Indoor Air Quality Testing Sharon Hill, PA

Sharon Hill, Delaware County, PA

What does air quality testing reveal in Sharon Hill?

Last updated June 21, 2026

Indoor air quality in Sharon Hill is shaped by the borough's geology and by the age of its housing as much as by anything residents do day to day. The single biggest concern is radon. Southeastern Pennsylvania sits over geology with elevated radon potential, and radon is an odorless, colorless gas that seeps up from the soil through cracks in slabs, stone and block foundation walls, sump pits, and utility penetrations — and it concentrates in the low, enclosed basements that Sharon Hill's 1900s-to-1930s rowhomes and twins were built with. You cannot smell it or see it; the only way to know your level is to measure it. The second concern is combustion byproducts. Many homes here heat with gas appliances vented into older masonry chimneys, and a great many were converted to gas from coal or oil over the decades. When a flue is oversized or deteriorated, or when a water heater or furnace is not venting cleanly, carbon monoxide and other combustion gases can spill back into the living space instead of going up the chimney — a genuine safety issue, not just a comfort one. Third are volatile organic compounds, the off-gassing from paints, adhesives, new flooring, solvents, and finishes, which build up in tight or poorly ventilated rooms. Fourth are particulates and the residue of old systems: decades of soot can coat the interior of ductwork and chimneys in homes converted from coal or oil, and a newer system pushing air through that old ductwork stirs those deposits back into circulation. And fifth is ventilation itself — housing of this era was built with little mechanical exhaust, so bathroom and kitchen moisture, dust, allergens, dust-mite and pet antigens, and everything else generated indoors tends to linger rather than clear. None of these is visible during a normal walk-through, and several of them — radon and carbon monoxide especially — are dangerous precisely because they give no warning. Measuring the air is the only way to know what is actually in it.

When I test indoor air in a Sharon Hill home, I start by matching the test to the house and to what the people living there have noticed. Radon testing uses a calibrated monitor placed in the lowest livable level for the measurement period, which matters in this borough because the low, enclosed basements common to these rowhomes and twins are exactly where radon collects. For combustion concerns I look at how the gas appliances are venting and sample for carbon monoxide and related byproducts, paying particular attention to homes that were converted to gas and vent into an older oversized chimney. For VOCs, particulates, and allergens I collect air samples from the rooms in question and, where it helps, sample the supply air near the heating system to see whether old ductwork is contributing soot and dust to what is being circulated. Every sample goes to a PRO-LAB certified laboratory, results come back in 2-3 business days, and I read the report with you in plain language instead of leaving you to decode raw numbers. Because I do not sell remediation or any product, what I report is just what the air contains. Buyers comparing homes in nearby Glenolden often find the same combination of radon-prone basements and converted heating systems that I see in Sharon Hill. If you are buying, selling, or simply want to know what your family is breathing before the next heating season, call 610-348-6728.

What air quality risks do Sharon Hill's 1900s–1930s homes face?

Pre-1920 homes present unique air quality challenges from over a century of construction materials, renovations, and building practices that predate modern ventilation standards.

What does an indoor air quality test check for?

Bob performs all inspections per InterNACHI Standards of Practice. His air quality testing in Sharon Hill follows PRO-LAB protocols calibrated to the specific risks of late 19th and early 20th century construction:

What are common issues in Sharon Hill homes?

Based on 20+ years testing late 19th and early 20th century homes in Delaware County, these are the issues Bob finds most often:

• Knob-and-tube wiring still energized behind walls and under blown insulation
• Stone foundation moisture intrusion and mortar joint deterioration
• Lead paint on original trim, windows, and exterior surfaces
• Gas pipe conversions from original coal or oil systems with improper venting
• Original clay sewer laterals with root intrusion and bellied sections
• Aging slate or clay tile roofs with deteriorating flashing