Indoor air quality (IAQ) can critically impact the health and well-being of you and your family. The air quality in your home can affect your health in numerous ways, and many of them may not be as obvious as you might expect. While some air quality issues include noticeable odors or other signs of trouble, others can go undetected for weeks, months, or years.

You don't need to schedule IAQ testing regularly as part of your home's regular maintenance plan, but there are some situations where this service can be critical. If any of these three scenarios apply to your home, you should consider contacting a professional for an IAQ evaluation as soon as possible.

1. Your Home Recently Flooded

Flooding can damage your home in numerous ways. Water damage can ruin flooring, destroy drywall, and wreak havoc on your possessions. Unfortunately, the costliest aspects of flood damage are often much less apparent. According to the EPA, wet items only take about two days to become a good environment for mold growth.

Obvious mold growth is easy to resolve since you'll likely clean or remove affected surfaces. Unfortunately, flood water can seep into much less obvious areas. Even if you perform professional remediation, your home may still have some growth. Scheduling an IAQ evaluation following a flood can help you determine if there's any residual mold growth in your home that can affect your health.

2. You're Suffering From Indoor Allergies

Most modern homes have relatively tight structural envelopes to help improve energy efficiency and reduce the cost of running HVAC equipment. As a result, your home should offer a welcome reprieve from allergy symptoms triggered by pollen or other outdoor contaminants. If your allergy symptoms continue (or worsen) in your home, you may have an IAQ problem.

Although mold is a common source of air quality issues, it's far from the only one. Other problems with your home's air quality can also impact your health and trigger allergy symptoms. A comprehensive IAQ analysis will allow you to determine if any of these contaminants are present in your home and allow you to make informed decisions about remediating them.

3. You've Never Performed One Before

The more you know about the air quality in your home, the better decisions you can make about future improvements and upgrades. Although you probably don't need an IAQ evaluation every year, you might want to consider making an appointment if you've never performed one before. Even if you aren't experiencing noticeable symptoms, there may be hidden issues in your home.

A routine IAQ test can help you identify potential trouble spots and even help inform future HVAC upgrades. Knowledge is power, and the knowledge you receive from a comprehensive home IAQ analysis can meaningfully improve your family's health. Contact an indoor air quality testing service to learn more.