Did you know that the air in your home, office, or school may be more polluted than the air outside? Since the average person spends about 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air pollution can have significant effects on our health. In an effort to conserve energy, buildings are tightly sealed and ventilation rates are reduced. As a result, indoor air pollutants can become trapped inside and build up to levels that may make some people sick. The people who are most susceptible are children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people who are chronically ill. An important indicator that you may have an indoor air quality problem is the onset of symptoms while in a certain room or building, and relief from those symptoms shortly after leaving.
The Air Quality Section offers a service of helping people identify and resolve possible indoor air quality problems. In most cases, information can be provided over the phone or mailed to interested persons. Some situations, however, may need an on-site visit to evaluate the indoor air quality. Usually the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is through source control-reduce or eliminate the sources of air pollutants. Ventilation improvements, using exhaust fans and bringing in fresh air, can also be beneficial. Filtering the air may reduce some pollutants, but should not be relied on exclusively. We do not recommend the use of certain "air cleaners" such as ionizers or ozone generators for most situations because these devices may do more harm than good.
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