Air Quality Inspection in Toronto
Air Quality Inspection Toronto
Often, customers don't book the first cleaning service available when their primary concern is the air quality inside their homes or businesses. Usually, customers need to understand their concerns and which part of the indoor environment is of greater concern.
Believer Duct Cleaning offers a service to evaluate your concern and recommend the best course of action, whether it be duct cleaning or not.
What Is an Indoor Air Quality Inspection?
An inspection of the air quality of a location consists of evaluating customer concerns relating to the air and indoor environment. Poor indoor air quality has several factors and sources that make it a multifaceted issue. The best course of assessment is directly related to the source of concern.
An inspection is the first step in identifying whether the concern you have is general or if it relates to a specific duct, vent, HVAC, odor or mold concern and directing you to the next best course of action.
It should not be assumed that the inspection will identify a source concerned or that duct cleaning will be necessary.
Air Quality Inspection vs. Air Quality Testing
Index terms for air quality testing and air quality inspection are often used to describe similar indoor air quality concerns. These terms should not be used to describe laboratory, sampling or certification services unless these specific testing activities are incorporated in the description of the service.
Believer Duct Cleaning performs an air quality inspection where its scope of services is confirmed. If the concern requires a different type of assessment or testing beyond its scope, the appropriate next steps should be determined rather than stating what an inspection cannot achieve.
When Would An Air Quality Inspection Be Required?
An air quality inspection can be done to troubleshoot a concern when the service to be performed may be unclear and the concern may be related to indoor air quality.
Reasons to perform an inspection may be:
- Visible dust or debris surrounding the vents or other easily accessible areas of the HVAC system
- Concern for build up within the air distribution system of the HVAC
- Persons are concerned regarding odors of unknown origin
- Recently completed renovation or construction
- If you recently occupied a premises and are unaware of the previous cleaning of the ducts or HVAC
- Unknown conditions that may be related to mold
- Unsure if the services of air duct, vent, furnace or HVAC cleaning is the appropriate service to be performed.
These circumstances are not deemed proof that the duct system, HVAC system or other components are the source of the concern. The reason for the inspection is to determine the problem by eliminating all other potential reasons first.
Start With the Source, Not the Service
There are many issues regarding air quality that are larger than air duct cleaning. Dust and odors can come from many different parts of your property and cleaning the ducts will not solve a problem if it is caused elsewhere.
Therefore, the first step of a service journey should be to identify the location of the issue and discuss what has changed at the property.
Only after the issue is defined, will the customer understand what the next step of the service journey will be. This may include a specific type of cleaning or an indoor air quality service.
What is the Right Frequency for an Indoor Air Quality Check?
A regular inspection of indoor air quality for every home is not the same. It depends on the home, recent changes at the home, your HVAC system and any issues with air quality you have noticed.
As a preventative measure, consider having your indoor air and HVAC system checked annually as a first step, around the same time your heating and cooling system would be regularly inspected.
When issues are identified and new concerns occur, steps to have the quality of your indoor air checked should be taken more frequently.
Health Canada says to have fuel burning appliances checked by a qualified person at least once every year or by the instructions provided by the manufacturer. This recommendation is for burners, it should not be taken to mean you should have indoor air quality inspections every year.
Waiting for a routine review is not necessary before getting an indoor air quality inspection. To decide if you should get an inspection, check these situations.
- If you notice persistent or unusual odors indoors
- When you see dust or dirt building up in the vicinity of your air vents
- In case there are any signs of dampness or if you are worried about mold
- In case your house has had any recent renovations.
- If you recently bought a home for which you have no prior knowledge of duct or HVAC system cleaning
- If there has been flooding, water intrusion, or any other incident that may affect indoor air quality
- If you notice a new condition in the ducts, vents, or HVAC system
Indoor air testing should not be done yearly without concern. Health Canada advises that many indoor air quality assessments do not require air sampling, and sampling should not be the first step. Testing should only be done when the results will assist in addressing a specific concern.
The rule of thumb is routine reviews, an annual inspection of any equipment that burns fuel, and a focused indoor air quality inspection when an new or persistent issue arises.
Air Quality Concerns and Your Duct System
If dirt, debris, or other buildup is found in the ductwork, then a cleaning of the air ducts is warranted.
Air duct cleaning involves the HVAC system's ductwork and the distribution of air throughout a property. It differs from a general air quality inspection in that it examines a specific part of the system as opposed to addressing a larger system.
Vent-Related Concerns
Dust and/or buildup that is visible on the air vents may be a sign of a build up in the vents and a focus for cleaning compared to the need for a complete duct system cleaning.
If your concerns are focused on these visible air outlets and returns, check out our Vent Cleaning service.
Concerns Associated with the HVAC System
Buildup on ductwork is not limited to the ductwork. HVAC components can also be affected. If the concern is located within the HVAC system as opposed to the ductwork, then a component-level or a system-level HVAC cleaning may be a more appropriate service.
Odor Concerns
While bad indoor air quality may be caused by poor air ducts, stale or smelly air may be the result of an odor source located elsewhere.
