Emissions and VOC Testing Services in Ottawa

What Are VOCs?

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds, which forms a group of carbon-based chemicals that can be found in the air both indoors and outdoors. VOCs are classified as compounds that have vapor pressure and low water solubility.

What Are VOCs?

These chemicals can impact air quality, and can sometimes be found in high concentrations in residential spaces and small rooms or spaces. VOCs are present or emitted through several products that can be found in the home, increasing the risk for poor air quality and exposure to potentially harmful VOCs.

Common VOCs found in the home include:

  • Acetone, typically found in nail polish remover, furniture polish, wallpaper, and more
  • Butanal is found in heat sources such as candles, barbecues, and gas stoves
  • Benzene is a chemical found in environmental tobacco smoke, or in stored fuels, paint supplies, and automobile emissions
  • Perchloroethylene can be found in dry cleaning
  • Alcohol, (ethyl and isopropyl), can usually be found in personal care products, nail polish, cleaning supplies, and often is available as standalone product
  • Formaldehyde is often present in upholstered furniture, carpets, pressed wood products, plywood, and more
  • Butane can be found in aerosol sprays, auto tools and products, pesticides, and grill lighting liquids
  • Methylene chloride is present in paint stripper, degreasers, brake cleaners and similar automotive products

Other chemicals can be difficult to pronounce, read, or identity. One of the benefits of professional VOC monitoring and testing is the ability to identify and analyze what type of chemicals may be present in your home.

Why VOC and Emissions Testing Is Important

Since VOCs are present in so many commonly used products, many people may not consider them to be dangerous or have potentially negative side effects after overexposure. While many VOCs have very little negative effect on humans and pets in the household, some VOCs may be toxic or have increased toxicity due to increased exposure.

Other hazardous emissions, such as radon , can be odorless and colorless, leaving them most undetectable to an untrained person.

In many cases, the only way to be fully aware of the quality of the air in your home is to call in the professionals. VOC and emissions testing in Ottawa can help reveal if there are any air quality concerns, which you can mitigate using various methods to improve the air you and your family is breathing daily.

Simon Air Quality can help you get an accurate analysis of the air quality of your home and provide you with any products or additional services, such as radon testing, to help get it to a place where you can breathe comfortably and reduce any risk of health concerns related to VOCs, dangerous emissions, or other air contaminants.

Some VOCs, such as benzene or formaldehyde, can cause serious health concerns when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin.

Side effects of exposure to VOCs or other toxic emissions can include:

  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Breathing and respiratory problems
  • Allergic skin reaction
  • Irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and mouth
  • Kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage

Where are VOCs Commonly Found?

If you suspect members of your home are struggling or suffering from reduced air quality, you might look to certain factors that can be causing it. Use of certain products or even some daily household tasks and chores can be causing dangerous emissions to linger in your home. Poor ventilation and air circulation can also pay a big part in this.

Cooking, painting your nails, cleaning your house, polishing furniture, or even use of air conditioning or heating systems can increase VOCs and emissions in your Ottawa home.

Some common household products that might be emitting VOCs within your home include:

Care and Beauty Products

  • Nail polish and remover
  • Lotions, creams, and moisturizers
  • Hairsprays and aerosol spray
  • Body spray, colognes, perfume
  • Deodorant and antiperspirants

Home Decor and Materials

  • New cabinets, beds, and furniture
  • Carpets, rugs, drapes, and similar upholstery
  • Wood floors

Chemical Products

  • Paint, paint thinner, or paint stripper
  • Cleaners, disinfectants, and solvents
  • Pesticides and certain insect repellants
  • AIr fresheners
  • Certain automotive products
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Many household products containing VOCs have a strong chemical smell that indicates their presence, such as with alcohol, paint thinner, and pesticides. However, other VOCs may not have a smell, or may not be as obvious, such as antifreeze or scented products such as lotion or perfumes.

If you encounter a heavy concentration of a chemical smell or have spilled some of these products into carpet, clothing, or other porous surfaces where it may seep in and permeate the air, you might be at risk of overexposure to VOCs.

