Air Quality Testing in Saskatoon, SK
New Age Inspections is a professional inspection company in Saskatoon, SK that specializes in Air Quality Testing, Asbestos Inspections, Mold Inspections and Radon Testing. Contact them to know more about the home inspection services they provide.
Mold Inspection:
There are many mold types that can cause a variety of symptoms such as respiratory problems, skin rashes, nose bleeds, itchy and watery eyes, breathing difficulties, migraine headaches, just to name a few. Some molds can be extremely toxic and they don’t always produce a musty odor.
We use multiple tools and sampling methods to determine if the property has a potential mold issue and why, these include:
- Air sampling
- Lab swap sampling
- Thermal imaging
- Visual inspection
- Humidity and Temperature measurements
- Survey of the building
All air quality tests are sent to a professional laboratory for examination.
Asbestos Inspection:
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that was a popular building material from the 1950s to 1990s. It was used extensively because it is an insulator, has good fire protection properties, has tensile strength, and is resistant to chemical erosion.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to know if you’re working with asbestos because it is often mixed with other materials, testing for potential asbestos containing materials is recommended.
Testing for asbestos in the property can be done by the following methods:
- Air testing canister
- Physical piece of the material
All air quality tests are sent to a professional laboratory for examination.
Radon Gas Inspection:
What is Radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when the uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It is invisible, odourless and tasteless. When radon is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern. However, in enclosed spaces, like homes, it can sometimes accumulate to high levels, which can be a risk to the health of you and your family.
What are the health effects of radon?
Radon gas breaks down or decays to form radioactive elements that can be inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, decay continues, creating radioactive particles that release small bursts of energy. This energy is absorbed by nearby lung tissue, damaging the lung cells. When cells are damaged, they have the potential to result in cancer when they reproduce.
Exposure to high levels of radon in indoor air results in an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of cancer depends on the level of radon and how long a person is exposed to those levels.
Exposure to radon and tobacco use together can significantly increase your risk of lung cancer. For example, if you are a lifelong smoker your risk of getting lung cancer is 1 in 10. If you add long term exposure to a high level of radon, your risk becomes 1 in 3. On the other hand, if you are a non-smoker, your lifetime lung cancer risk at the same high radon level is 1 in 20.
How can radon gas enter the home?
The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation. This difference in pressure draws air and other gases, including radon, from the soil into your home.
Radon can enter a home any place it finds an opening where the house contacts the soil, cracks in foundation walls and in floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around service pipes, support posts, window casements, floor drains, sumps or cavities inside walls.
How do I get my home tested?
Contact New Age Inspections to come and test the home for radon gas, we recommend a “long term” test be done (minimum 90 days), The testing devices are provided by a professional environmental laboratory.