Have you ever wondered what our talented AirMD environmental testing experts do when they’re using their skills to conduct tests for asbestos, water quality testing, VOC testing or mold inspections? We may be science geeks, but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy hopping on a bike, enjoying a nice dinner on the town or catching a movie.

We do have one asbestos tester who is into apiculture, which is a fancy way of saying that he likes to keep bees. And he would like us to wish all of you a very happy National Honey Month.

What’s the Buzz?

Lots of people don’t like bees, which is really a shame. Honeybees are among the hardest working and most needed creatures on the planet. About a third of the food on your typical dinner plate couldn’t be produced without the pollinating efforts of bees.

But, while not everyone is interested in beekeeping, just about everyone is interested in the honey these busy little buzzers produce.

Honey not only tastes delicious, it offers a number of benefits, including:

• Honey is a source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids in honey. The National Honey Board also says that honey contains antioxidants as well as flavonoids and phenolic acids that act as antioxidants. “The amount and type of these compounds depend largely on the floral source,” the Honey Board says.
• Honey gives you energy. There are 17 grams of carbohydrates in a single tablespoon of honey. Those carbs provide the fuel you body needs.
• Honey makes you feel better. For centuries, people have been turning to honey when they have a cold. Research backs up this timeless wisdom. According to the National Honey Board, “Honey offers an effective and natural alternative to over-the-counter cough medicine. Though time is the most important healer of a sore throat, a spoonful of honey can help relieve the irritation,” they say.

In addition to being National Honey Month, September also happens to be the height of fall allergy season. Allergy sufferers may be disappointed to learn that the overlap is nothing more than a coincidence.

As the health experts at the Mayo Clinic tell us, there is no research to show that honey will ease your allergies. “The idea isn’t so far-fetched, though,” James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Division of Allergic Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic and a board-certified asthma and allergy specialist. “Honey has been studied as a cough suppressant and may have anti-inflammatory effects.”

If you have questions about the health benefits of honey, check with your doctor. And if you have questions about testing the indoor air quality of your home or office, contact the environmental testing experts at AirMD.

The post Happy Honey Month! appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

Environmental testing is usually a time-sensitive matter. Whether you need water quality testing, an indoor air quality test or, perhaps, a mold inspection, chances are that you are not calling on a whim. you need to know if you have a problem sooner rather than later.

When an emergency – like a hurricane or flood – hits your business, you need to get back up and running as fast as you can. As they say, time is money.

You could take your chances, or you could plan ahead and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that, in the event of an emergency, the professional help you need to get your business back up and running will be there.

With the Emergency Response Services Program from AirMD, you won’t be told that we are just too busy to help you.

Urgent Environmental Testing & Inspection Services

In the event of an emergency – like a hurricane or a flood – the chances are high that your business won’t be the only one affected. People from organizations large and small will be frantically trying to get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

For many, environmental testing and inspections will be among the first steps that need to be taken.

The Emergency Response Services Program from AirMD ensures that you will have prompt access to environmental testing and related inspection services when disaster strikes.

Additional benefits of the program include:

• You will receive an independent, third-party assessment that presents a clear picture of the situation.
• Hazards that are present – or that could develop – are identified.
• We will also provide you with a written plan that shows, step by step, how to remediate the problem.
• You gain the assistance of professionals who have extensive experience working with insurance companies.

For more information about the Emergency Response Program available to AirMD’s Environmental Management System customers, contact us online or call 1-888-462-4763 or 1-888-GO-AIRMD. Our water quality testing pros as well as our indoor air quality testing experts know that every hour your business spends waiting for environmental testing to be conducted is costing your business money.

The post When You Need Environmental Testing Services Urgently appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

You probably know by now that water quality testing pros, the mold inspectors and everyone else at our environmental testing company are fans of science. We are also big fans of Earth Day, which is April 22, and its important message. So, when we heard those two things were coming together, well that definitely gave us something to smile about!

This year we will mark the 51st annual Earth Day. Since 1970, when the very first Earth Day celebration was held, we have grown in our understanding of the need to protect and nurture this amazing planet we call home. Earth Day is an opportunity to celebrate what has been accomplished and to remember how much work still lies ahead.

And talking about the work ahead… the folks at EarthDay.org have put out a call to citizen scientists to help collect data as part of the Global Earth Challenge.

