On The Level Home Inspections Home Inspections, FHA 203K Consulting, Thermal Scans and More
NJ Home Inspector Lic #24GI00064100
FHA 203k Consultant ID #P1707
Certified Thermographer #34446
We offer competitive rates and flexible scheduling! Call (609) 607-0485
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Air Quality in the Home
Quick Facts...
- Indoor air quality can be worse than that of outdoor air.
- Problems can arise from moisture, insects, pets, appliances, radon, materials used in household products and furnishings, smoke and other sources.
- Effects range from minor annoyances to major health risks.
- Remedies include ventilation, cleaning, moisture control, inspections, and following manufacturers' directions when using appliances and products.
- Research has shown that the quality of indoor air can be worse than that of outdoor air. Many homes are built or remodeled more tightly, without regard to the factors that assure fresh and healthy indoor air. Our homes today contain many furnishings, appliances and products that can affect indoor air quality.
Signs of indoor air quality problems include:
- Unusual and noticeable odors.
- Stale or stuffy air.
- Noticeable lack of air movement.
- Dirty or faulty central heating or air conditioning equipment.
- Damaged flue pipes or chimneys.
- Unvented combustion air sources for fossil fuel appliances.
- Excessive humidity.
- Presence of molds and mildew.
- Health reaction after remodeling, weatherizing, using new furniture, using household and hobby products, or moving into a new home.
- Feeling noticeably healthier outside.
Common Sources of Air Quality Problems
Poor indoor air can arise from many sources. At least some of the following contaminants can be found in almost any home:
- Moisture and biological pollutants such as molds, mildew, dust mites, animal dander and cockroaches from high humidity levels, inadequate ventilation, and poorly maintained humidifiers and air conditioners.
- Combustion products, including carbon monoxide, from unvented fossil fuel space heaters, unvented gas stoves and ovens, and backdrafting from furnaces and water heaters.
- Formaldehyde from durable press draperies and other textiles, particle board products such as cabinets and furniture framing, and adhesives.
- Radon, a radioactive gas from soil and rock beneath and around the home's foundation, groundwater wells and some building materials.
- Household products and furnishings such as paints, solvents, air fresheners, hobby supplies, dry-cleaned clothing, aerosol sprays, adhesives, and fabric additives used in carpeting and furniture which can release volatile organic compounds.
- Asbestos found in most homes more than 20 years old. Sources include deteriorating, damaged or disturbed pipe insulation, fire retardant, acoustical material and floor tiles.
- Lead from lead-based paint dust created when removing paint by sanding, scraping or burning.
- Particulates from dust and pollen, fireplaces, wood stoves, kerosene heaters and unvented gas space heaters.
- Tobacco smoke, which produces particulates, combustion products and formaldehyde.
Indoor Air Pollution and Health
Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.
Immediate effects
Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.
The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and pre-existing medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from home, for example, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.
Long-term effects
Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.
While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occurs from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.
"Thorough, professional, and appeared to be very knowledgeable to this normal homeowner. Knew to make distinctions between important and non-material issues and was able to communicate the differences to me."
John F
Proudly serving:
Ocean County NJ
