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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Assessment

Criterion’s Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH), Professional Engineers, and LEED Accredited Professionals assess and test indoor air quality in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. We identify, monitor, and help mitigate a wide range of airborne contaminants including VOCs, mold, asbestos, radon, lead, carbon monoxide, and particulates.
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Specialty Certifications

Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH) – CIH-CP 12678 and CIH-CP 12923
Professional Engineer – Pennsylvania and New York
LEED Accredited Professionals
Vapor Intrusion Evaluation Training

Common Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Many factors can affect indoor air quality (IAQ), including:

  • Poor ventilation – unbalanced air distribution or lack of outside air
  • Temperature and humidity control problems – high or low humidity levels
  • Recent remodeling or construction – dust, adhesives, and chemical off-gassing
  • Contaminated airborne water mist
  • Nearby outdoor activities affecting fresh air intake
  • Specific contaminants like mold, cleaning supplies, pesticides, or other airborne chemicals

     

Indoor Air Quality Inspection & Testing

Criterion’s indoor air quality assessments are designed to detect a wide range of airborne contaminants.

Criterion’s Field Services professionals can develop a site-specific testing plan for substances commonly associated with indoor air quality problems. These include:

  • Mold
  • Asbestos
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Radon
  • Lead
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Formaldehyde
  • Bacteria
  • Environmental Tobacco Smoke
  • Combustion Products
  • PCBs
  • Sewage Contamination
  • Vapor Intrusion
  • Allergens
  • Pesticides
  • VOCs
  • Legionella
  • Endotoxins
  • Particulates (PM2.5 & PM10)

     

Criterion provides comprehensive reports on the presence and concentration of pollutants, compared with current professional guidelines and standards, along with recommendations for improving IAQ.


School Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is a concern in many schools due, in part, to the age of students and poor condition of a number of school buildings. School Indoor Air Quality is particularly important as it may affect the health, performance, and comfort of children.

Criterion’s Field Services can provide expert advice and monitoring for indoor air quality pollutants that are often found in indoor environments.

 

How to improve air quality

The right ventilation and building care can prevent and fix indoor air quality problems. Although OSHA does not have indoor air quality standards per se, it does have standards about ventilation and standards on some of the air contaminants that may be involved in indoor air quality problems.

Every indoor environment is unique and requires tailored solutions to effectively reduce or eliminate indoor air pollutants.

Criterion’s team develops customized plans for each residential, commercial, or industrial setting in compliance with health and safety standards.

Whether you’re a homeowner or building facility manager or occupant concerned about pollutants that may be present in the air you breathe, Criterion’s indoor air quality investigations can assist you in solving your indoor air quality problems.


Advanced Air Quality Laboratory Testing

NOTE: BETTER TO ADD LAB ACCREDITATIONS FOR TRUST SIGNAL

Criterion’s Laboratory is accredited to perform a wide range of testing for airborne contaminants, including:

  • Asbestos and Synthetic Vitreous Fibers
  • Lead and other Metals including Welding Fumes
  • Total, Inhalable, Respirable and Thoracic airborne dust
  • Solvent Vapors and Oil Mist
  • Crystalline Silica (α Quartz, tridymite and cristobalite) NIOSH Method 7602
  • Hexavalent Chromium (HexChrome)
  • Waste Anesthetic Gases including Nitrous Oxide, halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and others
  • Aldehyde sterilants such as formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and acetaldehyde.
  • Ethylene Oxide
  • Occupation Exposure Limits derivation by the Reciprocal Calculation Procedure for Hydrocarbon Mixtures

FAQ

Why does mold growth present a serious challenge for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?

Mold is an environmental health hazard because it multiplies by releasing thousands of microscopic, airborne spores into a building’s breathing zone. These spores act as potent respiratory irritants and allergens. When indoor spore concentrations become elevated due to poor ventilation or stagnant air, they compromise the indoor air quality, triggering chronic coughing, asthma flare-ups, and sinus issues for building occupants.

Investigating complex indoor air quality issues requires looking beyond the visible

symptoms to find the underlying structural cause. Criterion’s on-site consulting team uses a comprehensive diagnostic process:

  1. Infrared Thermal Imaging: Using IR cameras to track temperature anomalies behind walls and ceilings, pinpointing hidden plumbing leaks, roof failures, or insulation gaps without invasive tearing.

  2. Moisture Mapping: Utilizing digital moisture meters to establish a baseline of moisture content in drywall, wood framing, and concrete flooring.

  3. Environmental Profiling: Measuring relative humidity (RH), ambient temperature, and Carbon Dioxide levels to determine if improper HVAC balancing or insufficient outdoor air exchange is trapping indoor pollutants.