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ClearGuard Environmental San Francisco · San Francisco County

Indoor air quality testing in San Francisco — from $445, accredited lab result

Indoor air quality testing in San Francisco costs $445 and measures what people are actually breathing — particulates, VOCs, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide and humidity — with laboratory-grade sampling and a written report. It is the usual next step when a room smells wrong, a remodel is finished, or symptoms follow the building rather than the season.

Asbestos · from $425Mold · from $395Lead · from $425Air quality · from $445
Call (415) 592-6414Instant price check

ClearGuard Environmental San Francisco · 580 California St, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104 · (415) 592-6414

Instant estimate · about 60 seconds

What your test will cost

What do you need tested?

Choose the concern at this property.

Testing only. We report what the accredited lab finds and never bid the removal or remediation work.

Accredited lab

Third-party analysis

Testing only

No removal sales, ever

Same-day visits

Fast written results

Chain of custody

Tracked from start to finish

What we sample in San Francisco

  • CO₂ and carbon monoxide by room to test ventilation and combustion
  • PM2.5 and PM10 particulate readings during occupied hours
  • VOC sorbent-tube or badge samples for solvents and new-build off-gassing
  • Formaldehyde cassettes near new cabinetry, flooring or laminate
  • Temperature and relative-humidity profile that explains the readings
  • Supply, return and outdoor comparison points at the HVAC system

Why San Franciscans call us

  • Headaches, stuffiness or throat irritation that clear when people leave
  • New flooring, cabinets, paint or furniture with a chemical smell
  • Wildfire smoke intrusion or a nearby construction or traffic source
  • A classroom, clinic or office with a ventilation complaint
  • A landlord or employer needs a documented baseline

What the written report contains

  • Room-by-room readings with the time each was taken
  • Laboratory VOC and formaldehyde concentrations
  • Outdoor comparison values for the same period
  • Plain-language interpretation with the applicable guideline value

Other tests on the same visit

  • Asbestos testing — from $425
  • Mold testing — from $395
  • Lead paint testing — from $425

Structured summary

Indoor air quality testing in San Francisco — the facts

Indoor air quality testing San Francisco service details
ServiceIndoor air quality testing in San Francisco — sample collection, accredited laboratory analysis and a written result. We never sell removal or remediation.
PriceFrom $445, laboratory analysis included, quoted before dispatch.
Laboratory methodCalibrated readings for CO₂, CO, PM2.5, PM10, temperature and relative humidity, plus laboratory analysis of VOC sorbent-tube or badge samples and formaldehyde cassettes
TurnaroundOn-site readings the same visit, written laboratory VOC and formaldehyde results within 24–72 hours
CoverageAll 34 San Francisco neighbourhoods plus Daly City, South San Francisco, Brisbane and Pacifica.
Rating5.0 out of 5 from 76 verified customer reviews.
Local office580 California St, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104 · (415) 592-6414

The steps

How a San Francisco sampling visit runs

  1. 01

    Tell us what you're about to disturb

    Call, text a photo, or fill out the form. We identify the suspect materials, estimate the sample count, and lock in your flat price before anyone is dispatched.

  2. 02

    A certified inspector collects the samples safely

    Each distinct material is wetted down, a coin-sized piece is cut, sealed, labeled and logged under chain of custody. The mark left behind is smaller than a light-switch plate, and the space is left clean.

  3. 03

    An accredited lab runs the PLM analysis

    Samples are examined by Polarized Light Microscopy with dispersion staining — the EPA-recognized method for bulk building materials — with point counting available for borderline results.

  4. 04

    You get a written report within 24 hours

    A PDF lists every sample location, the analytical method, the fiber type detected and the reported percentage.

Indoor air quality testing by San Francisco neighbourhood

The city's building stock changes block by block, so the materials we end up sampling change with it. Each neighbourhood below has its own page with local detail, pricing and booking.

