Home Indoor Air Quality Checklist
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.
Sources of Indoor Air Contaminants
Do any household members smoke?
Do you have unvented gas appliances?
Do any furry pets live indoors?
Are insecticides or pesticides used indoors?
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 ureaformaldehyde?
Do burner flames on gas heating or cooking appliances appear yellow
instead of blue?
High-Risk Household Members
Are any household members less than four 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?
Strengths 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?
Indoor Air Quality Control Measures
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 bathroom.
Fit gas ranges with hood fans that exhaust outside.
Use the fan or open a window while cooking.
Continually operate the forced air fan on your furnace.
Install outdoor air intake to return air ductwork 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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