IAQ Series - Part One - Why Indoor Air Quality Matters

4/11/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Infestation In Springfield MA Home

Welcome to Part One of our Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Series on Western MA homes and businesses.

Did you know a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities?  Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors.

What Causes Indoor Air Problems?

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in Western MA homes and businesses. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.

Pollutant Sources

There are many sources of indoor air pollution. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; damage due to water and fire emergencies; dirty air ducts; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products and household cleaning products.

Amount of Ventilation

If too little outdoor air enters a Western MA home or business, pollutants can accumulate. Unless they are built with special mechanical means of ventilation, homes that are designed and constructed to minimize the amount of outdoor air that can "leak" into and out of the home may have higher pollutant levels than other homes. However, because some weather conditions can drastically reduce the amount of outdoor air that enters a home, pollutants can build up even in homes that are normally considered "leaky."

In Part Two of this series, we discuss how to identify Air Quality problems in your Western MA home or business.

SERVPRO of Hampshire County, located in Ludlow, MA is available 24/7/365 for your fire, water, mold and cleaning needs - including general cleaning, air ducts and carpet cleaning.  Call us at 413-589-8975.

Some content sourced from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission