| Today, indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important | | | | and polypropylene (olefin) fabric backing. |
| environmental consideration. Because we spend | | | | There are many sources of indoor air pollution in |
| approximately 90 percent of our time indoors, we | | | | any home. These include combustion sources such |
| must do everything possible to improve the air | | | | as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco |
| we breathe. During the energy crisis of the '70s, | | | | products; building materials and furnishings as |
| Americans began to tightly close their workplaces | | | | diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing |
| and homes in order to conserve energy | | | | insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or |
| resources. Currently, many families have both | | | | furniture made of certain pressed wood products; |
| parents working, with less cleaning time in the | | | | products for household cleaning and maintenance, |
| home. Ventilation and cleanliness play important | | | | personal care, or hobbies; central heating and |
| parts in maintaining good air quality; although, the | | | | cooling systems and humidification devices; and |
| indoor environment is impacted by many factors. | | | | outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and |
| Among the factors that may impact the quality | | | | outdoor air pollution. |
| of the indoor air in your home is the air drawn | | | | The relative importance of any single source |
| from outside through an air conditioning unit. Other | | | | depends on how much of a given pollutant it |
| factors may be tobacco smoke, radon, and | | | | emits and how hazardous those emissions are. In |
| cooking odors, as well as renovating and | | | | some cases, factors such as how old the source |
| redecorating products, such as wallpaper, furniture | | | | is and whether it is properly maintained are |
| and cabinetry, carpet, paints, varnishes, particle | | | | significant. For example, an improperly adjusted |
| board, wood finishes, caulking, and adhesives. | | | | gas stove can emit significantly more carbon |
| There are many sources of indoor air pollution in | | | | monoxide than one that is properly adjusted. |
| any home. Additional items include combustion | | | | Some sources, such as building materials, |
| sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, and | | | | furnishings, and household products like air |
| wood. Building materials and furnishings as diverse | | | | fresheners, release pollutants more or less |
| as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet | | | | continuously. Other sources, related to activities |
| or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made | | | | carried out in the home, release pollutants |
| of certain pressed wood products. Included are | | | | intermittently. These include smoking, the use of |
| products for household cleaning and maintenance, | | | | un-vented or malfunctioning stoves, furnaces, or |
| personal care, or hobbies. Add central heating and | | | | space heaters, the use of solvents in cleaning and |
| cooling systems and humidification devices; and | | | | hobby activities, the use of paint strippers in |
| outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and | | | | redecorating activities, and the use of cleaning |
| outdoor air pollution. Interior products in the home | | | | products and pesticides in housekeeping. High |
| have the potential to impact the indoor air | | | | pollutant concentrations can remain in the air for |
| because they emit volatile organic compounds into | | | | long periods after some of these activities. |
| the air. The quality of indoor air also involves | | | | Common Factors That Affect IAQ: |
| cleaning materials, building materials, ducts | | | | People (exhalation, body odors, diseases) |
| transmitting heat and air conditioning, activities in | | | | Activities (work such as cleaning, using correction |
| the building, people, pets, and furnishings. | | | | fluids, carbonless paper, pest control products, and |
| You must look at the whole picture. Cleaning | | | | personal activities such as wear fragrances and |
| products used in the home, as well as interior | | | | smoking) |
| furnishings, should be low VOC (volatile organic | | | | Technology (photocopiers and laser printers) |
| compounds) emitters, with emissions, sometimes | | | | Furnishings (furniture, draperies, floor coverings) |
| improperly called off-gassing, that dissipate quickly. | | | | Finishes (paint, varnish, vinyl wall coverings) |
| Scientific studies have demonstrated that new | | | | Building materials (caulking compounds, adhesives, |
| carpet is one of the lowest emitters of VOCs | | | | wood laminates) |
| into the indoor environment and that these | | | | Outdoor Air Quality |
| emissions dissipate very quickly. The low-level | | | | Inadequate or contaminated air handling units |
| VOC emissions and the harmless odor from new | | | | Inadequate cleaning practices |
| carpet dissipate within the first 48 to 72 hours | | | | Take a close look at this list. If you feel you are |
| after installation. Carpet has not posed any health | | | | suffering from Inadequate Indoor Air Quality, you |
| problems for millions of users. Carpet is made | | | | may find the remedy right here. |
| primarily of the same innocuous materials found in | | | | Here are some aditional sites that have quality |
| clothing and other everyday fabrics; i.e., polyester, | | | | information about air conditioning, a major |
| nylon, and olefin fibers, latex (synthetic rubber), | | | | contributor to better air quality... |