Air and Gas Testing & IAQ

Moisture and Oil Mist in a compressed air stream will damage costly equipment, ruin pipes and cause defects in your product.

HGJ Service helps you know what's in the air.

Sampling
Compressed air and gas streams are sampled at several different points in the distribution system. Samples are sealed and sent in for analysis.

Testing and Analysis
Air samples are evaluated by an AIHA accredited lab. Air samples are evaluated within 24 hours after receipt. Results are returned within 1 to 2 days after lab evaluation.

Standard Reports Include

Oil Mist

Dew Point

Particulates

Oxygen Content

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Dioxide

Methane

Total Hydrocarbons

Additional tests are available.

Moisture

Sulfur Dioxide

Nitrogen Dioxide

Halogenated Solvents

Medical Gas Analysis
Medical gasses such as Oxygen, Nitrogen, Nitrous Oxide and Medical Air Can also be tested. Call or e-mail us to for more information.

Compressd Air samples are compared to many diverse industry standards such as

OSHA 1910.134 and 1910.430

Compressed Gas Association Grades D, E, G, N

Poor Indoor Air Quality can affect your employees, causing higher absentee rates and higher personnel costs.

HGJ Service can help….

Contact our office regarding our Indoor Air Quality Testing Program

Indoor Air Quality Sampling

Our Program specializes in the detection and quantification of gases, pollutants and mold in HVAC systems.

Routine air analyses include…

Carbon monoxide,

Carbon dioxide

Methane

Oxygen

Nitrogen

Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC)

Additional analyses are available upon request and include

Mold

Formaldehyde

We test and report based on information obtained from ASHRAE 62-1989, US EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 40 CFR 50, and Compressed Gas Association G7.1-1989.

Now you can have the resources of an independent testing and consulting laboratory in your toolkit as you investigate IAQ problems.

FEATURES
Fast results
Accurate analysis
Accredited lab

The analytical report provides parts per million data for pollution indicators such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), as well as percentage levels of oxygen and nitrogen.

Formaldehyde Sampling
Our program includes a formaldehyde sampler that is used to measure formaldehyde levels in an area over a period of five to seven days, after which it is resealed and sent back to the laboratory for analysis. The long-term nature of the sample provides a very low detection limit, which is needed because of the low threshold values of formaldehyde that can be a potential health hazard to occupants.

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas at room temperature and has a very pungent odor. Formaldehyde is classed as a volatile organic compound (VOC) and is used as a coating, resin and/or adhesive in many building materials. There are several types of formaldehyde resin mixtures, the main ones are: phenol-formaldehyde (PF), melamine-formaldehyde (MF) and urea-formaldehyde (UF). Urea-formaldehyde, because of its water solubility, is the mixture which contributes the most to indoor air pollution.

Air sampling is done with a non-pressurized sample container that is filled with argon. The argon assures a pure and accurate sample. The sample is sent to our AIHA accredited laboratory for analysis, with results reported within 4 to 5 days after analysis.

Analytical reports provide part per million and percentage data on the following. Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Methane, Total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), Oxygen, Nitrogen

Results for these parameters can be very useful in determining whether or not an indoor air quality problem exists in an area. For example, high levels of carbon dioxide in an area might indicate the need to furnish more air flow and circulation into the area by adjusting HVAC balancing.

High levels of TVOCs would indicate a need to conduct further investigation of the source of the pollution, followed by more specific testing to characterize and quantify the pollutant. More specific testing for TVOCs is usually done by collecting additional air samples on standard IH media, and analyzing by NIOSH or OSHA methods.

Address IAQ Problems Quickly
Our system allows you to collect a first response sample very quickly. In cases where the contamination source is transient, this may well be the only opportunity to ever collect a sample. This system is used successfully by indoor air quality consultants as well as building owner and tenants as a proactive management tool for monitoring the indoor environment.