Science to the Rescue!

The Global Earth Challenge is the world’s largest ever coordinated citizen science campaign. (How cool is that?!) By using mobile technology and open citizen science data, the project is designed to empower people all over the world to become involved in the campaign to fight climate change.

Citizen scientists will help monitor threats to environmental and human health in their community. There’s a mobile app you can use to report on things like air quality, water quality, insect populations and plastic pollution, among other things.

Your observations will then be combined with the millions of observations coming in from other citizen scientists around the world to provide valuable environmental insights that can be used to help plot a way forward.

The effort is being coordinated in partnership with the Wilson Center and the U.S. Department of State as a way to create and connect interested communities around the world.

Together, we can leverage the power of scientific research to drive meaningful change.

If you want to get involved with the Global Earth Challenge, but have questions about the science involved in environmental air testing, water quality testing and other aspects of environmental testing in general, please feel free to contact the science-loving folks at AirMD.

The post Celebrate Earth Day with AirMD appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

Like you, most of the indoor air quality testing experts here at AirMD have been spending significantly more time at home over the past year.

When you were rushing around from work to the kids’ soccer games, the piano recital, the meeting with prospective clients, dinner with the girls, the networking event, picking up the dry cleaning, shopping for a dress for the gala, you probably didn’t have a whole lot of time to kick back on the couch and think. But, since Covid-19 hit, the couch has become all too familiar for most of us.

If you are lucky, you might have seen the time you have been spending at home as an opportunity to slow down, to think about the little things we might normally take for granted and to breathe.

For many of us, it has been an opportunity to remind ourselves of what is really important. For most of us, especially in these challenging times, that is health and wellness – our own as well as our family’s.

That refocusing and concerns about indoor air quality testing and water quality testing has brought a lot of folks to our door.

Wellness Testing

You might not have realized that some of the things you do all the time – like cleaning the kitchen or running your air conditioning – can contaminate your environment. Even things like carpeting and furniture can release chemicals and contaminants into the air.

Our comprehensive Residential Wellness Test looks at indoor air quality in your home and takes all of that into account. One of our environmental testing pros will come to your home with scientific equipment designed to detect things like:

• Airborne particles
• Moisture levels that could facilitate the growth of mold
• Electromagnetic radiation
• VOCs

If you would like more information about our environmental testing services, please contact us. And if you have noticed that you have been feeling better since you stopped going into the office to work, you might want to tell your employer that we also offer Commercial Wellness Testing for indoor air quality.

The post Breathe Easier with Air Quality Wellness Testing appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

Like many businesses, our indoor environmental testing company was forced to stop operations when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the country into lockdown. We were able to weather the storm and are proud to report that we are back at work and busier than ever, performing indoor air quality tests and water quality testing in a wide range of locations across the country.

We have been testing for mold and volatile organic compounds and performing a variety of other indoor air quality tests. We have been testing water quality to protect against exposure to lead and other harmful toxins. And there are thousands more tests waiting to be conducted.

In other words, we are fortunate to be in an industry that is ripe with opportunity. By introducing our “Employ America” Affiliate Program we are hoping to share those opportunities.

No Fee Affiliate Program

Unlike franchise models, our Affiliate Program does not require any fees or royalties. The model is based on our core environmental testing business, which began operations in Boca Raton, Florida, in 2007.

“At this critical time, we wanted to give people the opportunity to start a business without the typical costs,” says Simon Hahessy, AirMD’s founder. “Our Affiliate model can’t be compared to any franchise. The accreditation, the tools and classroom training, the reputation are all there for an affiliate to succeed. AirMD is truly a partner with the Affiliate. We only profit when Affiliates profit, which is what makes our NO FEE structure so unique.”

Are you one of the millions of Americans who made a career pivot during the pandemic? Or maybe you’ve been thinking about starting a new chapter to provide better financial stability for your family. There are also lots of folks who have realized that they really enjoy working more independently and are considering striking out on their own in lieu of returning to an overly structure workplace. Are you one of them?

The pandemic has been so hard on so many. But now that there is light at the end of the this long, dismal tunnel thanks to the increasing availability of Covid-19 vaccines, it might be the right time to start thinking about what comes next.

If you would like more information about our Affiliate program, please contact our Business Development Manager at franchise@airmd.com or call 602-718-3269.

