Studies by the US EPA show indoor air pollution to be one of the top five environmental problems in public health today.  According to some studies, levels of pollutants indoors can be 2-100 times higher than outdoors.  Since most people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, indoor air quality is an important part of public health.

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes.  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 can include combustion sources (i.e. gas, kerosene, coal, wood or tobacco products), mold and moisture, household cleaning products, and radon, amongst many others.  The relevance of these pollutants depends on the amount of the pollutant emitted into the indoor environment.

Some pollutant sources continuously release pollutants (i.e. air fresheners, building materials, etc.).  Other sources, related to daily activity, release pollutants intermittently in the home. Intermittent sources include smoking, the use of unvented or malfunctioning stoves, furnaces, or space heaters, and the use of cleaning products and pesticides in housekeeping. For more information about a smoke free home, please go to our tobacco use prevention page: Tobacco Use Prevention

Indoor Air Quality Resources:

Check out the IAQ pages on the menu bar on top of this page for information on specific IAQ pollutants.  The following links will help provide you with some general information and resources to determine the source and solution for your indoor air problems.  

US EPA Indoor Air Quality website - Information from the US Environmental Protection Agency on various indoor air quality topics, including sources and solutions

ODH Indoor Environment Program - Information from the Ohio Department of Health about their Indoor Environment Program

OSHA Indoor Air Quality - Information from the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration about indoor air quality in the workplace

Air Cleaners and Your Health - Ohio Indoor Air Quality Coalition fact sheet on choosing the right air cleaners for your home.   Adobe Acrobat Reader Required - Download here if needed