Are you thinking of buying a house in San Francisco ? If so, then it’s vital that you consider the indoor air quality of a home before committing to purchase. Poor indoor air can affect your family’s comfort and health, and may also indicate a problem with the home. When considering a house, there are several questions that you should ask your real estate agent about the building’s indoor air quality:

What can you tell me about the air quality of this home?

Your real estate agent isn’t an expert in air quality or the factors that can affect it. However, she can help you find professionals who can evaluate the house to provide you with insight into its air quality. Before buying a house, checking the indoor air quality should be considered essential. A standard house inspection will not necessarily catch potential problems, so it’s ideal to schedule a dedicated air quality inspection.

Does this home contain any lead-based paint or asbestos?

When the materials in a home contain lead or asbestos, they tend to be benign as long as the structure of the material is in good condition and left undisturbed. However, it’s important to ask your realtor about these two substances. Even if neither is a deal breaker for you, it’s essential that you be aware of the presence of lead-based paint and asbestos so you can keep an eye on the state of the containing materials. Additionally, lead and asbestos can affect your ability to safely remodel your home.

Are there any signs of mold in this home?

Mold is a contaminant that is found in many homes. While it may not cause serious problems in small amounts, the presence of mold can indicate a water leak or water damage in the building. Additionally, when not dealt with, mold can grow into a significant issue that can affect the health of your family, as well as ruin your belongings and harm the structure of the home. Finding out if the home inspector spotted mold can help you make a better-informed decision when you buy your new house.

Do you have concerns about your San Francisco home’s indoor air quality? If so, then you may have more than mold and dust to worry about. Today, chemicals that contribute to the pollution of indoor air can be found in many items. Watch this video to learn more about products that could be affecting your indoor air quality .

Formaldehyde is an organic compound that is used in many products and is one of the more dangerous contributors to poor air quality in the home. Formaldehyde can be found in some cosmetics, hair products, and insulation materials. A second chemical to be aware of is perchloroethylene, which is used to dry clean clothing. Additionally, some cleaners, detergents, and paints are potential threats to indoor air quality.

To reduce your home’s levels of air pollution, choose non-toxic detergents and cleaning products, and keep plants indoors to assist with air filtration.

The summer season has arrived, and many homeowners are choosing to embark on seasonal home renovation projects. When you are embarking on a bathroom or kitchen remodel, you may want to schedule indoor air quality testing with a company that serves the San Francisco area.

Indoor air quality testing is an essential part of the renovation process. By taking the time to inspect the air quality of your indoor spaces, you can make sure that you are not creating a health or safety hazard when you remodel your home. For example, your inspector can check for black mold, asbestos, and a variety of other toxic substances. If an indoor air quality issue is exposed, you will be able to schedule a remediation that will allow you to fix the issue at the source. A company that offers air quality testing will be able to provide you with peace of mind before you get started on a renovation or construction project.

Indoor air can be as much as ten times more polluted than the air that you breathe outdoors. To take a look at what the latest science says about indoor air quality, check out this video.

When chemicals and other forms of pollution are brought indoors, they can become concentrated in your indoor spaces. Fortunately, by hiring a company that offers air quality testing near San Francisco , you can make sure that your indoor spaces are free of black mold and other forms of pollution. Indoor air quality inspections are particularly important before you complete a renovation or construction project. By taking the time to test your air quality before your remodel, you can rest assured that you are completing a healthier home renovation.

Buying a house is a significant investment for any family. Before you get ready to close on a property, it is essential to hire a home inspector to perform a complete evaluation of the safety and condition of the house and its internal structures. When you do air quality testing before you buy a house, you can make sure that your new house will provide you and your loved ones with a safe indoor environment. A company offering home inspections in San Francisco can take care of every step of your air quality check. Let’s take a look at why indoor air quality checks matter when you are buying a home.

Check for VOCs

When you perform an air quality check before you purchase a home, you will be able to check your indoor air for the presence of VOCs. The term VOCs stands for Volatile Organic Compounds, and these materials can be very prevalent inside of a home. When VOCs are left untreated, they could lead to a variety of health issues for your family.

Inspect for Black Mold

Along with checking for VOCs, your indoor air quality inspection may also include tests for black mold. While black mold can be found in the basement or attic of a home, mold spores may also be present in the indoor air. By getting rid of a black mold problem before you move into a home, you can avoid the serious health effects that are associated with black mold exposure.