Adamstown, Allenwood, Bamber Lake, Barnegat, Barnegat Light, Barnegat Pines, Bay Head,Bayville, Beach Haven, Beach Haven Crest, Beach Haven Garden, Beach Haven Park, Beach Haven West, Beach Haven Terrace, Beachwood, Berkeley Township, Brant Beach, Breton Woods, Brick, Brick Town, Cape Breton, Cassville, Cedar Bonnet Island, Cedar Run, Cedarcroft, Cedarwood Park, Chadwick, Clarksburg, Creamridge, Dover Township, Forked River, Freewood Acres, Harmony, Harvey Cedars, Haven Beach, Herbertsville, Holmeson, Howell, Island Beach, Island Heights, Jackson,Jackson Mills, Lake Riviera, Lakehurst, Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Center, Lakewood, Lanoka Harbor, Laurelton, Lavalette, Legler, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach Island, Manahawkin, Manchester, Mayetta, Metedeconk, Midstreams, Millstone Township, Mystic Island, New Egypt, New Grenta, Normandy Beach, North Beach, North Beach Haven, Ocean Gate, Ortley Beach, Osbornville, Osborn Island, Pakertown, Peahala Park, Pelican Island, Pine Beach, Pine Lake Park, Pinewald, Plumsted, Point Pleasant Boro, Point Pleasant Beach, Riviera Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Ship Bottom , Shore Acres, Silver Bay, Silverton, South Toms River, Southard, Spray Beach, Stafford, Staffordville, Surf City, Toms River, Tuckerton, Wading River, Waretown, Warren Grove, Washington Township, West Creek, West Point Island, Whitesville, Whiting, Woodland Township
Atlantic County NJ
Absecon, Absecon City, Absecon Heights, Absecon Highlands, Ancora, Atlantic City, Bargaintown, Batsto, Belcoville, Blue Anchor, Braddock, Brigantine, Brigantine City, Buena, Cardiff, Cologne, Devonshire, Egg Harbor, Egg Harbor City, Egg Harbor Township, Elm, Elwood, English Creek, Estell Manor,Farmington, Folsom, Galloway, Galloway Township, Germania, Green Bank, Hammonton, Landisville, Leeds Point, Linwood, Longport, Lower Bank, Margate, Margate City, McKee City, Milmay, Minotola, Mizpah, Nesco, Newtonville, Northfield, Oceanville, Pinehurst, Pleasantville, Pomona, Port Republic, Richland, Rosedale, Scullville, Smithville, Somers Point, South Egg Harbor, Steelmanville, Ventnor, Ventnor City, Ventnor Heights, Weekstown, West Atlantic City, Weymouth
Burlington County NJ
Beverly, Birmingham, Bordentown, Bridgeboro, Browns Mills, Burlington, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Chatsworth, Chesterfield, Cinnaminson, Cookstown, Crosswicks, Delanco, Delran, Eastampton, Eastampton Township, Fieldsboro, Florence, Fort Dix, Hainesport, Hainesport Township, Indian Mills, Jobstown, Juliustown, Kresson, Lenola, Lumberton, Lumberton Township, Mansfield, Maple Shape, Marlton, Marlton Lakes, Masonville, McGuire Air Force Base, Medford, Medford Township, Medford Lakes, Moorestown, Mount Holly, Mount Holly Township, Mount Laurel, Mount Laurel Township, New Gretna, New Lisbon, North Delran, North Hanover, North Marlton, Palmyra, Pemberton, Pine Grove, Rancocas, Rancocas Woods, Riverside, Riverton, Shamong, Southampton, Southampton Township, Tabernacle, Tabrnacle Township, Vincentown, Westampton, Westampton Township, Willingboro, Wrightstown
Monmouth County NJ
Aberdeen, Adelphia, Allenhurst, Allentown, Allenwood, Asbury Gardens, Asbury Park, Atlantic Highlands, Avon, Avon by the Sea, Belford, Belmar, Bradevelt, Bradley Beach, Bradley Park, Brielle, Cedar Beach, Claksburg, Cliffwood, Cliffwood Beach, Cold Indian Springs, Colonial Terrace, Colts Neck, Cream Ridge, Creamridge, Deal, Deal Park, Earle Naval Weapons Station, East Freehold, East Keansburg, Eatontown, Elberon, Elberon Park, Englishtown, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Fort Hancock, Fort Monmouth, Freehold, Georgia, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Howell, Ideal Beach, Keansburg, Keyport,Lake Como, Leonardo, Lincroft, Little Silver, Manalapan, Manasquan, Marlboro, Matawn, Middletown, Millhurst, Monmouth Beach, Morganville, Navesink, Neptune, Neptune City, North Long Branch, North Middletown, Oakhurst, Ocean, Ocean Grove, Oceanport, Port Monmouth, Port-au-Peck, Red Bank, Rumson, Sea Bright, Shark River Hills, Shrewsbury, South Belmar, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Tennent, Tinton Falls, Union Beach, Wall, Wanamassa, West End, West Long Branch, Whitesville
I perform home inspections, thermal scanning and lead testing in the following areas of New Jersey:
- Ocean County, NJ including Barnegat, , Brick, Long Beach Island, Toms River, Stafford,
- Atlantic County, NJ including Atlantic City, Galloway, Margate, Northfield, and Pleasantville,
- Burlington County, NJ including Cresterfield, Cookstown, Southampton and Wrightstown
- Monmouth County, NJ including Adelphia, Belford, Middletown and Rumson
Remember to periodically clean out your dryer vent. Not only will this help prevent lint fires, it will increase your dryer’s efficiency. You can tell your dryer vent is getting clogged when it starts taking longer than normal to dry.
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