Believer Duct Cleaning also offers confirmed odor-removal and HVAC-duct deodorization services. If your concern falls within that service range, then the appropriate service can be performed after the source and situation are identified.
After Renovation or Construction
Renovation and construction work can leave a high amount of dust and fine particulate behind. If the construction work exposed the HVAC or vent systems, it is unclear if the system's air distribution was contaminated.
An inspection can help determine if the concern relates to the ductwork or if it is in another region before choosing a cleaning service.
After Moving Into a Home
Moving into a home that was built by someone else can give you little to no knowledge on recent HVAC or duct system cleaning.
An undocumented service history doesn't mean the system needs cleaning throughout. If there is build up, odors or other issues, an inspection is the proper next step rather than just booking numerous services to be done without knowing what issues are present.
What Happens After an Air Quality Inspection?
The inspection addresses the concern and the service scope of Believer Duct Cleaning to determine the next steps.
The service pathway may include the following options where applicable:
- Air Duct Cleaning
- Vent Cleaning
- Furnace Cleaning
- HVAC Cleaning
- Cleaning of AC Coils
- Duct Deodorization
- Odor Removal
- Mold-Related Duct Services
An inspection does not require the completion of every service listed. The goal is to choose the service that aligns with the concern.
An Air Quality Inspection Is Not a Medical Diagnosis
The topics of Indoor Air Quality and its impact on health are complex. An air quality inspection or the cleaning of an HVAC system should not be offered as a diagnosis or treatment for allergies, asthma, respiratory symptoms, or any other medical condition.
Where issues relating to health are involved, it is recommended that medical advice be sought from a healthcare practitioner. Our role is to focus on the inspection and cleaning services within our provided scope of services.
How Much Does an Air Quality Inspection Cost in Toronto?
The cost of an air quality inspection in Toronto will vary depending on the property and the concern being addressed.
The cost will also be impacted by the following:
- Size and type of property
- Concern related to indoor air quality
- Assessment of the necessary HVAC components
- Extent of the inspection
- Whether additional testing or a more detailed assessment is required
- Whether a cleaning service or related service is requested
Believer Duct Cleaning will provide the cost of the inspection for the requested services for the provided property. We do not offer a price that is unverified, either fixed or within a range.
Describe your concern and the type of property that requires inspection. This will allow us to fine tune the inspection scope and provide you with an estimate.
Why Believer Duct Cleaning?
When the nature of an indoor air concern is not well defined, selling the customer the largest recommended cleaning package is not the same as selling the right service.
Believer Duct Cleaning offers multiple confirmed services in the areas of duct, vent, furnace, HVAC and indoor air quality which allows the concern to be directed to a more specific service pathway, and not treat every indoor air concern as air duct concern.
Indoor Air Quality Services
Air Quality Inspection is one of the services in the Indoor Air Quality service offering. On the other hand, if you wish to familiarize yourself with the various types of concerns and services, please refer to the Indoor Air Quality Services page that presents multiple service offerings.
Toronto and Surrounds Air Quality Inspections
Believer Duct Cleaning provides services to Toronto and the following surrounding areas:
- Etobicoke
- North York
- York
- Scarborough
- Vaughan
- Woodbridge
- Brampton
- Mississauga
- Markham
Please navigate to the page of the service location to confirm the service area and then proceed to the service page that is of interest to you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Quality Inspection
What is an indoor air quality inspection?
An indoor air quality inspection is an evaluation of an indoor air quality concern in order to better identify the specific issues and what service will address it.
Is an air quality inspection the same as air duct cleaning?
An air quality test and an air duct cleaning are not the same service. An inspection evaluates a concern, while air duct cleaning is the service of cleaning/addressing the ductwork.
Do I automatically need air duct cleaning if I am concerned about indoor air quality?
No, there are other potential causes of indoor air quality issues. Air duct cleaning is warranted when the concern and cleaning is related to the ductwork.
Can an air quality inspection identify an odor problem?
An air quality inspection can help provide information and a potential cause for an odor issue concern. However, odors should not be associated with ductwork.
What if I am concerned about mold?
Mold concerns are addressed in a specific inspection pathway. Believer offers confirmed mold inspections and mold removal from duct services, however, a mold claim should not be made without appropriate evidence.
Should I consider an inspection after renovation?
The renovation may have caused a great deal of dust and debris, and if you are not certain if any of the ducts or HVAC units were cleaned, an inspection is warranted.
Do I need an air quality inspection after moving into a house?
Generally speaking no, however, if you're unsure of the service history, or if you have concerns regarding either the ductwork or the HVAC system, then you might consider it.
Do air quality inspections identify health issues?
Air quality inspections do not identify health issues, nor do we provide or perform any diagnostic or therapeutic interventions.
What areas do you serve?
We service Toronto and the confirmed areas surrounding Toronto which include Etobicoke, North York, York, Scarborough, Vaughan, Woodbridge, Brampton, Mississauga and Markham.
Request an Air Quality Inspection
If you are not sure which service you need, but you have concerns regarding indoor air quality, feel free to contact Believer Duct Cleaning to describe what you have observed, perhaps an odor, or what you have seen on the premises.
We can determine the cause of the issue and most likely point you in the correct direction to have the issue resolved.