Air quality testing in Mission DistrictVictorian and Edwardian flats over ground-floor storefronts, where kitchen remodels usually uncover three layers of flooring above 9-inch tile and black mastic.Air quality testing in Noe Valley1900s–1920s single-family Victorians with plaster, lath and original window sash carrying decades of pre-1978 paint.Air quality testing in Bernal HeightsSmall pre-war cottages with added-on rear kitchens and basement pipe wrap disturbed by nearly every foundation or garage project.Air quality testing in Sunset DistrictRows of 1930s–1950s Sunset homes with fog-belt moisture in ground-floor rooms and stucco, plaster and stacked kitchen flooring above the garage.Air quality testing in Richmond District1920s–1940s flats and apartment buildings with plaster walls, boiler-era pipe insulation and layered lead paint on trim.Air quality testing in South of MarketConverted warehouses and light-industrial lofts where tenant improvements open textured coatings, mastic and mechanical insulation.Air quality testing in CastroOrnate Victorians and Edwardians whose trim stripping and window work regularly raise a lead paint question before an asbestos one.Air quality testing in Pacific HeightsLarge pre-war homes and apartment buildings with plaster, decorative trim and original basement heating systems.Air quality testing in BayviewPost-war housing and light-industrial buildings, with sprayed ceiling texture in remodelled units and cement-asbestos board on outbuildings.Air quality testing in Potrero HillA mix of 1900s cottages and mid-century infill, with hillside garage conversions exposing duct wrap and old flooring.Air quality testing in Haight-AshburyDense Victorian flats, repeatedly remodelled, so joint compound, texture coats and stacked flooring can all be in one room.Air quality testing in Inner Sunset1920s–1940s homes near the park with plaster interiors and original single-glazed sash in putty.Air quality testing in Outer SunsetCoastal fog and closed garages keep ground-floor rooms damp, which is why mold and air quality calls here often have no single leak.Air quality testing in Inner RichmondPre-war flats above retail, where commercial tenant work and residential remodels disturb the same plaster and mastic.Air quality testing in Outer Richmond1930s–1950s homes with stucco exteriors, plaster interiors and long drying times in north-facing rooms.Air quality testing in Marina District1920s–1930s stucco homes and apartments built on fill, with original heating runs and post-1989 repair layers.Air quality testing in North BeachOlder apartment buildings and flats with boiler-era insulation, plaster and heavy paint layering on stairwells and trim.Air quality testing in Russian HillPre-war apartment stock where unit turnovers open plaster, mastic and mechanical chases in shared basements.Air quality testing in Nob HillDense early-1900s buildings with decorative plaster, old pipe insulation and repainted corridors.Air quality testing in Hayes ValleyVictorian flats and small apartment buildings where post-freeway infill sits beside untouched pre-war interiors.Air quality testing in Glen Park1920s–1940s cottages on steep lots, with crawl-space ducting and stacked kitchen flooring.Air quality testing in Twin PeaksMid-century homes with sprayed ceiling texture, sheet flooring and original furnace ducting.Air quality testing in West Portal1920s–1930s tunnel-era homes with plaster, lead-painted trim and garage-level utility runs.Air quality testing in ParksidePost-war Sunset-adjacent tracts with sprayed ceiling texture and 9-inch tile still under later flooring.Air quality testing in LakeshoreMid-century homes and apartment blocks near the lake with original ducting and resilient flooring.Air quality testing in Presidio HeightsLarge pre-war houses with elaborate plaster, deep paint layering and basement mechanical rooms.Air quality testing in Mission BayNewer construction where the questions are usually indoor air quality and moisture rather than legacy material.Air quality testing in DogpatchIndustrial conversions and worker cottages side by side, so one block can hold both textured coatings and Victorian plaster.Air quality testing in Excelsior1920s–1950s homes with stucco, plaster and stacked flooring, and heavy DIY remodel history.Air quality testing in PortolaPost-war single-family homes with sprayed ceilings, 9-inch tile and original crawl-space ducting.Air quality testing in OceanviewMixed pre-war and post-war stock with layered paint, textured ceilings and moisture in ground-floor rooms.Air quality testing in Ingleside1920s–1940s homes with plaster, lead-painted sash and old floor tile under carpet.Air quality testing in Visitacion ValleyPost-war housing where remodels and unit turnovers regularly reveal texture, tile and mastic.Air quality testing in Treasure IslandFormer naval housing and commercial buildings where legacy material is the working assumption before any work.

Just over the county line

Daly CitySouth San FranciscoBrisbanePacifica

Independence

A company should not test the material it hopes to remove.

We collect and test material. ClearGuard does not sell removal work, keeping the finding independent. An abatement crew offering a "free inspection" is running a sales call with a lab form attached. We only sell the test, so a clean result and a positive result pay us exactly the same.

  • No removal bids, no upsell, no referral kickback
  • Every sample goes to an independent, accredited laboratory
  • You get material names and percentages, not a vague pass or fail
  • If a result is positive, we point you to licensed local abatement crews and exit the job

FAQ

Indoor air quality testing in San Francisco — questions

How much does indoor air quality testing cost in San Francisco?

$445, laboratory analysis included, quoted before anyone is dispatched. Optional 4–8 hour expedited handling adds $99.

How fast can a sampler reach a San Francisco address?

Usually the same day for requests placed early, otherwise the next morning. Our San Francisco office at 580 California St, Suite 1200 runs daily routes through every neighbourhood, and the written accredited result follows within 24 hours.

Which San Francisco neighbourhoods do you cover?

All of them — from the Outer Sunset and Outer Richmond through the Mission, Castro, SoMa, Bayview and Visitacion Valley, plus Daly City, South San Francisco, Brisbane and Pacifica just over the line.

Do you also do the removal or remediation work?

No, and that is deliberate. ClearGuard only collects samples and reports laboratory results, so the finding is never attached to a removal sale. If work is needed, you take our report to any licensed contractor you choose.

Can you test an occupied flat or a rent-controlled building?

Yes. Sampling is wet-method and contained, every point is photographed and patched before the sampler leaves, and visits are scheduled around tenant notice periods.

What do I get at the end?

A written accredited laboratory report with sample locations, photographs, the method used and a plain-language result you can hand to a contractor, a landlord, a buyer or an insurer. We provide the test and the report — not permits, surveys or removal scopes.

How much does indoor air quality testing cost?

Indoor air quality testing starts at $445, which covers the visit, calibrated room-by-room readings and the first laboratory VOC or formaldehyde sample. Additional sample points are quoted before the visit.

What does an air quality test actually measure?

Calibrated CO₂, carbon monoxide, PM2.5, PM10, temperature and humidity on site, plus laboratory VOC and formaldehyde results. Asbestos and mold are separate tests with their own laboratory methods.

Can one visit cover air quality and mold?

Yes. A combined visit is common, and both sets of samples travel under the same chain of custody. The quote is shown before anyone is dispatched.

Before you start work

California pre-renovation asbestos rules, explainedWhat NESHAP, BAAQMD Regulation 11 Rule 2 and Cal/OSHA actually ask for before you open a wall.California pre-renovation lead paint rules, explainedThe EPA RRP rule and California Title 17 in plain language, for any building painted before 1978.