Reducing indoor air pollution: Remedies
- Use low-toxicity material
- Monitor air quality
- Keep rooms clean
- Limit exposure to chemicals
- Allow for better mixing of indoor & outdoor air
- Dry wood before burning
- Cook outside
- Use less-polluting fuels (natural gas)
We can reduce indoor air pollution
- The amount of air available (for mixing of indoor & outdoor air) to dilute pollutants is an important indicator of the likely contaminant concentration
- Indoor air can mix with outside air by 3 mechanisms
- infiltration
- natural ventilation
- forced ventilation
- Indoor air can mix with outside air by 3 mechanisms
Mixing of Indoor & Outdoor Air
- Infiltration
- natural air exchange that occurs between a building & its environment when doors & windows are closed
- leakage through holes or openings in the building Influenced by:
- pressure differentials inside & outside the building
- temperature differentials inside & outside of building
- in winter, warm air inside wants to rise à exit through cracks in ceiling & draws in outside air
- how fast wind is blowing
- natural air exchange that occurs between a building & its environment when doors & windows are closed