Air Quality & Mold Test

Sometimes you want to know if there is not just mold but other particles in the air. This is where the Particle ID comes in. This air quality test will reveal not just mold but other materials in the air. It is great for recognizing potential allergens within a home. All particles are generated from substances, either organic, inorganic, living or dead. Particle generation is a natural consequence of growth, friction, combustion or some other process. Particles are found everywhere in the built and natural environment and therefore, it is not unusual to find particles in indoor and outdoor air. Furthermore, since homes are not built to prevent the entry of outside air, the same kind of particles can be found in the outdoor as well as the indoor air. Below is a list of commonly ID particles in indoor test.

Amporphous Organic Debris

Organic debris that has not structure. This category is for organic matter that has been degraded either mechanically or by microbial activity. No organized structure can be discerned. The great majority of this type of debris comes originally from herbaceous plant matter and/or the non-woody portions of woody plants.

Feather Barbules

Feather barbules are soft, small filamentous structure emanating from the quill
point of the down. A branch of the barb plus its nodes can be identified. The source of feather barbules in homes is typically from; 1) down comforters, 2) down pillows and 3) down clothing. Feather barbules can also be seen in homes with birds although these are typically larger than the barbules of down.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is inert and is the predominant material of insulation inside most modern buildings. A few counts of fiberglass is considered normal in homes. A large amount of fiberglass in the air could indicate a breach in fiberglass ducting, a filter that is disintegrating, HVAC system sound liners and ceiling tiles. Although mineral wool is dissimilar to fiberglass, our reports include it in this category because it has it is used in the similar building applications. Fiberglass may cause irritation to eyes, skin, nose, and throat. Direct contact with fiberglass can sometimes cause dermatitis.

Fibers-Cotton

Cotton fibers are cellulosic seed hairs from which cotton clothes are made. These fibers are originally long, but break into smaller fibers as a consequence of wear.

Fibers-Synthetic

Synthetic fibers are derived mostly from carpets and synthetic clothing materials. They are considered non-allergenic and normally found indoors in small concentrations.

Insect Fragments

Insect fragments are commonly found indoors because insects are a normal part of most indoor environments. Their body parts that get airborne are mostly inert and non-allergenic.

Mineral Dust

Inorganic, generally crystalline, naturally occurring, solid and generally opaque. These particles can be derived from weathered soils, and construction processes. Mineral debris can be abundant in outdoor samples and this can impact the indoor samples tremendously. These particles should not be a major particle type found in indoor air samples, or even surface samples. The indoor mineral debris concentration should always be smaller than the outdoor concentration

Newspaper Ink

Ink is easily sent airborne from newspapers inside buildings. The more newspapers that are handled the more ink that will be found in the air. It is considered non-allergenic.

Oil Droplets

Small oil droplets are not common in most indoor air samples. They are derived from electronic air fresheners, oils from compressors and cooking. These can be abundant when plug-in air fresheners are used.

Plant Fragments

Non-woody plant fragments are derived from the degradation of non-woody parts of plants that are naturally found inside and (mostly) outside. They are considered non-allergenic.

Pollen-Undifferentiated

Uncategorized pollen derived from flowering plants. Pollen is overwhelmingly derived from the outside air. There should much less pollen inside than outside. Pollen can be allergenic, especially during certain times of the year. Keeping the doors and windows shut and having a high quality filter can help reduce the amount of allergenic pollen in the air inside buildings.

Skin Cells

Skin cell fragments are found indoors and to a much lesser extent, outdoors. Skin cell fragments are often the most abundant debris type indoors. Skin cells are derived from the human body and normally found in all environments humans live in. Amounts of skin cells in homes or offices can vary widely by age of individuals, furnishing, etc. A large concentration could mean an abnormal exposure to dust mite allergens. Dust mites eat skin cells and their droppings are allergenic.

Soot

Soot particles are ubiquitous in the environment due to the presence of not only natural sources of combustion such as wildfires, but also from a very large number of human-generated sources (e.g., automobiles, power generation, aircraft, barbeques, fireplaces, candles, cigarettes, etc.). Soot is derived from incomplete combustion of any product in a conversion process. It is impossible to identify the type of soot or its origin based on light microscopic techniques. Soot particles are normally fine to ultrafine (<100 nm) and can be volatile or semi-volatile. When micron to sub-micron size aciniform (grape cluster-like) soot-like particles are present in the sample, the individual particles cannot be identified or quantified using optical microscopy analysis alone. Electron microscopy analysis may be warranted and helpful in determining the presence or absence of fine nonvolatile combustion soot. Semi-volatile soot particles may not be readily observed. Wildfire debris contains minimal soot. Soot is more important for residential and industrial fires. Because of the uncertainty of the exact origin of soot, it should only be treated as a secondary indicator of fires.

Starch Grains

Starch grains are found in and on a variety of products people have in their homes like food, clothing and paper. Most starch grains in homes and on and in products are drived from corn and are considered non-allergenic.

Tire Rubber

Tire rubber is produced from friction degrading car and truck tires. A small amount is normal in most outdoor air. It is not common indoors.

The Air Quality/Mold Test requires a signature on the Mold Inspection Agreement. An example of the agreement may be viewed below.