The post AirMD’s Environmental Affiliate Program appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

The saga of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, which began to unfold in 2014 when water quality testing revealed unacceptably high levels of lead in the city’s water, continues as criminal charges are filed against a number of state and local officials involved in the matter.

As CBS News reports, “Michigan officials on Thursday [Jan. 14] announced the outcome of the criminal investigation into the Flint water crisis. Former Governor Rick Snyder is facing two counts of willful neglect of duty for ‘failing to protect the health and safety’ of the city’s residents.”

If convicted, CBS says the former governor could spend up to a year in jail. He also faces a potential fine of $1,000, which doesn’t seem like much when you think about the damage done to the people of Flint.

Charges have also been filed against eight other people involved in the scandal, many of whom as CBS also reported worked in Snyder’s administration, including:

• Jarrod Agen, the former director of communications and Snyder’s chief of staff, who has been charged with one count of perjury.
• Richard Baird, a senior advisor to Snyder, has been charged with a single count of misconduct in office.
• Nancy Peeler, who managed the state’s Early Childhood Health Section, faces two counts of misconduct in office and one count of willful neglect of duty.
• Eden Wells, as the former state medical executive, faces more serious charges. In addition to two counts of misconduct in office, one count of willful neglect of duty, the charges include nine counts of involuntary manslaughter.
• The state’s former health director, Nicolas Lyon, has also been charged with nine counts of involuntary manslaughter in addition to one count of willful neglect of duty.

Charges were also filed against several public servants in Flint, including Gerald Ambrose, the city’s former emergency manager: Howard Croft, who was the director of the city’s public works department at the time of the scandal, and Darnell Earley, another former emergency manager.

Testing for lead is an important part of water quality testing, because of the harmful effects associated with lead contamination. It is a tragedy that, in the case of Flint’s water, water quality testing which clearly showed the presence of lead was ignored.

The post Flint’s Water Crisis: An Update appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

Normally, the environmental testing experts at AirMD are focused on things like VOC testing, mold testing, indoor air quality testing and water quality testing. These days, however, like just about everyone else in the world, we are also concerned with taking the necessary steps to protect ourselves and our families from Covid-19 – and that starts with proper hand hygiene. 

With our scientific background, we have been having friends and family members ask us for advice ever since the pandemic began earlier this year. One of the most common questions we get is about the best type of soap to use when washing your hands. 

Hand Soaps and Sanitizers

When it comes to hand sanitizers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have a clear recommendation: you should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol (which might be listed on the label as either ethanol or ethyl alcohol).

But nothing beats good old soap and water when it comes to cleaning your hands. That much is clear if you read the CDC guidelines. But, unlike with hand sanitizers, there are no recommendations regarding the specific type of soap that might be most effective against the coronavirus. 

There are a lot of people who think that using an antibacterial soap is the best way to go when it comes to keeping themselves and their families safe from Covid-19. For a number of reasons, however, we would advise against it: 

1. Covid-19 – and most of the other things you want to wash away – are viruses, not bacteria. 
2. Not all bacteria are bad. For optimum health, you need good bacteria.
3. The use of antibacterial soaps and cleaners seems to be contributing to the development of antibiotic-resistant bugs. 

“There is currently no evidence that consumer antiseptic wash products (also known as antibacterial soaps) are any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients could do more harm than good.”

All of us here at AirMD, a leading national environmental testing company based in Boca Raton, Florida, wish you and your family the very best during these challenging times.

The post Should You Be Using Antibacterial Soap? appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

The headquarters of our environmental testing company are located in an area that people all around the world want to visit – sunny South Florida. If you want to narrow it down, we help homeowners and businesses with indoor air quality testing and water quality testing from our offices in beautiful Boca Raton, Florida. 

Whether you are in Boca, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale or Miami – South Florida is a slice of subtropical paradise. People save up for years to visit our beaches, to shop at our stores, to explore our unique natural environment and to relax and dream. And this is the place we are fortunate enough to call home!

Of course, no place is perfect. It does get uncomfortably hot and humid in South Florida this time of year. And we are keeping our eyes on the tropics as we reach the peak of what has been an incredibly busy hurricane season. And, yes, occasionally someone has to deal with a stray alligator showing up in their backyard pool. 

But we look at those issues the way the folks in Wisconsin look at snowstorms. They just come with the territory. (And on the bright side, if it weren’t for those little glitches, it might be even more crowded down here!)

