Does Working Remotely Impact Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality?

At AirMD, we are often called in to assess the indoor air quality in a company’s workplace. Depending on the setting and the industry, it may be important to test for VOCs, conduct mold testing or test for formaldehyde or asbestos. 

Now that so many people are working from home, the line between residential and commercial environmental testing is rapidly becoming blurred. 

From teachers to accountants, computer clerks to creative directors and editors to paralegals, countless people switched to working from home when the pandemic began. That involves not only finding space where you can be productive but also plugging in and powering up an array of equipment that might include a computer, printer/scanner and, perhaps an additional phone line. 

So, what does spending all that extra time at home mean for the quality of the air inside your home – and for your health? 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s report on indoor air quality reveals that the air inside your home may be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside. Spending more time there could expose you to greater risk. 

If you invested in new furnishings for your home office or bought desks for your kids who were forced to attend classes virtually, you may have added to the problem. As the EPA explains, pressed-wood products can emit gasses that add to the indoor pollution.

There are certain health effects that you should watch for that, according to the EPA, might indicate the presence of indoor air pollutants, including:

• Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.
• Headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
• Respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer.

If you or anyone in your family is exhibiting these symptoms, please feel free to contact us for more information about indoor air quality testing. 

Of course, not everyone has the option to work from home. Essential workers are showing up for work – and showing up for us – every day in hospitals and grocery stores. Our mail is still being delivered, packages are showing up on our doorsteps, and food processing plants are humming along. Teachers are returning to the classrooms, pharmacists are on duty at the drugstore and you can get the supplies you need to fix a toilet because the hardware stores and home supply stores are staffed
All of us at AirMD, a leading environmental testing company in South Florida, would like to express our gratitude to all the people doing the essential work in our communities. Thank you! Stay safe!