INDOOR AIR QUALITY

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage our health, but fewer realize that indoor air pollution can be as or even more harmful. Studies by Health Canada, the US Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies indicate that levels of several indoor air pollutants may be significantly higher than outdoor levels. Because Canadians typically spend close to 90 percent of their time indoors, there is considerable public health concern about the health effects of indoor air quality. It has been shown to cause and/or exacerbate a wide array of health effects: allergies; asthma; lung cancer; respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia; ear, nose, and throat irritation and inflammation; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and many others. These health effects can have large associated economic impacts in the form of costs to the health care system and lost worker productivity. Unfortunately, the people who spend the most time indoors, and hence exposed to indoor air pollutants for long periods of time, are often the same people who are most susceptible to their effects. They include the young, elderly, and chronically ill, especially those suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease.
Indoor air quality is the result of complex interactions among buildings, building systems and people. Over the past several decades, people's exposure to indoor air pollution has increased due to a variety of factors. These include:

• the construction of more tightly sealed buildings without sufficient air exchange;
• reduced ventilation rates to save energy;
• the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings;
• the use of chemically formulated personal care products;
• the use of pesticides and housekeeping supplies;
• the increased complexity of modern building systems; and
• building deterioration due to age, improper maintenance or design

If you need assistance to determine whether there is an indoor air quality concern in your house, then having your home inspected by our qualified indoor air quality investigator is usually the best option.