Mold is a common cause of nasal allergies. Since there are many thousands of mold species, mold can be found throughout your indoor air. If you are sensitive to mold, you may find that you develop coughing, wheezing, and other respiratory ailments when you are indoors. To protect your family from the dangers of mold allergens, you may want to consider scheduling a mold remediation service for your property. If you have mold in your house, your contractor can provide you with a variety of mold remediation services. With mold testing near San Francisco , you can also determine whether mold is the source of your indoor allergies. To learn more important facts about mold allergens and mold testing, be sure to watch this video from Allergy, Asthma, & Sinus Center.

Buying a house is a major investment for any family. When you are considering the purchase of a home, you may want to consider doing air quality testing before you make your sale. When you hire a home inspector in San Francisco to do air quality testing when you buy a house, you can rest assured that your indoor air will be safe and healthy to breathe. An indoor air quality test can reveal any asbestos, lead paint, or mold in your house. Read on for a look at the importance of air quality testing when you are buying a home.

Determine Pollutant Sources

With air quality testing for your new home, you can determine any potential pollutant sources that may be affecting your indoor air. Some of the most common sources of indoor air pollution include mold, asbestos, and certain types of chemicals. With a thorough indoor air quality test, you can determine whether the house that you are thinking of buying could pose a health or safety threat to you and your loved ones.

Check for Proper Ventilation

An air quality inspection will also reveal any ventilation issues that may be affecting the house. Over the years and seasons, a home’s HVAC ductwork may become clogged with dirt, dust, and other forms of debris. By scheduling an air quality inspection before you decide to buy a home, you can determine whether the HVAC system is in proper condition for your use.

Provide Peace of Mind

Overall, an indoor air quality inspection is important because it will provide you with total peace of mind leading up to your purchase. By taking the time to have an inspector come to your home and evaluate the quality of your indoor air, you can rest assured that your household will provide a healthy and safe environment for you and your loved ones. If you are planning on purchasing a home in the near future, be sure to set up an indoor air quality inspection with a remediation company in your area.

When you are getting ready to buy a house , you may want to consider scheduling a full house inspection. A company that offers mold inspection and home inspections in San Francisco can determine whether a house is a safe space for you and your family.

One of the most important types of test that you may want to schedule before you buy a house is a bacteria test. If bacteria are present in a home after a sewage spill or other type of emergency, the health and safety of your loved ones could be at risk after you move in. Bacteria can cause serious illnesses when they are not treated and properly removed from the home. Fortunately, a home inspector with bacteria testing experience can perform a thorough test for your potential property. By taking a look at whether a house has any bacteria contamination, you can embark on buying a house with total confidence.

If you are embarking on a home renovation project in San Francisco this summer, you may want to consider hiring a renovation contractor. With the help of your renovation contractor , you can update your living spaces so that they are perfect for your needs. In order to perform a healthier home renovation, it is a good idea to talk to your renovation contractor about whether you should schedule an air quality test before you embark on your remodeling procedure. Here is a closer look at how construction materials can affect your indoor air quality.

VOCs

The term VOCs stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. When you are performing a renovation project in your home, VOCs can be released into your indoor air. VOCs are dangerous because they can aggravate asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues. When a person who has asthma inhales VOCs, his or her symptoms may be flared up intensely. To ensure that your loved ones are safe during a renovation project, it is important to make sure that any VOCs are removed from your indoor air.

Asbestos

Asbestos is another serious concern when you are planning a home renovation project. If your home was built in the 1970s or before, there is a chance that your home’s building materials may contain asbestos. Exposure to asbestos has been linked to a number of very serious health concerns, including lung cancer and asbestosis. In order to protect your family from the dangers of asbestos, you may want to consider scheduling an asbestos inspection for your home.

Lead Paint

Lead paint is another construction material that can greatly affect the indoor air quality of your home. Lead poisoning is a serious health condition that is especially dangerous for children. During a home renovation project, your contractor could unearth lead paint in your home. For this reason, you should make sure to schedule an indoor air quality test before you get started on your renovation project.

Did you know that many people spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors? If you have noticed signs of poor air quality such as respiratory issues, allergies, headaches, and fatigue, contact the professionals for a test of your indoor air quality in San Francisco . Though mold may be visible or give off a noticeable smell, there are other contaminants such as lead and asbestos that are much more difficult to detect on your own. If you are in the home-buying process or getting ready for a renovation project, have your air quality tested to find out what you might be getting into. Check out this infographic to learn more about why indoor air quality testing is essential, and when to have it done. Please share with your friends and neighbors.

Are you worried that you may have asbestos symptoms in San Francisco? If you think you have been exposed to asbestos in your home, it’s essential that you schedule a professional asbestos test. Watch this video to learn about the dangers of asbestos exposure.

Asbestosis is a chronic condition characterized by scarring and inflammation of the lung tissue. This disease progressively worsens over time and causes coughing, shortness of breath, and permanent lung damage.

Mesothelioma, a cancer of the tissue lining body cavities, most commonly in the chest and abdomen, is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is incurable, and life expectancy after diagnosis is short.

If you’re concerned that your home may have lead paint in San Francisco, it’s vital that you schedule professional lead paint testing to ensure the health of you and your family. Lead based paint is commonly found in older buildings and is the most common cause of lead poisoning in children. Small amounts of lead buildup in the body can lead to serious health problems, and higher levels can be fatal.

