IAQ Investigations

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a subset of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and specifically evaluates the levels of contaminants in the air one breathes.  These contaminants can take the form of vapors and gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde or benzene fumes (i.e., gases that can condense – for example gases from fires), as well as particulates such as asbestos and silica.  Biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria and other biotoxins (e.g., anthrax), which are particulates, have also received considerable attention and can contaminate indoor air.  Molds have the ability to off-gas metabolic products called mycotoxins which can also adversely affect air quality.

Measurements of IAQ parameters taken by EES during forensic investigations can also help to determine the cause and origin of moisture-related damages, unwanted water infiltration, and/or the reasons for interior mold growth.  Typically these determinations would require the measurement of indoor moisture including humidity levels and corresponding dew point temperatures for cases involving potential condensation issues.  Additionally, the measurement and evaluation of indoor carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels can aid in diagnosing whether the indoor environment is being properly ventilated with adequate exchanges of fresh outdoor air.

Through the course of an investigation, IAQ measurements can also discover unsafe and potentially dangerous indoor situations involving high levels of carbon monoxide (CO), which may not have been part of the original scope of work.  These conditions can occur from situations that are sometimes virtually unnoticeable such as the effects of a cracked gas furnace heat exchanger or a leaky flue vent pipe for a gas-fired water heater.  Utilizing IAQ measurements, EES’ staff can not only diagnose these unsafe air quality conditions, but also help to identify their potential cause(s).