syndrome is associated with the following conditions:

• The people who work in the building may suffer from headaches, itchy eyes, throat irritation, dry cough, dry or itchy skin, dizziness, nausea and other complaints. They may be troubled by mental fogginess, fatigue and sensitivity to odors.
• Their symptoms generally ease when they leave the building.
• The specific cause of the symptoms isn’t known.

On the other hand, the EPA says the following characteristics indicate that you’re dealing with Building Related Illnesses:

• The symptoms are more specific. People who work in the building are complaining of symptoms like coughing, chest tightness, fever, chills and muscle aches.
• These symptoms can be clinically defined and have clearly identifiable causes.
• Just leaving the building may not be enough to provide relief.

According to a paper on Indoor Air Facts and Sick Building Syndrome published by the EPA, “A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ).”

If you think your building might be one of that 30 percent – or if you’d like information about keeping the air in your building healthy so your building doesn’t join the list – give us a call at 1-888-462-4763 or 1-888-GO-AIRMD or submit your question online. Our experts in VOC testing, asbestos inspections and mold remediation in our Boca Raton, FL headquarters will by happy to help you.

The post VOC Testing May Identify Building Related Illnesses appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

When you’re talking about the air you breathe, you don’t want to take any chances. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the indoor environments where we eat, sleep, work, learn and play can be 5 to 20 times more polluted than the great outdoors. If you’re considering mold testing in Boca Raton, VOC testing in Orlando, formaldehyde testing or an asbestos inspection in Florida or any of the many other locations served by AirMD, you’ll be happy to know that our people are members of the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA).

The IAQA was established in 1995 as a way to bring dedicated, science-based professionals together to prevent and solve indoor environmental problems for the benefit of consumers and the public. Membership in the IAQA is largely comprised of contractors, consultants, facility maintenance professionals, researchers, industry vendors, school officials, and representatives from state and federal government agencies.

Education is an extremely important component of the work the IAQA does. In addition to those who conduct mold inspections in Florida, mold testing in Houston, mold removal in Tampa, asbestos inspections in South Carolina or VOC testing in North Carolina like the experts at AirMD, the IAQA aims to provide useful information to those working in a variety of fields within the indoor air quality industry.

The IAQA also works to inform consumers by translating science into terms that can be understood, establishing standards and bringing critical feedback to industry leaders. The flow of information between all parts of the industry is essential to the healthy growth – of families like yours, small businesses and large corporations across the country and, of course, environmental consulting firms like AirMD. It pushes us to keep learning, to keep improving and to refining our services to better serve you – whether you are looking for someone to conduct an asbestos inspection of a property your firm is considering buying in Buffalo NY, a formaldehyde test at your corporate facility in Houston TX, a mold inspection of a Miami office or mold removal from your Tampa winter home.

The post Our mold testing pros are proud members of the Indoor Air Quality Association appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.