 If
you are like most people, you want to take good care of your
family. You try to eat healthy foods. You take your children
to the doctor for their regular checkups. You try your best
to protect your family from accidents and illness. You want
to live in a safe neighborhood and home. But is your home a
safe and healthy place to be? Some of the most serious
health problems for your children may start in your home.
Is the air in your home healthy?
Allergies and asthma are
health problems that may be caused or made worse by things
in the air you breathe. Since you and your children spend a
lot of time at home, the air inside needs to be clean. Does
someone smoke in your house? Do you have pets? Is your
basement damp? These may cause or add to breathing problems.
Too much dampness can cause
mold to grow. Some mold is very harmful and some can make
allergies or asthma worse. There are household products and
chemicals that are dangerous to breathe. Stoves and heaters
may produce harmful gases in your home if they are not used
properly. It is important to let fresh air in and bad air
out.
Air Quality- Should you be concerned?
Most people spend at least
half their lives inside their homes. Indoor air can be more
harmful to your family's health than outdoor air. Is the air
in your home safe to breathe? It is not always easy to tell
if you have poor air quality. You can smell paint fumes and
see smoke, but you may not be able to see or smell other
dangers, like radon gas.
Asthma and allergies may be
caused or made worse by things in the air you breathe. Pets,
tobacco smoke, cockroaches, and damp basements can all
pollute the air and make asthma worse.
Your family can be poisoned
from toxic gases. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas you can't
smell or see. It comes from combustion appliances, like gas
heaters, furnaces, stoves and dryers. When they are hooked
up wrong or not maintained, carbon monoxide escapes and you
can breathe it. Car exhaust also has carbon monoxide.
Radon is another gas that can
get into some homes from the ground underneath it. Different
parts of the country have different levels of radon. Radon,
a radioactive gas, can cause cancer.
Many products used to build
and furnish your home can make indoor air unhealthy. Harmful
chemicals can be in new carpets and in furniture made of
particle board. These chemicals can cause headaches, burning
eyes, sore throat, dizziness, or tiredness in some people.
Old paint may have lead in it. Lead is a serious health risk
for children. Hobbies and projects that involve sanding,
painting, and welding may also make indoor air harmful. Some
household products, especially solvents, can be dangerous.
Mold and mildew grow in damp places - basements, bathrooms,
kitchens, or anywhere that water is trapped. Some mold is
toxic and some can make allergies or asthma worse. Dust may
contain chemicals, dust mites (microscopic pests), mold,
lead, and other things that cause health problems. Smoke
from wood stoves and fireplaces may contain harmful
particles. Regular housekeeping can reduce dust and protect
your family's health.
Remember, reducing health
risks to your family may require taking several steps. ERT,
Inc. Indoor Air Quality Investigation can help you with the
very first step, assessing the environment in which you and
your family live.
TO-15 Testing (VOCs)
Have you ever been plagued by unpleasant odors in a home or office building...........
Are occupants or tenants developing headaches or a feeling of nausea? It may be prudent to conduct a general volatile organic compound (VOC) scan. The best way to sample the widest range of compounds with the greatest of ease is TO-15.
VOCs have been shown to emanate from many building materials including wood, linoleum, paint, plastics, PVC floor covering, glues, wood preservatives, and putty. Mold and other fungi also give off VOCs as they grow and decompose our build materials. These microbial VOCs (MVOCs) have been putatively linked to ill health of building occupants and are indicative of microbial growth somewhere in the building.
In the past, effectively sampling the air for VOCs in the field used to be a problem. Traditionally, samples were taken using a sorbent tube and cumbersome sampling pump with the hope that a better method would be developed. With the advances made in instrumentation design and sensitivity, an analytical tool has emerged that provides the best and easiest way to determine the concentration and identity of many organic compounds with a simple and easy sampling technique. TO-15 testing maybe the answer to your problem when identifying poor indoor air quality or causal agents.
For pricing and further information contact ERT at (800) 660-1808
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Services:
Indoor Air Quality
North Bay Office
1990 N. California Blvd., 8th Floor
Walnut Creek, California 94596
(800) 660-1808 Toll Free
(925) 937-0700 Phone
South Bay Office
6472 Camden Ave., Ste. 102B
San Jose, California 95120
(800) 660-1808 Toll Free
(408) 866-4141 Phone
"As
Executive Vice President of De Wolf Realty Company Inc. in
San Francisco, the oldest active Real Estate Company in in
the country, we strive to get the very best vendors that
offer quality service and as well as good pricing. It has
been our experience that we have had all three all three
with ERT, specifically, with Richard Fanelli. We depend on
both his advice with regards to mold and asbestos issues and
his immediate responses to our needs. Richard not only
always comes through, but as well, comes through in a very
timely manner. His reports are released to us in a very
short time as well as the lab work he sends out on our
behalf. I would high recommend ERT to anyone that might ask;
and we have done just that."
Aaron Sinel
De Wolf Realty Co. Inc.
"I would like
to thank Dominick at ERT, Inc. for his excellent service and
professionalism he showed during the asbestos inspection of
our house. As a first time buyer, we were very apprehensive
in making a decision, but Dominick's excellent consultancy
and the guidance he gave me prior to my final decision, made
me go ahead with the purchase. I will definately use ERT,
Inc. in the future if and/or when I acquire another
property. Thank You so very much!"
Katie Cade
Saratoga, CA
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