Improving Air Quality in Your Ottawa Home

Do you use many of these products in your home? If so, you might have concerns about exposure, especially if you have children or elderly people in the home. Thankfully, there are many options available to help you mitigate and manage chemical emissions and VOCs found in Ottawa home.

Increasing Ventilation

A simple, easy way to help reduce air pollution and exposure to dangerous gases, emissions, and VOCs indoors is to increase ventilation throughout the home, especially during certain activities. Opening windows, and using exhaust systems and fans can be an optimal way to increase ventilation in your home.

For example, if you enjoy painting your nails or using hairspray daily, try to set up your space near a window or use a fan to reduce the concentration of emissions in your space. Or, when using stoves or combustion appliances such as wood stoves, fireplaces, gas stoves, and furnaces, use exhaust fans to help redirect any emissions coming from the food or appliances.

Avoid Certain Things Indoors

Activities like smoking, or using certain products such as glues, paints, varnishes, adhesives, or even using certain appliances indoors can significantly increase VOCs in the air and the risk of associated health risks in both you and other members of the home.

Smoking is known to have adverse health risks, and smoking in a concentrated area can also cause the dangerous emissions to linger inside in a concentrated amount. The same goes for using products with higher VOCs presence, especially those that have a very distinct chemical smell.

If you cannot do these things outdoors, doing them directly next to a window or using products that can reduce the smell and pollution are highly recommended. Whenever possible, store any unused products outdoors as well, as leaving paints or solvents inside can lead to an increase in VOCs in the air.

Opt for Different Products

Another easy option is to switch out some of your products. There are many alternative options for everyday household products that don’t release VOCs, such as fragrance-free cleaners and certain paints. Reducing the use of certain products entirely, such as plug-in air fresheners or aerosol room sprays, can also help to reduce emissions present in your home.

Environmental testing shows that using low or VOC-free products is not only good for indoor air, but also outside air quality, reducing pollution and other contaminants.

When shopping for things such as cleaners, beauty products, paint, pesticides, and other household products, try to look for labels such as non-toxic, VOC-free, and free of fragrances or alcohols. When looking for new furniture or flooring, do you research to opt for options that are low VOC or have been treated and left to air out properly before installation.

Install Air Purifiers and Emissions Monitors

Sometimes the best way to reduce your risk of exposure is through proactive measures.

While opening windows and increasing ventilation can help during use of certain products, installing more long-term solutions, such as air purifiers, radon gas testers, carbon monoxide detectors, and smoke alarms can help offer peace of mind and improved air quality for your home.

There are a range of air purification solutions available to those living in Ottawa and the surrounding areas. Some products can be installed to help prevent the issues, while more industrial strength air purifiers exist to help provide quick solutions to homes with high emissions. The measurement of the concentration of many VOCs commonly found in indoor environments can be performed using the E Instruments portable IAQ monitor, PRO handheld IAQ monitor and the VOC-specific VOC handheld IAQ monitor.

VOC Testing

These specialized monitoring instruments utilize PID sensors that allow air quality analysts, environmental safety companies, laboratory technicians, etc., to quickly and accurately monitor the levels of dangerous VOCs present in the breathing environments of homes, office building, laboratories, or industrial facilities, These monitors include software with real-time continuous data logging, wireless Bluetooth compatibility, and can be customized to add other VOC gases, such as Formaldehyde.

Air Quality Inspection Services Near You

The air quality in your home is very important for the overall health and comfort of you and your family. A good way to ensure high air quality is by getting emissions and VOC testing in Ottawa. Maintaining clean, fresh air throughout your home can help curb asthma symptoms, allergies, respiratory issues, and mitigate any smells or stale air in the rooms in your home.

It is always recommended to couple emissions and VOCs management with mold testing, as mildew and mold can often develop in areas where there is little ventilation and a higher concentration of moisture or humidity in the air.

Our team of experts offers a wide range of services and uses professional grade products to help detect the presence of dangerous emissions, VOCs, mold, and other household air pollutants.

For Ottawa air quality testing services, call us today at 613-866-2092 or take our Indoor Air Quality Assessment survey today.

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