Indoor air quality

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns.

Health Effects

Exposure to indoor air pollutants can lead to a variety of health effects, from immediate physical symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, and allergic reactions, to long-term health conditions such as respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. The type and severity of health effects depend on several factors including the type of pollutant, the duration of exposure, and the individual's health status and genetics.

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Indoor air pollution can come from a variety of sources inside a building. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings; household cleaning and maintenance products; central heating and cooling systems; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

There are several strategies to improve indoor air quality. These include source control, improved ventilation, and air cleaners. Source control involves removing the sources of pollution or reducing their emissions; this is generally the most effective strategy. Improved ventilation increases the amount of outdoor air coming indoors, and air cleaners can remove some of the particles and gases from indoor air.

Indoor Air Quality and COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought increased attention to the importance of indoor air quality. The virus that causes COVID-19 is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, and can be spread through the air in enclosed spaces. Good ventilation, along with other preventive measures such as wearing masks and social distancing, can help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 indoors.

See Also

• Air pollution
• Sick building syndrome
• Building-related illness
• HVAC
• Radon
• Mold

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