Indoor Air Quality and Health
 The District does not regulate indoor air quality, or indoor air
quality devices. The following is provided for informational purposes
only.
Indoor air quality refers to the quality of air we breathe inside our
homes, our offices, our schools and other buildings. The household
products we use every day as well as appliances, furniture, and building
materials emit gasses that can become trapped indoors. Many of these
gasses are pollutants that are harmful to health.
Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
Fuel-burning and gas appliances
Carbon monoxide is
produced by household appliances that burn fuel including oil or gas
furnaces, gas water heaters, space heaters, gas ranges and ovens,
fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves.
Learn more on this page about carbon monoxide and health.
Fireplace burning
Breathing wood smoke reduces lung
function, aggravates heart and lung diseases, and can trigger asthma.
Visit this webpage to learn about steps to
create a cleaner, safer burning fireplace for you and your
neighbors.
Building materials
Asbestos is a lightweight fiber used
in construction materials to provide insulation and as fire resistance.
What makes asbestos useful in construction though, also makes it very
harmful to human health. When broken or crushed, asbestos particles
become airborne and if they are inhaled they can become permanently
lodged in lungs and tissues. In fact, asbestos has proven so dangerous
to human health that many asbestos products are now banned. Asbestos can
still be found, though, in many buildings and homes.
Go to this webpage to find out how you can
detect asbetos and prevent it from causing harm.
Pressed wood
Formaldehyde is a chemical often used as an
adhesive in pressed wood products such as particleboard, hardwood
plywood paneling, and fiberboard. It is a colorless but strong-smelling
gas that can cause watery eyes, burning in the throat, nausea, and
respiratory problems. Formaldehyde is particularly a concern for people
with asthma because it can trigger attacks.
Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's webpage on
formaldehyde and how to reduce exposure to learn more.
Household products
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are
frequently found in household products such as such as paints, cleaning
supplies and glues, and in furniture and office equipment.
Learm more on the Environmental Protection Agency's
webpage on
VOCs.
Lead-based paint
Lead affects almost every system in the
body. Children are especially vulnerable because lead exposure can
impact physical and mental development. Lead is mostly found in
lead-based paints, but can also be found in contaminated soil and
drinking water.
Visit the Envrionmental Protection Agency webpage to learn more about
how to reduce exposure.
Smoking
Cigarettes contain dozens of harmful chemicals
which are released into the atmosphere when smoked. Secondhand smoke can
cause asthma and respiratory infections in children. Learn more about
how to create a healthy, smoke-free home
at the Envrionmental Protection Agency website.
Strategies for Improving Indoor Air Quality
- Control sources of pollution: The most effective—and
usually the most cost-effective—way to improve indoor air quality is
to eliminate or reduce sources of air pollution. See the links above
to find out specific methods for controlling sources of air
pollution that you think are a problem in your home or office.
- Improve ventilation: Increasing circulation between
indoor and outdoor air will lower the concentration of indoor
pollutant. This can be achieved by opening windows and doors and
using attic fans or window air conditioners. It is especially
important to take these steps when you amid activities that can
generate a large amount of pollutants in a short period of time.
Examples of these activities are painting, remodeling, or using
fuel-burning or gas appliances.
- Use air cleaners: There are many different kinds of air
purifiers and cleaners available to reduce specific indoor air
pollution problems. However, it is important to buy an air cleaner
that does not emit harmful ozone.
Learn more at this
webpage on air
purifiers.
Learn More
Introduction to indoor air quality by the Environmental Protection
Agency
California Air Resources Board website on indoor air quality and
personal exposure assessment program
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