Indoor Air Quality

Definition:
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is defined as the nature of the air that affects the health and well-being of its occupants. Simplified, it is the impact interior contaminants have on the air that we breathe.

IAQ Characteristics:
The characteristics of indoor air quality are attributed to:

1. Physical Factors - temperature and humidity.
2. Mechanical Factors - ventilation rates and filtration.
3. Chemical Factors - building meterials, smoking, office equipment, disinfectants and pollutants from conbustion devices.

IAQ Issues:
Today, indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental risks to public health. Most people spend more thatn 70% of their lives indoor. This can be justified through statistics such as work hours and utility bills. The Envrionmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that indoor air is six to a hundred times as polluted or more polluted than the outdoors. This problem affects the lives and safety of hundreds of million of people around the world today.

Affected Areas:
Typical affected areas include but are not limited to:

• Homes
• Offices
• Restaurants
• Bars
• Health clubs
• Hospitals
• Schools
• Public transportation
• Highly populated public facilities

Sound familiar?

FAQ

Q: What causes poor indoor air quaility?
A: Todays homes are built tighter to help conserve resources and save save expenses. As a result, there is less fresh air circulation. Certain airborne contaminants can thrive in these airtight conditions and promote poor air quality.

Q: Do I really need to clean my air?
A: With more energy efficient building construction and less ventilation with outside air, indoor air quality can suffer. Removing airborne contaminants may reduce allergic reactions, hay fever, sinusitis and other respiratory promlems.