Plants are the quintessential equalizer for our environment. They are a bachelor’s ideal pet. They only need water and a little sunshine and they will thrive. They can’t run away and they don’t have separation anxiety. The plant is the perfect decoration and it makes you feel like you are taking care of something bigger than yourself. Plants also are natural pollution eliminators and that may be the best reason to brush up on your horticulture skills. At NOW Environmental Services, the core of our business is indoor air quality and we can help you identify the issues that may be lurking in your home. Toxic chemicals like benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde may be present and making you sick, not to mention mold that may be present as well. We offer testing and advice about dealing with compromised indoor air quality. We offer a wide range of testing services that can identify a multitude of indoor air pollutants, our mold testing can even be done with our exclusive home test kits. A great value, our kits allow you to receive results in 24 hours, and are super easy to use.
Mold Testing
Our mold and indoor air quality services are available to both residential and commercial buildings. It may seem like the air quality in your home or business is not entirely under your control because most of the sources are due to building materials or hidden dangers like mold. Formaldehyde in particular, is one of the substances that has gotten a lot of attention due to its widespread use in building materials. Basically, the adhesive that is used, contains formaldehyde. Things like insulation, particleboard, and even carpet, all contain adhesives that will off gas formaldehyde. The levels are generally not severe enough to cause concern but who really wants to be inhaling formaldehyde? So what can be done? At NOW Environmental Services we can advise the proper way to eliminate the dangers of indoor pollutants, like formaldehyde.
The Green Solution
You may be wondering what, exactly you can do on a daily basis to combat the dangers of poor indoor air quality. The answer is simple, plants. Keeping the right houseplants can actually improve the air quality in your home, how much easier can it get? Keep in mind, that if your indoor air quality is substandard already, plants will probably not remove all of the harmful toxins in the air. Plants, however are excellent at providing clean air to breathe in your home. These plants are not necessarily anything special, but common houseplants that will not only make your home look better but you will breathe easier.
The Peace Lily
The peace lily is what can be considered a super plant. It is a truly remarkable air cleaning plant,that filters out formaldehyde and many other nasty, toxic gasses. The best part of the peace lily is the fact that it is relatively low maintenance and can thrive in lower light and do not need to be watered as often. The downside is that, peace lilies are hazardous to humans and pets when eaten so if you have kids or pets it is a good idea to either not keep peace lilies or keep them out of reach.
Chrysanthemum
This common, beautiful flower is an amazing air cleaner. The care is much more extensive than the peace lily as you need to water it on a regular basis, still not too difficult. The peace lily and chrysanthemum are both extremely effective air cleaners and should be considered for any home if only for the air scrubbing qualities.
Aloe Vera
This miracle succulent is not only used as a traditional medicine and an ointment. It is also a fact that the aloe plant is effective at clearing toxins out of the air, including formaldehyde.
Indoor air quality can be greatly improved by keeping houseplants. The building industry is taking more and more steps to eliminate toxic compounds from building materials. That does not change the fact that these materials have been used for many years and can be present in your home. Give NOW Environmental Services a call and rest easy knowing the air is safe in your home or office.
