LCS Laboratory Inc., offers a screening analysis for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the air of your home. The test is part of much wider Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) survey that we offer to residents of London, Ontario.
The term “Volatile Organic Compounds” is used to describe broad range of carbon based individual solvents and their mixtures. Health Canada (2016) issued guidelines for 3 individual solvents (VOC): Benzene, Toluene and Naphthalene (mothball), while 100’s of other solvents are still used in residential homes and may affect your health. VOC in residential and office buildings come mostly from 4 major sources:
- Off gassing of new construction materials: drywall, carpets, paint, thinners, laminate, furniture and others
- Household chemicals: cleaning supplies, “air fresheners”, perfume, inks, detergents and others
- Food and beverages
- Microbiological activity: mold growth
In situations where the chemistry and origin of VOC is unknown, science has come up with the term: “comfort level”. The meaning of the Comfort Level is a concentration of common VOC which causes no irritation or discomfort for tenants. This level is not regulated by government, but is based on scientific data.
VOC concentration of 0.5 mg/m³ (0.1-0.2 ppm) or less, is commonly accepted as the comfort level and used as a base criteria for clean buildings (LEED 2010. Building Design & Construction. LEED Rating System Draft, November 2010.)
The effect of VOC on the air quality of your house can be explained in connection with other parameters: such as mold growth and humidity level which are tested as a part of our extensive Indoor Air Quality screening.
To learn more about this service, please visit the IAQ webpage
