Hurricane Season Brings Indoor Air Concerns

The 2020 hurricane season began on June 1. If you live in Des Moines, that might not be anything to worry about. But AirMD, one of the leading air and water quality testing companies, is based in Boca Raton, Florida – the state most likely to be hit by a hurricane.

That means that hurricane season – and the potential it represents to negatively impact the quality of your indoor air – is definitely something we pay attention to. Two of the biggest concerns we have both emerge in the wake of a storm: the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning associated with the use of generators and the possibility of mold growth due to flooding, leaks and high humidity.

If you experience water damage as the result of a hurricane or tropical storm, we can test for mold and mildew – the first step on the road to recovery. Carbon monoxide poisoning, on the other, hand is a deadly threat.

The Danger of Carbon Monoxide

The experts all agree: the best way to get through hurricane season is to be prepared. Since lengthy power outages often occur in the wake of one of these powerful storms, many people in Florida – and other places where power outages are common – have invested in generators.

A generator will provide backup power to your home. Most are not strong enough to power the electrical demands of the whole house, but they can allow you to keep your refrigerator going, which in addition to providing the comfort of cold drinks (and maybe ice cream!) could save you from having to throw out hundreds of dollars’ worth of food.

Operating a generator, however, comes with a certain amount of risk. If your generator is located too close to your house, the carbon monoxide it produces when burning fuel will enter your home. Sadly, it seems like every year there is a story in the news about a family that is killed this way.

If you have questions for the science-backed experts at our air quality testing company – whether related to hurricane season or not – we hope you will contact us.