PATH - A Public Private Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology

Tech Set #9: Indoor Air Quality

Creating Healthy Indoor Environments

As builders, remodelers, and homeowners focus their efforts on energy efficiency, less fresh air leaks in. This, coupled with outdoor air that might not be too desirable anyway, impacts the quality of the air in our homes.

Indoor air can be contaminated from many sources. Cooking odors are the most obvious, but indoor air may also contain excess humidity, dust, mold spores, chemical fumes, radon, combustion products from mowers running outside or furnaces running inside, and other potential irritants. Although most people aren't significantly affected by this indoor air cocktail, the long-term effects are still being evaluated. As anyone with asthma or other respiratory problems can tell you, poor air quality can become a serious matter.

Tech Set #9 covers the three basic steps that ensure a comfortable and healthier indoor environment: a) design and build the home to ensure that it continuously performs properly, b) control the contaminants at their source, and c) maintain the home and its environs.

[IMAGE: Tech Set Image]

1. Materials with Low VOCs
2. Ventilation, Humidity Control and Air Filtration
(also see the HVAC: Forced Air System Tech Set)
3. Durable Building Envelope Details
(also see the Durable Building Envelope Tech Set)

4. Sealed Combustion Appliances
5. Occupant Vigilance

Tech Set Printout [ pdf, 1.3 MB]

Implementation

Code Considerations

Additional Resources

Content updated on 7/13/2007

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