What’s More Important, a Home Inspection or an Indoor Air Quality Inspection?

by Nick Gromicko

The two inspection services are complementary, but they address different issues.

A home inspection evaluates the physical condition of the house - roof, structure, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drainage, windows, exterior, interior, and other major components. The issues a home inspection uncovers fall into four categories that matter:

1. major defects.  An example of this would be a structural failure;
2. things that lead to major defects, such as a small roof-flashing leak, for example;
3. things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home; and
4. safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electrical panel.

Although a home inspection reveals safety issues, it doesn’t really deal with health concerns.  It mostly deals with significant physical defects of the house itself.  Conversely, indoor air quality inspections deal with issues that could affect the health of the occupants. And what the inspector uncovers during the home inspection may cause the need for additional indoor air quality inspections and testing.  

Consider indoor air quality inspections or specific environmental testing when there are indications such as:

• Musty or unusual odors
• Visible mold or suspected hidden mold
• History of flooding or water intrusion
• Persistent excessive humidity
• Poor ventilation
• Recent major renovation
• Pet dandruff
• Cat urine
• Rodents
• Birds
• Asbestos
• Lead paint
• Electromagnetic fields
• Vent backdrafting
• Missing vapor barriers
• Dirty ductwork
• Legionella in water systems
• Suspected combustion-gas problems
• Concern about radon
• Insulation fibers
• Construction material outgassing
• Carbon monoxide
• Pesticides
• Formaldehyde
• Cannabis residue from grow rooms
• Former meth labs
• Dirty or missing air filters
• Clogged dryer vents
• Range hoods not exhausting to the outside
• Missing bathroom ventilation 
• Chinese drywall
• Carbon monoxide
• Volatile organic compounds
• Dust mites
• Low exchange rate with outdoor air
• A known environmental contamination issue
• Unusual occupant symptoms

Some occupant symptoms possibly caused or aggravated by poor indoor air quality include:

• Eye irritation
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness
• Wheezing
• Skin rashes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Runny nose
• Sneezing

Poor indoor air quality can produce health effects ranging from relatively minor irritation to serious or potentially fatal disease. The effects depend heavily on the specific pollutant, concentration, duration of exposure, ventilation, and the susceptibility of the individual. For example: Radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.  So not knowing you have high levels of radon could cause the same loss of life expectancy as being a cigarette smoker.

Bottom line: A home inspection targets physical defects in a house. It protects your investment. Indoor air quality inspections target issues that could harm one's health.  Indoor air quality inspections protect your life.

For more information about indoor air quality, visit www.IAC2.org