Improve Quality of Life

Overall, air quality checks can help you improve your overall quality of life when you move into your new house. An inspector will take the time to ensure that your home’s indoor air is completely free of any toxins or hazardous materials. After your potential house has passed an indoor air quality inspection, you will be able to enter into the buying process with total confidence.

There are enough things to worry about in life, especially if you have a family. But as if the list wasn’t long enough, there’s something else you should be concerned about if you aren’t already: Asbestos. It’s true that asbestos was outlawed for residential use in the United States in the 1970s, but there’s no guarantee that homes built before this time have been tested and made asbestos-free. Fortunately, there are air testing companies in San Francisco that can inspect your home for asbestos and make sure your family is safe. What exactly is there to worry about, anyways? Here are just a few of the diseases that can be caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma

This cancer, which affects the lining of the lungs and the lining in the lower digestive tract, is almost exclusively related to exposure to asbestos. Tragically, by the time mesothelioma is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer related to asbestos looks the same as lung cancer causes by smoking and other causes. By some estimates, there is approximately one asbestos-related lung cancer for every mesothelioma death. In other words, lung cancer is a very serious and very real threat stemming from exposure to asbestos.

Asbestosis

Another serious lung condition causes by asbestos exposure is asbestosis. This condition causes scarring of the lung that leads to progressively worse breathing difficulties over time, and in some cases can even be fatal. Asbestosis normally occurs after heavy exposure over a long period of time.

Pleura Thickening

In addition to asbestosis, prolonged exposure to high levels of asbestos can also cause the lining of the lung (pleura) to thicken and swell. Over time, the lung itself can contract and make it difficult to breath. Shortness of breath and chest discomfort are common with sufferers dealing with pleura thickening due to asbestos.

Thousands of children are exposed to lead every year, with multiple cases being reported of children being poisoned by lead. Lead poisoning is a very serious condition in young children, as it can cause learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and even lower IQs. Watch this video to learn more about the dangers of lead and why it’s important that you protect your children from unsafe levels of lead exposure.

To protect your family from the dangerous of lead exposure, schedule lead testing with Safe Air Fast. As San Francisco’s leading residential environment testing company, we can test for the presence of lead, mold, asbestos, and bacteria. Our mission is to identify environmental dangers inside your home that can be harmful to your health and put your family at risk. Call Safe Air Fast today to schedule lead testing or to learn more about our full range of testing services.

Although the vast majority of bacteria are not harmful to humans, exposure to the wrong kind of bacteria can make you extremely sick. Fortunately, you can be sure that your family is not exposed to dangerous bacteria by scheduling bacteria testing . The most dangerous bacteria in a home is typically the result of a sewage backup or other plumbing emergency that causes black water to spill out and cover surfaces of your home. Even if you thoroughly clean the spill area, some bacteria can still remain that can lead to serious illness, disease, and even death. Bacteria testing can tell you for sure if the area is clean and safe for your family.

Whether you’re home has suffered a sewage spill or you’re just concerned about the presence of dangerous bacteria in your home, contact the environmental testing experts at Safe Air Fast. We provide bacteria testing services for residents of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area.

Many people live in a home with mold and never realize it. Although some types of mold are relatively harmless in low levels, all molds can cause adverse health effects, with some even causing serious disease and even death for certain people who are exposed to them. That’s why it’s important that you learn to recognize the warning signs of mold in your home so you can contact a mold testing company in San Francisco right away before the problem gets any worse and affects your health or the health of your family. Schedule professional mold remediation if you recognize any of the following warning signs.

Musty Odors

Your five senses can be very helpful in detecting a mold problem in your home, none more so than your sense of smell. If you recognize an unmistakably musty odor in your home, or even in a specific room or section of your home, schedule most testing right away. Musty odors are a very telling sign of mold, so take steps to address the problem before the mold gets any worse.

Water Stains

For the most part, a large percentage of mold problems are hidden. This is extremely problematic, since it means the mold can grow unabated and spread like a wildfire, requiring much more extensive (and expensive) mold remediation efforts. If you spot water stains on your walls or ceilings, this is an indication of hidden water damage and is most often accompanied by mold. A mold testing company can inspect the area behind the stain to look for mold.

Mold Growth

The most obvious sign of a mold problem in your home is the visible growth of mold. However, even if the growth is contained to a single area and doesn’t appear to be very large, you should still schedule a full mold inspection to make sure mold spores haven’t spread to other areas of your home.