Guides
September 18, 2025
Professional HVAC contractors use specialized equipment and proven methods to evaluate your home's air quality and optimize systems for healthier living.
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Professional air quality testing uses specialized equipment such as air quality monitors, particle counters, and sampling pumps to collect and analyze air samples throughout the home, providing accurate and detailed insights into pollutant levels and their sources. An IAQ tester focuses on key areas of the house where indoor air quality issues are most likely to occur, such as bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and areas with HVAC systems.
The process goes far beyond what any DIY kit can accomplish. Professional IAQ testing uses advanced equipment to accurately detect and measure pollutants, offering far more reliable results than DIY kits. This comprehensive approach ensures nothing gets missed that could impact your family’s health.
An Indoor Air Quality test in Massachusetts typically involves a comprehensive assessment of your home’s air, checking for carbon monoxide (a deadly, odorless gas from improperly vented heating equipment), radon (crucial in areas known for high levels), mold spores (air samples determine presence and concentration), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that provide a clear picture of chemical exposure.
In Massachusetts specifically, certain contaminants pose greater risks due to our climate and building characteristics. Due to high humidity in summer and poor ventilation in older buildings, mold and mildew can thrive, particularly in basements and bathrooms. Massachusetts is known for its older homes, many of which are at higher risk for radon—a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors and is a leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
Allergens like dust mites, pet dander, and pollen are common in Massachusetts homes, particularly during spring and fall, exacerbating allergies and asthma. We also test for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in household products like paints, cleaning supplies, and even new furniture, which contribute to indoor air pollution and can cause various health problems.
The testing process is systematic and thorough. We assess the site visually, take photographic evidence, check home systems like HVACs, study airflow, examine human exposure to air pollutants, and measure temperature, humidity, and ventilation levels while taking multiple samples like air, surface, and paint samples from different areas.
We begin with an initial consultation that includes evaluating potential sources of indoor air pollution, humidity levels, ventilation systems, and existing HVAC setup. This isn’t a quick walkthrough—it’s a detailed investigation that can take several hours depending on your home’s size and complexity.
The visual inspection is a critical part of the overall assessment process, with our contractors taking time to carefully look for tell-tale signs of water damage and possible mold growth throughout living quarters, attic, basement and/or crawlspaces, with average time onsite typically 1-4 hours depending on areas displaying poor indoor air quality.
During the assessment, we use sophisticated measuring equipment to evaluate your home’s current conditions. Air sampling methods commonly used include measurements for carbon dioxide, temperature, and relative humidity within occupied buildings, with the Indoor Air Quality Program measuring these parameters during assessments to gauge ventilation adequacy and comfort.
Since carbon dioxide is generated by breathing, increasing levels within an occupied room suggest lack of adequate ventilation, which is why carbon dioxide levels can be used as an indicator of ventilation system adequacy, with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommending levels below 800 parts per million (ppm).
Sample analysis is conducted by reputable and experienced scientists at accredited environmental laboratories with AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association), followed by an inspection report that includes formulation of various protocols for sanitization or remediation if necessary to improve air quality after careful consideration of data collected during visual inspection combined with laboratory sample test results.
Once testing reveals your home’s air quality issues, we focus on optimizing your system to address these problems. Based on assessment and air quality testing results, we design customized IAQ solutions proposals tailored to address specific needs, which may include recommendations for air purification systems, humidity control measures, ventilation improvements, duct cleaning, or mold remediation.
System optimization isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s about creating an environment where your HVAC system actively improves your home’s air quality. This approach ensures your family breathes cleaner, healthier air while your system operates more efficiently.
The design, operation, and maintenance of a ventilation system is fundamental to maintaining good indoor air quality, with a properly operating ventilation system able to dilute and remove environmental pollutants. We evaluate your current ventilation setup and identify areas where improvements can make a significant difference.
In homes, apartments, schools, and businesses, ventilation brings fresh air to the building while removing stale air and odors, which is important for preventing accumulation of normally occurring environmental pollutants such as dust, gases, and moisture from building processes/activities, cleaning products, and building materials.
Massachusetts homes face unique ventilation challenges. Homes heated by furnaces and boilers or cooled with window air-conditioning units typically rely on natural ventilation from openable windows and doors, as well as building leaks, for fresh air, with exhaust vents typically the only sources of mechanical ventilation in single family or homes with two to three residential units, though newer homes and updated older homes may have mechanical ventilation that filters air.
We often recommend improvements like installing exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms to remove pollutants generated during cooking or showering, and mechanical ventilation systems that can exchange stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air to help reduce pollution. These upgrades are particularly important in Massachusetts, where we keep our homes sealed tight during winter months.
Poor ventilation can cause buildup of indoor pollutants, increased humidity levels leading to mold growth, and inadequate circulation of fresh air, which can exacerbate respiratory problems and cause discomfort for occupants. Professional optimization addresses these issues systematically.
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are highly effective at capturing airborne particles, including dust, pollen, and pet dander, with portable or whole-house air purification systems available for HVAC systems—while portable models focus on one room or area, whole-house models provide coverage for the entire home, eliminating up to 99.97% of airborne particles including dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and bacteria for improved indoor air quality.
The choice between different filtration solutions depends on your specific needs and home configuration. UV air purification technology utilizes ultraviolet light to eliminate airborne pathogens and microorganisms, and we can integrate UV systems into your HVAC system for improved air quality.
For Massachusetts homeowners dealing with seasonal allergens and humidity issues, we often recommend comprehensive approaches. When there’s too much moisture in the air, it can cause mold and other problems that affect your home’s air quality and health, with dehumidifiers helping by keeping humidity levels balanced and preventing mold and mildew growth, aiming for humidity levels below 50% in summer.
Meanwhile, humidifiers are handy during dry winter months when indoor air lacks moisture, as dry air can be uncomfortable, causing issues like dry skin, irritated sinuses, and respiratory problems such as coughing or congestion. This dual approach to humidity control is especially important in Massachusetts, where we experience both humid summers and dry winters.
Clean ductwork is essential for healthy indoor air, with our team providing thorough duct cleaning and sanitation services to remove dust, debris, and contaminants from ducts. This service becomes even more critical when air quality testing reveals contamination in your ductwork system.
Testing your indoor air regularly is not just a proactive measure for your health; it’s also essential for maintaining the overall comfort and safety of your home, with poor indoor air quality linked to a range of health problems, from allergies and asthma to more serious respiratory conditions. Professional HVAC contractors bring the expertise, equipment, and systematic approach needed to identify problems you can’t see and implement solutions that work.
Regular testing matters because early detection prevents larger problems—detecting contaminants like mold or allergens early can help address them before they spread and become more expensive to manage. The investment in professional assessment and system optimization pays dividends in improved health, comfort, and energy efficiency.
When you’re ready to ensure your family breathes the cleanest, healthiest air possible, Dempsey Energy combines professional expertise with personalized service to deliver the results you need. Our comprehensive approach to air quality assessment and HVAC optimization helps North Attleboro area families live healthier, more comfortable lives in their homes.
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