Sources of Lead Poisoning Symptoms

It can take months of exposure before symptoms of lead poisoning manifest, making it difficult to detect. A person with high amounts of lead in their blood can appear healthy, and may not seem sick until their body has accumulated dangerous amounts of lead. Adults can suffer from lead poisoning, but children under the age of six are particularly vulnerable. While lead paint is the most common source of lead poisoning for children, adults who work with batteries or in construction can be exposed to hazardous levels of this toxin.

Lead Poisoning Symptoms in Children

Young children have a higher risk for lead poisoning because they frequently put their hands and objects in their mouths, and sometimes swallow non-edible items. At this age, children’s brains are developing rapidly, and their bodies absorb lead quickly. Symptoms of lead poisoning in children can include vomiting, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, abdominal pain, and constipation. Children affected by lead poisoning are also susceptible to hearing loss, learning problems, and developmental delay. Infants exposed to high amounts of lead can suffer slowed growth and learning disabilities.

Lead Poisoning Symptoms in Adults

Adults who have accumulated dangerous amounts of lead in their bloodstream can experience headaches, joint pain, abdominal pain, constipation, and muscle pain. Long-term and more severe symptoms include high blood pressure, hindered mental function, mood disorders, memory loss, and reduced sperm count or abnormal sperm. Exposure to lead can also cause premature birth or miscarriage in pregnant women.

Does your home need mold testing or to be inspected for asbestos and lead paint in San Francisco? Your indoor air quality depends on your home being free of these harmful materials, and can also be affected by airborne particles, gasses, chemicals, moisture level, and temperatures.

Poor indoor air quality can affect the health of you and your family. Mold can contribute to allergy and asthma symptoms, and asbestos exposure can lead to lethal cancers. The air quality in your home also affects the structure of your home and its value. High moisture levels can promote the growth of mold and bacteria, as well as invite wood-damaging pests into your home.

If you’re concerned about the air quality in your home, call a professional mold testing company today. Safe Air Fast provides high-quality inspection services for testing your home or office for lead, asbestos, mold, and bacteria. We offer the best testing quality in the industry.

People who are familiar with diseases like mesothelioma are commonly worried about asbestos exposure in San Francisco. The EPA and CPSC have banned the use of most asbestos products in construction, but cutting or disturbing materials that contain these harmful fibers can lead to severe health issues. If you suspect your home may have asbestos, schedule a professional asbestos test before beginning any home improvement projects.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was used in a variety of construction materials beginning in the early 1900s and up until the late 1970s. Asbestos was also used by most branches of the U.S. Armed Forces as insulation for vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The name asbestos describes a group of naturally occurring mineral silicates that crystallize into bundles of thin filaments. Asbestos cannot be identified visually and must instead be sampled, tested, and analyzed by a qualified professional.

How Can I Be Exposed to Asbestos?

Areas in proximity to asbestos mines can have higher concentrations of asbestos particles in the air due to weather and erosion inside the excavation tunnels. However, most people suffer asbestos exposure when nearby asbestos-containing construction materials are disturbed in some way. Drywall, insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, paint, and cement are just a few of the products that were once made using asbestos fibers. Asbestos exposure typically occurs after inhaling contaminated air.

What are the Health Effects of Asbestos Exposure?

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, most of them are removed through exhalation and coughing. If the body’s defenses fail to eliminate all of the fibers from the lungs, inflammation and scarring caused by the trapped particles can lead to decreased lung function. Long-term exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma cancer, asbestos cancer, asbestosis, lung disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In most cases, it takes as long as 20 or 30 years for the harmful effects of asbestos exposure to manifest. Today, approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually, and the same number die each year due to asbestos-related lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure can cause serious, long-term health problems, so it’s important for your home to undergo professional asbestos testing in San Francisco if you exhibit asbestos symptoms. Only an expert in environmental and indoor air quality testing should perform asbestos testing. Here’s a look at the basic steps of preparing for and undergoing asbestos testing.

Identify a Risk of Asbestos Exposure
If you or anyone else in your household exhibits signs of asbestos exposure, or common asbestos symptoms, you’ll need professional asbestos testing in your home. If your home was constructed between 1920 and 1989, it may have been built with building materials that contain asbestos. These building materials include walls, flooring, pipes, textured paints, insulation, fireproofing materials, and electric wiring. When construction materials that contain asbestos begin to break down, the asbestos will become airborne, resulting in increasingly serious asbestos symptoms if the fibers are inhaled.

Hire an EPA-Approved Asbestos Tester
If you’ve identified areas of your home that put you at risk for asbestos exposure, such as disintegrating pipes, insulation, walls, tiles, or vinyl flooring, you must hire an EPA-approved asbestos tester. A professional asbestos tester is trained and licensed in safely handling and analyzing asbestos particles according to EPA regulations. Your asbestos tester will provide samples to an EPA-certified lab for analysis. You’ll then be informed as to whether you and your family are at risk for asbestos exposure.

Be Aware of the Asbestos Testing Procedure
EPA-certified asbestos contractors follow very strict procedures when performing asbestos testing. This procedure ensures safety, minimizes the risk of asbestos exposure, and ensures consistency in acquiring asbestos testing results. Anyone at risk of asbestos exposure must wear protective gear when in the room. The room is protected with plastic sheeting, and the area is sprayed with water to prevent airborne asbestos particles. Small samples of material are placed in an airtight container for testing. The sample area is contained to prevent asbestos particles from spreading. The protective gear that is contaminated by asbestos is placed in a sealed container and disposed of according to EPA regulations.