How Does Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Affect You and What Does It Mean?

What is IAQ?

The term “indoor air quality” (IAQ) describes the state of the air within and outside of buildings as well as how it affects the inhabitants’ comfort and well-being. IAQ might include things like “temperature, humidity, inadequate ventilation from the outside air, mold growth from water damage, or exposure to other chemicals,” according to OSHA. IAQ has always been considered a significant issue by OSHA and the EPA, but in light of the COVID-19 outbreak and individuals looking for ways to be safe, IAQ has lately received more news attention than ever before.

What Are Typical Reasons for Low IAQ?

Sources of Indoor Pollution

Indoor pollution is one of the main factors contributing to poor IAQ. IAQ can be impacted by indoor pollution sources that release particles or gasses into the atmosphere.

Tobacco products, fuel-burning combustion appliances such as space heaters, stoves, ovens, and fireplaces, building materials, cleaning supplies for the home, air conditioning and heating systems, humidifiers, high moisture content, and external pollutants such as radon and pesticides are a few examples of indoor sources of pollution.

The quantity of pollutants emitted over time and the level of hazard posed by those pollutants determine how significant an influence a source has on IAQ. Occasionally, the age of the source of pollution and the upkeep of it might also play a role.

Certain sources of pollution, such as construction materials, discharge toxins at a very constant pace. However, other sources periodically discharge pollutants into the air since they are based on activities like cleaning or smoking. Pollutant concentrations indoors can exceed normal when appliances or other goods used indoors fail or are not ventilated appropriately.

The amount of time that each sort of pollution remains in the air after it is released varies. Certain ones persist for extended durations even after the source activity has ceased.

Humidity and Temperature Ranges

Certain contaminants’ concentrations can also rise in response to high temperatures and humidity. Mold grows in areas with greater humidity levels, although many bacterial and viral strains prefer high or low humidity. Schools are common places for mold development, particularly during the summer months when the building’s cooling systems aren’t normally operating and carpet cleaning is taking place, which increases the amount of moisture within the space. Humidity directly affects the concentrations of hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde and ozone. In terms of temperature and IAQ, warmer environments have greater pathogen counts since bacteria and viruses prefer warmer temps. Higher temperatures also hasten chemical processes, which increases the generation of ozone and other dangerous chemicals. Elevated temperatures can lead to a rise in Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions, which pose a significant risk to human health.

Insufficient Airflow

Indoor air contaminants such as those listed in the preceding section can accumulate to even greater concentration levels over time in a poorly ventilated structure. By bringing in more air, outside ventilation helps to reduce the concentrations of pollutants in the air. Conversely, when air is not brought in, the concentration of pollutants builds up over time, increasing the risk to your health.

The Effects of Indoor Air Quality on Health

Immediate Impact on Health

Exposure to certain pollutants can often result in health problems, such as irritation of the upper respiratory tract (speech, nose, and eyes). Fatigue, nausea, and headaches are among more acute side effects. Treatment for these health impacts, which often entail removing exposure to the source of pollution, can assist because they are frequently transient. Asthma is one example of a health consequence that might deteriorate with prolonged exposure over time.

A few variables determine the likelihood of suffering direct health effects from poor indoor air quality. These include your age and the existence of any underlying medical disorders that can increase your susceptibility. Your response to an exposure may occasionally be influenced by your unique sensitivity, which may differ from someone else’s. In reality, following an exposure to pollutants, some people grow more sensitive to them, particularly if the exposure occurs frequently or at a high level.

Since the short-term health consequences are frequently compared to colds or other common viral disease symptoms, it can be difficult to determine if the illness is actually caused by the IAQ or by a virus, particularly in the winter when transmission is usually highest. Note the time and place of your symptoms in order to help evaluate whether they are caused by IAQ. It may be feasible to identify and address potential indoor air pollution sources if you feel better or have no symptoms after leaving the location. It could be an issue that is exacerbated by inadequate ventilation, airflow, or even by the wrong humidity or temperature.

Effects on Health Over Time

In addition to immediate health consequences, low IAQ can have long-term health impacts. In fact, it’s possible that years after exposure before you notice any effects on your health. These health consequences might include cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, and some respiratory illnesses. Some of them have the potential to be fatal or extremely crippling. There is still much to learn about the exposure times or concentrations required to cause these health problems. Nonetheless, by utilizing techniques designed to raise IAQ, you might lessen your risk of developing these chronic health problems.