How to Choose a Trustworthy Indoor Air Quality Testing Company?
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We rarely put much thought into the air we breathe – even though we take thousands of breaths every day. The quality of the air can have a significant impact on our health in numerous ways. It impacts our sleep quality, the health of our lungs and heart, and even our energy levels and mental clarity. If your home or office building has low air quality, you must consider hiring an air decontamination company.
Air decontamination services measure the indoor air quality to gauge the levels of various contaminants, such as:
- Mold and mildew
- Asbestos
- Radon
- Formaldehyde
- VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and chemicals
- Cigarette smoke
There are plenty of reasons why you should have indoor air quality testing done in your home. One of the most important is that the air could be full of contaminants that impact your family’s health. Dust mites, mold, and VOCs could affect allergies, breathing ability, and cognitive clarity. Particles of radon and asbestos can be much more dangerous – and even lead to cancer or lung diseases.
If these levels are above the legal limit, it could be putting you and your family in danger. Further, it could be necessary evidence to support a claim if you are renting the property or in the process of purchasing it. Therefore, you must hire an air decontamination service that is trustworthy and accurate.
Let’s talk about how to do this.
Shady Tactics Many Companies Use
Unfortunately, not every business that offers air quality inspections is worthy of your trust. Some companies will try to trick you out of your hard-earned money through some somewhat shady tactics.
If you contact a business and they try any of these maneuvers, you probably want to steer clear:
Pre-Testing
This involves testing the mold levels in your home with rather technical and expensive methods, such as infrared technology. While some companies insist on doing this, it’s not overly critical and dramatically escalates the cost.
Expensive Air Tests With Few Details
Air quality testing is a scientific process. If a company focuses most on its cutting-edge devices – but is not providing very granular insight, it could be a sign they are overcharging you.
Inspections That Are Merely Fishing for Expensive Projects
Beware of companies that try to upsell you on additional treatments that are “preventative” or “recommended.” Often, these are unnecessary – but do some research on your own and get a second opinion.
Suspiciously Low Prices
If you’re getting quotes from several providers and one is dramatically lower than the others, this is a major red flag. As the old saying goes: “you get what you pay for.” More often than not, exceedingly low prices mean the staff is not adequately trained, or the tactics are experimental. If you see this, run for the hills.
Now, you are probably wondering: How can I find a trustworthy air decontamination company to ensure that I don’t get tricked?
Here are some factors to note when you look for professional air quality testing and air decontamination services.
Examine Their Certification
As with any at-home service, you should only hire people who are professionally trained and certified. This should include national certification as well as specific authorization for various types of air decontamination.
If you are dealing with a specific issue (such as mold or pests), it is highly recommended that you choose a company specializing in that area. You want to be sure they know exactly what they are doing when treating your issue.
There are additional forms of certification to keep an eye out for, too. The first is a rating or recommendation from a trusted organization like the Better Business Bureau. You may also want to research the company to see if any formal complaints have been filed or if the business was included in a recent lawsuit.
You should also check numerous review sources to see what other customers have to say about the brand. This is ultimately one of the best ways to see if a company is trustworthy or not.
Ask the Right Questions
Before you make any final decisions on hiring an air decontamination company, you should first write out a list of questions to ask.
You want to have all of the information possible to narrow down your options to only the best choices. But you need to know what to ask to get the answers you need.
- What are your indoor air quality testing methods?
- Do you test the results in your lab, or are the samples sent elsewhere?
- How soon can I expect to receive test results?
- How long does the decontamination process take?
- How long until I can safely return to my home after decontamination?
- Are the chemicals used safely for children and pets?
- Do you offer any money-back guarantees if the first treatment is not sufficient?
- What is your payment structure?
Questions like these will help you compare your options’ pros and cons until you find the business that will give you the best service and the best deal.
If you cannot find a person to answer your questions or you get generic answers, this could be an additional sign to look elsewhere. You never want to hire a business that doesn’t provide you with precise information.
Look at Their Insurance
There are plenty of things that can go wrong during an air decontamination service.
For instance, clumsy workers could damage your property accidentally during the cleaning. It is essential that you only work with indoor air quality testing companies and air decontamination businesses that offer insurance protection to cover any damages.
Additionally, you want to hire a business that understands the protocol for insurance claims. In some cases, air decontamination and home air quality inspections can be covered under home owner’s or renter’s insurance. Be sure that the company you hire will correspond with your insurance company to file the correct paperwork.
Adherence to Health and Safety Standards
Finally, you will need assurance that the business you choose does all it can to promote safety and health standards. This includes the following criteria set by the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
Besides providing their workers with the proper PPE (personal protective equipment), they should also adhere to additional safety precautions to keep you and their staff safe.
This is especially evident regarding the threat of COVID-19. All personnel should wear a facemask during the initial home air quality inspection and any other interactions with people living in the home. Social distancing measures should also be enforced as much as possible.
Finally, you will want to check whether they offer air decontamination cleaning and sanitization services once the job is complete. Some of the chemicals and treatments used can be toxic through skin contact or ingestion. Be sure to ask if they clean up to remove any residue after the area is decontaminated.
Conclusion
Finding the right air decontamination company can make all the difference in the air quality of your home – as well as the overall health and wellbeing of your family. You need to find a company that you can trust to get the job done right.
Here at Air-Labs, we pride ourselves on offering indoor air quality testing that is accurate, fair, and reliable. We work with homeowners all around the Quebec, Montreal, and Laval area and offer certified laboratory result reports you can trust.
If you have any questions regarding air decontamination or air quality inspection, please contact us. Our team is happy to answer any of your questions or concerns in a free initial consultation.