 INDOOR CONTAMINANTS, WHAT ARE THEY?
The average American is indoors nearly 90 percent of the time, and more than half of this time is spent in the home. This checklist is a guide to help determine the general status of indoor air quality in your home. | | | Use this checklist to determine your home's indoor air quality. |
SOURCES OF INDOOR CONTAMINANTS
 Do any household members smoke?
Do you have any unvented gas appliances?
Do any furry pets live indoors?
Are insecticides or pesticides used indoors?
Are cars left running in an attached enclosed garage?
Are any of the following hobbies conducted indoors: woodworking, jewelry making, pottery or model building?
Is part of your living area below ground?
Is your home insulated with urea-formaldehyde or asbestos?
Do burner flames on gas heating or cooking appliances appear yellow instead of blue?
STRENGTH OF INDOOR CONTAMINANTS
Are there unusual and noticeable odors?
Is the humidity level unusually high or is moisture noticeable on windows or other surfaces?
Does the air seem stale?
Is the house temperature unusually warm or cold?
Is there a noticeable lack of air movement?
Is dust on the furniture noticeable?
Is dust or dirt staining walls, ceilings, furniture or draperies?
High-Risk Household Members
Are any household members less than 4 years old or more than 60 years old?
Is anyone normally confined to the house more than 12 hours per day?
Does anyone suffer from COPD, asthma or bronchitis, allergies or heart problems? INDOOR AIR QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES
Implementing some of the control measures listed below will help improve indoor air quality. A severe problem associated with any of these items may require immediate corrective action:
Do not allow smoking in your home. Ask smokers to confine smoking outdoors.
Leave doors between rooms open most of the time.
Leave some windows partially open when possible.
Install exhaust fans in bathrooms.
Fit gas ranges with hood fans that exhaust outside. Use the fan or open a window while cooking.
Install outdoor air intake to return air duct work of forced-air system.
Have furnace, gas water heater and clothes dryer inspected regularly.
Clean air-conditioners, humidifiers, and heat exchangers regularly.
Test for radon levels in your home.
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Copyright 1998 American Lung Association
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