What is 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 from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.

Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your Home

Whether you live in an apartment, townhome or single family home, an old home or are building a new home, there are many ways to protect and improve your indoor air quality.

Humidity Level

Verify that the AC unit is operating properly. Every home is different, but a level between 30 and 40 per cent humidity is typically ideal for keeping your home warm and comfortable in the winter, without leaving condensation on the windows. In the summer, that level can be higher, between 50 and 60 per cent.

Duct Contamination

A good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination. Moisture should not be present in ducts. Controlling moisture is on of the most effective way to prevent biological growth in air ducts.

Ventilation

The term "ventilation efficiency" is used to describe the ability of the ventilation system to distribute supply air and remove internally generated pollutants. One technique for controlling odors and contaminants is to dilute them with outdoor air.

Air Filtration

The effectiveness of an air cleaner depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute).