DIY Indoor Air Quality test that's easy to understand

While taking my annual tour of my favorite green building expo in Southern California, Santa Monica's Alt Build Expo, a few new exhibitors caught my eye. Both very timely to the needs of the green building movement and needs.

Recently, I've been researching some of the test kits and services available to homeowners for a few different GreenPoint Rated homes I'll be attempting to sell. There's a real disconnect between the commercial tests that currently exist and the needs of your typically homeowner. Enter Air Toxics LTD.'s new AirLab In-Home Test Kit. Most kits are pretty straight forward and easy to use, but this one stands alone because of the way it displays it's results. Super user friendly and an excellent marketing piece for any seller gutsy enough to show off what's in their home.

As homeowners begin to learn how to tighten up their home to reduce air infiltration to improve their energy efficiency, keeping an eye on indoor air quality will become increasing more important. With gas appliances like stoves, hot water heaters and furnaces along with all of the other poisons we surround ourselves in the form of cleaning products and finish materials like your standard paints and of course carpet, it's not much of a surprise that tightening up your home's envelope can cause just as many problems as it can solve, if not done correctly.

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