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An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
Pollutants and Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
- Asbestos
- Biological Pollutants
- Carbon Monoxide
- Formaldehyde/Pressed Wood Products
- Household Cleaning and Maintenance, Personal Care, or Hobbies
- Lead
- Nitrogen Dioxide
- Pesticides
- Radon
- Respirable Particles
- Secondhand Smoke/Environmental Tobacco Smoke
- Stoves, Heaters, Fireplaces, and Chimneys
Read "The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality"
What if You Live in an Apartment?
Apartments can have the same indoor air problems as single-family homes because many of the pollution sources, such as the interior building materials, furnishings, and household products, are similar. Indoor air problems similar to those in offices are caused by such sources as contaminated ventilation systems, improperly placed outdoor air intakes, or maintenance activities.
Solutions to air quality problems in apartments, as in homes and offices, involve such actions as: eliminating or controlling the sources of pollution, increasing ventilation, and installing air cleaning devices. Often a resident can take the appropriate action to improve the indoor air quality by removing a source, altering an activity, unblocking an air supply vent, or opening a window to temporarily increase the ventilation; in other cases, however, only the building owner or manager is in a position to remedy the problem.
What to Do If You Suspect a Problem Read more about what to do to improve the Indoor Air Quality of your building.
You can encourage building management to follow guidance in EPA's Integrated Building Evaluation and Assessment (IBEAM) Tool (www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/ibeam_page.htm).
Additional References
- Basic Information About Indoor Air Quality
- There are three basic strategies to improve indoor air quality
- Measuring Pollutant Levels and Weatherizing Your Home
- What if You Live in an Apartment?
- Do You Suspect Your Office Has an Indoor Air Problem?
- "The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality"
EPA's Radon site - www.epa.gov/radon
This guide, created by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI)
with EPA's review, is for people who rent their apartments or houses. The guide explains what radon is, and how to find out if there is a radon problem in your home. The guide also talks about what you can do if there are high radon levels in your home. Call the National Radon Information Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON or your State Radon Contact to get a copy of this guide.
EPA's Mold site - www.epa.gov/mold
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home"
- "Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings"
- Chapter on "Moisture and Mold Prevention and Control Tips"
- Mold Resources page - www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html
National Apartment Association www.naahq.org/
201 N. Union Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
703/ 518-6141
fax: 703/ 518-6191Links to Apartment and Landlord Associations on Landlord.com www.landlord.com/assoc_main.htm