Frequently Asked Questions

What causes indoor air problems?

Indoor air problems nearly always involve pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air.  Inadequate ventilation can increase the problem by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources  and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.  High humidity levels or moisture is involved when mold is the pollutant.

What are the sources of pollutants?

There are many sources of indoor air pollution.  These can include combustion sources such as tobacco, wood, oil; building materials, pets, furnishings, carpets;  household cleaning products;  mold or mildew and the various by-products of their growth.   Outdoor sources such as radon and pollen.  Some of these sources  release pollutants intermittently while others are more or less continuous.

Can poor indoor air quality contribute to disease or illness?

The short answer is yes.  There is a large body of scientific evidence implicating indoor air problems with a variety of symptoms including allergies, eye irritations, respiratory difficulties, bacterial and viral infections, lethargy and headaches.

What strategies are used to solve air quality problems?

There are only three.  1) Remove the source of the pollutant.   2) Remove the pollutant with filtration or purification.   3) Dilute the pollutant with increased ventilation which flushes the house with fresh air.   Often a combination of these approaches is necessary to achieve the desired goal of clean and healthy air.

Should I test for as many pollutants as I can?

Testing for many pollutants can be expensive.  Measurements are most appropriate when there are either health symptoms or if specific pollutants have been identified.  Usually, humidity, temperature and moisture measurements along with carbon dioxide and particulate count data give a good basis for evaluating air quality.  If mold is suspected, several different testing protocols are available.  The only exception to this rule is radon, which is colorless and odorless and can be tested using inexpensive testing kits.

How can I tell if have an air quality problem?

Some health effects can be useful indicators of an indoor air quality problem, especially if they appear after a person moves to a new residence, remodels a home or treats a home with pesticides.  If you think you have symptoms that may be related to your home environment, discuss them with your doctor to see if they could be caused by indoor air pollution.  Another way to tell if there might be a problem is to look for signs your home may not have enough ventilation.  These could include moisture condensation on windows, stuffy air, or areas in your home where items become moldy or if you smell a musty odor.

Is moisture a pollutant?

Moisture in our air is an essential component for our comfort and health.  It becomes a problem for us however, if we have too much or too little.  If there is too much moisture, mold, bacteria and other pollutants can flourish.  Under these conditions, excess moisture is considered a pollutant that needs to be controlled.

Can air quality problems be related to my house construction?

It usually is in one way or another.  Good building design is integral with good indoor air quality.   A thorough inspection of a house and its’ various systems will often reveal the source of an air quality problem.  Often a small flaw or problem in the physical building can lead to significant problems with air quality.  Once the source of the problem is found, the “fix” can often be easy to accomplish.

Does air quality vary with the time of year?

Outdoor air quality varies considerably with the time of year and geographic location and what is going on outdoors will often affect what goes on indoors.  The caution though, is that indoor air quality can be compromised by indoor sources of pollution as well as by outdoor sources.  That is one reason why measurements and tests are taken of both the inside air and outside air to compare the two.  If the inside air has higher readings than the outdoor readings of whatever is being measured, then more investigation needs to take place.