The following article was supplied by House-n-Home-Building.com

Indoor Air Quality Overview

In today's world people spend the majority of their time indoors. Unfortunately, the indoor air quality in most homes and offices is 5-10 times worse than outdoors' air. Even in the most polluted industrial areas, or in a smog-covered city, the air inside most homes is more polluted than outside. Given these facts, it is no big surprise that there is an increasing awareness of the effects that indoor air quality can have on one's quality of life.

People with allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity, asthma, or other respiratory illness are especially susceptible to the effects of poor air quality. But even for those who don't have these illnesses, the cumulative impacts over time can be significant to one's overall quality of life and health. It is for these reasons that there is a growing interest in the indoor air quality aspects of the building process and what can be done to lessen its impact.

The indoor air quality problem (IAQ) associated with the building of new homes is the result of two trends. The first is the increasing tendency to use man-made materials in the construction of new homes. These man-made materials contain a variety of chemicals, many of which breath or outgas these chemicals for years. Secondly, new homes are built "tighter," with more insulation, tighter windows, and vapor barriers that trap these gases in houses; most new homes are not built with any designed ventilation systems.

Some of the more common problem areas are:

• Carpets
• Combustion Appliances
• Particle board cabinetry and counter tops
• Inadequate air exchange
• Inadequate air filtration
• Vacuum cleaners
• Molds/mildews
• Damp basements
• Radon
• Garage storage of paints/solvents/pesticides

The scope of this topic goes well beyond what can be addressed in the tips section of this web site. If you are interested in more information on this topic here are several sources for you to investigate.

The House-N-Home-Building.com contains additional information about this topic that is especially germane to those building a new house.

EPA's Indoor Air Quality web site contains much good information and links to other useful web sites.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences site contains information on general IAQ issues.