IAQ Testing

The EPA estimates that the air inside your Charleston home can be 5x more contaminated than the air outside. When you spend a considerable amount of time indoors, you are breathing in that contaminated air. Poor indoor air quality can lead to a number of health issues, including increased allergies and respiratory complications. If you notice increased fatigue, headaches, increased allergies, and/or problems breathing, you may need to test the quality of the air inside your home.

Keep Your Family Healthy and Safe

If have concerns about the quality of the air you are breathing, it may be time to get your air tested. GLS Engineering & Testing will perform comprehensive tests so you can have peace of mind about the air you breathe. We can then help you find solutions to improve your indoor air quality. We know the health and safety of your family is important and that’s why improving the air you breathe is important to us.

How We Test Indoor Air Quality

Our goal is to improve the air you breathe. That’s why we perform thorough indoor air quality tests. We start out by talking with you to better understand your concerns. Then, we will choose which testing process will best address any issues. We will inspect your home thoroughly and locate visual problem spots. Finally, we will give you a detailed analysis of the air quality inside your home.

Solutions for Poor Indoor Air Quality

Once we understand the source of the poor air quality inside your home, we will recommend the best solutions available to help you breathe easier.

Mold Testing

Mold testing allows for the identification of any mold types present in the sample taken. Air samples catalogue raw counts, extrapolated counts per cubic meter (concentration), and percentage of total fungi. Surface samples identify the types of mold present and growth concentration. An outside sample is always taken and, along with other concentration criteria, is used as a baseline for comparison against the samples taken in other location.

ERMI Testing

The Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development (ORD) as a research tool to investigate mold contamination in homes. The methodology is based on using mold-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MSQPCR) to quantify 36 molds and calculate an index number for comparison with a database of reference homes. According to the EPA, up to 50% of homes and workplaces in the US have past or current water damage.

ATP Testing

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is present in all organic material and is the universal unit of energy used in all living cells. ATP is produced and/or broken down in metabolic processes in all living systems. Processes such as photosynthesis in plants, muscle contraction in humans, respiration in fungi, and fermentation in yeast are all driven by ATP. Therefore, most foods and microbial cells will contain some level of naturally occurring ATP. Hygiena luminometers (in conjunction with ATP swabs) use bioluminescence to detect residual ATP as an indicator of surface cleanliness.

VOC Testing

The term VOC stands for “volatile organic compounds.” These gases are released from numerous products and building materials through a process called off-gassing. VOCs are an often-overlooked aspect of indoor air quality and may be responsible for a wide variety of adverse health effects. Here is a short list of some of the common chemical contaminants found in occupied buildings