Analytical Methods

Parameter	Method of Detection	Detection Limit	Accuracy	Suggested Maximum IAQ Levels to Warrant Further Investigation*
Carbon Dioxide	Catalytic Converter with FID	20 ppm	greater of +/- 5% or +/- 5ppm	1000 ppm
Carbon Monoxide	Catalytic Converter with FID	0.5 ppm	greater of +/- 5% or +/- 1ppm	9 ppm
Methane	Catalytic Converter with FID	0.5 ppm	greater of +/- 5% or +/- 1ppm	5 ppm
Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs)	FID	1 ppm	greater of +/- 5% or +/- 1ppm	5 ppm
Oxygen	Thermal Conductivity	0.5%	+/- 2%	19.5%-23.5%
Nitrogen	Thermal Conductivity	0.5%	+/- 2%	75.5%-79.5%

* Suggested indoor air quality levels requiring further investigation for carbon monoxide, methane, total volatile organics compounds, and carbon dioxide are based on information obtained from ASHRAE 62-1989, US EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 40 CFR 50, and Compressed Gas Association G7.1-1989.

Mold Testing
Our Indoor Mold Test Kit has been designed to test mold and bacteria being produced or circulating through the central air conditioning unit of your home or office. The mold test kit is used to collect a sample directly from the vent outlet of the HVAC unit with 10 min. of direct impact collection. The plate is then covered and allowed to incubate over a 7 day period.

The Mold test kit is used to collect a sample directly from the vent outlet of the HVAC unit with 10 minutes of direct impact collection.

Two types of analytical methods are available for this test.

Method 1
Simply involves counting the number of colonies that are growing on the plate seven days after sampling and then comparing those values with the contamination scale.

Method 2
Involves organism analysis. Technicians will perform a more detailed analysis that will assist your allergist with the types of organisms present in your environment. This information is useful in the development of individual allergy treatment. An additional charge per plate is required for this analysis and reporting.

Test Contamination Scale (Results are obtained within 10 working days.)
# of colonies	General Guidelines
0-5	Typically indicates a clean air conditioning system. Retest in 6 months.
6-10	Typically indicates an air conditioning system with moderate mold and mildew. System inspection recommended.
More than 10	Typically indicates and air conditioning system with abnormal mold and mildew. System sanitation recommended.

Formaldehyde Sampling
Formaldehyde sampling is a long-term test that is left in an area for five to seven days. The long-term nature of the sample provides a very low detection limit because of the low threshold values of formaldehyde that can be a potential health hazard to occupants.

Main Sources
Some indoor sources of formaldehyde are composite wood products, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particle board. MDF is a common material used in furniture, cabinets and shelving. It can contain 2 to 4 times the urea-formaldehyde that standard particle board does. Formaldehyde is also used in the manufacture of some carpet backings and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation - UFFI. Formaldehyde mixtures used in building materials can release formaldehyde gas (off-gas) into the air. The rate at which the gas is released is dependent on the air temperature and relative humidity.

Health Effects
Formaldehyde can cause different symptoms when present at high concentration levels. Some can include eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing or breathing difficulties, asthma attacks, nausea, vomiting, headaches and nose bleeds. If the exposure to formaldehyde is short term, problems usually disappear once the pollutant is removed. Long-term exposure increases a person's sensitivity to the gas and may possibly lead to cancer. The greatest risk is to those people who have worked or lived around formaldehyde for over ten years.

Pollutant Control
The most effective control method is to avoid using building materials that contain urea-formaldehyde.

Exterior plywood can be substituted for particle board. Although exterior plywood may contain formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde is not used for exterior materials since it is water-soluble.

If it is not possible to substitute materials, they can be sealed using either a water-based polyurethane sealant or a specialty formaldehyde sealant, (contact a coatings supplier for formaldehyde sealants and application methods). The third way to control formaldehyde gas build-up is through the use of a continuous, mechanical ventilation system.

Exposure Guidelines
Substances which are classed as human or potential human carcinogens are classified differently to other pollutants, since continuing efforts should be made to reduce exposure to the lowest possible level. OSHA has established a Time-Weighted Average (TWA) exposure level to formaldehyde of 0.016 ppm over an eight hour workday.

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