On Monday we told you about a home where there was bad air outside - and a
potentially dangerous atmosphere inside.
Only an expert can really say if your house is in similarly bad shape but on Tuesday that same household was faced with what to do to clean things up.
Step one was a 'Hepafilter,' a $1200 power vacuum that removes fine particulate and dust from the air.
But there's more. Many homes, especially newer air-tight ones, require an air exchanger to ensure enough fresh stuff is coming into your residence and prevents the development of mould. That installation will run you about $3000.
Yet there's a catch. Even air quality experts begrudgingly admit there's an ironic twist when you consider the harder one works to make their home energy efficient, the more dangerous the air inside said home has the potential to be.
"I would say that our business in terms of air quality testing has probably tripled since people began doing energy audits," admitted inspector Frank Haverkate (pictured). "It's important to balance the two."
Keys to that balance, according to experts, include limiting indoor cigarette smoke and smoke in general, as well as opting for wood items over plastic ones and staying away from chemical cleaning products. An eco-designer can help you in that regard, and they typically charge by the hour.
Here's how to find experts you can call to find out more about what you and your family are breathing in that you might not even be aware of.
Haverkate And Associates (The expert featured in our story)
Hepafilters
Where to hire an eco designer