Analytical Services Microlab Northwest

Plant Hair

Is the Dust In Your House Making You Sick?

House dust is not just “Dust”. It is a mixture of skin flakes, paper fibers, bird feather barbules, insect parts and frass, plant parts, charred wood and ash, tire wear, natural minerals, pet debris, mites and mite frass, starch, cosmetics, cooking debris, pollens, fungal spores, mold spores, lichen spore, glass fiber, paint spheres, toner, plaster dust, vehicle emissions, and many other things. Many of these particles can rob you of your feeling of wellbeing. These things come from outside and inside the home. Outside these particles are quickly weathered into the soil but inside they accumulate and can become a health hazard. Our analytical services can tell you what is in your house dust and if any of the many allergens or irritants present are at levels associated with health complaints.

Does Your Home Contain Asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural mineral common in many parts of the world. It is also a substance that has been used in many construction materials from cement to paper, from industrial boilers to textured ceilings in homes. In some homes, it can be from the natural environment. In others, it can be from construction materials in the home. Asbestos-containing construction materials include textured ceilings, linoleum, vinyl flooring, mastics, grout, hot water pipe insulation, gaskets, window putty, plaster, wallboard joint compound, firewall construction, acoustic ceiling tile, electrical wiring, attic insulation, and insulation around any source of heat. We can tell you how to sample your home for the presence of asbestos and how to send it to use for analysis. We can also help you to decide which materials need to be sampled and why, and under what conditions. Our goal is to save you money while at the same time providing you peace of mind knowing that your family is living in an environment free of exposure to asbestos.

Does Your Home Contain Elevated Levels of Combustion Debris?

Soot, char, and ash are present to some degree in every building. The question is not “is it present” but rather “what is its source” and “is it at levels that may be considered potentially damaging to the building, its occupants, or its contents”. We can tell you the sources of combustion debris in your home. It may be from a fireplace or wood stove, vehicle emissions, agricultural burning, house fires, candles, burnt food, charred dust from furnaces or electrical heating elements, industrial furnaces, or wildfires. These all have characteristic signatures in the home.

Are You or People in Your Office or Classroom Suffering from Building-Related-Illness?

Many types of particles in an indoor office, school classroom, apartment, or other indoor space can cause you to feel less than well or even physically ill. Our analytical services can identify those particles and tell you if they are present in your environment at levels commonly associated with health complaint. Give us a call and we can tell you how to sample your environment. We will analyze the samples and then gladly answer any questions you may have.

Microlab Northwest Image Gallery


Contact | Privacy | Terms of Use

Copyright © 1978-2022 Microlab Northwest™/MicrolabNW™ All Rights Reserved.

All Information and images contained within may not be copied or reproduced without written permission of MicrolabNW. Some information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.