Every Canadian spends on average 90% of the time indoors, mostly in the home. But how many of us think about the quality of our indoor air? Do we really understand that this constant sneezing in the bedroom may be caused by a brand new carpet we bought few months ago? Or that bleeding nose is attributed to the mold growing under the toilet tank? Probably not. But excessive moisture, mold, pets, chemical contaminants, other substances can cause a poor air quality that leads to health problems of the

                                                              occupants.

          Yuri Olhovsky has been educated by CMHC, participating in a day course "Build and Renovate to Avoid Mold", and then taking a three days IAQ Investigator course. Now he is going through a field training program to achieve a Diploma as CMHC IAQ Investigator. Yuri applies his extensive knowledge of building science as a professional Home Inspector to help people deal with IAQ problems and improve air quality.

          What is an IAQ Investigation? An IAQ Investigation is an inspection of your home to determine if there are indoor air problems and to identify their sources and solutions.

          Is an IAQ Investigation the same as a Home Inspection? No. When I conduct home inspection it is primarily for real estate escrow. During home inspection I look for the deficiencies that are present at the time of the inspection, and are safety or significant dollar value concerns. Indoor Air Quality issues are specifically excluded from a standard home inspection. An IAQ investigation on the other hand focuses on indoor air quality concerns.

          What is a CMHC IAQ Investigation protocol? An IAQ Investigation protocol developed by CMHC includes:

- gathering information about the house, its history and any health concerns of the occupants

- conducting a comprehensive walkthrough and documenting IAQ problems of the house at the time of the inspection

- analyzing how the house performs based on the information collected

- writing a report that identifies the problems, pinpoints their sources and recommends solutions

          What is the cost for IAQ Investigation? Cost for investigation range between $400-600 and vary by location and size of the house, complexity of the problem and travel time needed. This cost does not include any additional laboratory testing if necessary.

          How long does an IAQ Investigation take? I spend on average between 3-5 hours in your house and written report is mailed to you within two to four weeks. 

Based on the careful analysis of gathered information I will recommend you cost effective solutions that will improve the air quality in your house.