Trouble in Paradise

On the other hand, there are problems that pop up from time to time that can interfere with our enjoyment of the South Florida. In some cases, they can even negatively impact the health and wellness of our friends and neighbors who live in the area. 

For example, last year, the Palm Beach Post reported on traces of arsenic that were found on land slated for residential development in Palm Beach County. The land had served as the setting for golf courses. It is not uncommon to find arsenic in the soil on land that has been used for golfing. The heavy use of weedkillers and pest killers needed to maintain those pristine greens and fairways can lead to a buildup of arsenic and other toxins in the soil. 

Developers know this going in. As Jonathan Grebow, of Ridgewood Real Estate Partners, which converting golf course property west of Lake Worth Beach, told the Post, “We know going in that we will probably have to spend some money to remediate. The cost can range from a few hundred thousand dollars to a few million dollars. You factor all that in.” In addition to that project, golf course conversions are planned west of Delray Beach.

If you have concerns about contaminants affecting the quality of your home’s water or indoor air, we can help you find answers and peace of mind. Contact us if we can assist you.

The post Environmental Testing Reveals Problems appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

At AirMD, a full-service indoor environmental testing company based in South Florida that has locations across the country, we like to emphasize the fact that our approach is firmly grounded in science. From asbestos inspections and water quality testing to home wellness assessments, all of our services are performed by professional technicians with a thorough understanding of the science involved.

We want you to know that, when it comes to science, we’re not just talking the talk. As members of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), we are happily walking the walk!

What Does Microbiology Have to Do with Environmental Testing?

The Oxford dictionary defines microbiology as “the branch of science that deals with microorganisms,” which isn’t really very helpful unless you already know that microorganisms are living organisms that are too small to be visible with the naked eye. There are a wide variety of microorganisms or microbes, including everything from bacteria and viruses to fungi, protozoa and parasites.

These microorganisms can be used to do some amazing things – like make life-saving drugs, clean polluted waterways and make the manufacture of biofuels possible. Not all microbes are a force for good, however. There are any number of the little rascals that you would definitely not want in your home or workplace!

The American Society for Microbiology

The ASM, which is one of the largest life science societies in the world, was established in 1899. One of the sessions at its first meeting, held in December of that year, was called “On the Use of Steam for Sterilization.”

Today, the organization has more than 30,000 members, including researchers, educators and health professionals as well as the environmental testing experts at AirMD. In addition to advancing the field of microbiology, the ASM is making a difference by advocating for evidence-based policies and helping to find solutions to pressing public health issues.

If you would like to chat about microbiology and how AirMD’s membership in the American Society for Microbiology helps us to provide our commercial and residential clients with effective environmental testing solutions based on the highest standards in scientific practice, such as indoor air quality testing, asbestos assessments and mold inspections, we would love to hear from you.

The post Our Environmental Testing Company Is a Proud Member of the American Society for Microbiology appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.

The work we do at AirMD – ranging from asbestos inspections in West Palm Beach and mold remediation in Jacksonville to VOC and formaldehyde testing in Houston – is firmly grounded in science. But that doesn’t mean we don’t keep an open mind about life and its many possibilities. And it certainly doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the Chinese New Year when it arrives on Saturday, January 25!

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2020 is going to be the Year of the Rat. (They have 12 zodiac signs, too, but each one gets a whole year every time it pops up in the cycle.)

The Year of the Rat

Normally, we wouldn’t refer to one of our colleagues as a rat, but it turns out that one of our most experienced water quality testing technicians is quite proud of the fact that he was born in the Year of the Rat. (Previous Rat years include 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 and 2008.)

Turns out, there’s a lot to be said for being a Rat. “In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus,” ChineseNewYear.net says.

According to ChineseNewYear.net, “The Rat is the first of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived at the finish line, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox, becoming first.” (There is a definite consensus around our company’s water testing facilities that we’re going to have to keep a closer eye on our own Rat colleague.)

The Rat is also said to represent the beginning of a new day, which seems appropriate since we are embarking on a whole new decade this year. All of us here at AirMD, the Boca Raton-based environmental testing company, hope it will be a happy and healthy one for you.

The post Welcome to the Year of the Rat appeared first on Air Quality Testing by AirMD Since 2007.