The intention of this blog post is to review a website from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The website can be found here: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/toxicology/indoor-air-quality-healthy-homes/idph-guidelines-indoor-air-quality
The website provides some general guidelines for indoor air quality. Some details about each parameter are discussed. Parameters ranging from humidity and temperature to formaldehyde and particulates in the air. It also provides a table that summarizes the guidelines for the following parameters from four different agencies, including IDPH:
- Humidity
- Temperature
- Carbon dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
- Hydrogen sulfide
- Ozone
- Particulates
- Formaldehyde
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Radon
The “IDPH Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality” website gives recommendations for improving indoor air quality. Proper thermostat location along with HVAC maintenance are a few of those recommendations. Source control is also mentioned. It is generally better to remove the source of contamination, rather than trying to filter it out or dilute it with ventilation. The problem is often hunting down the source.
Additionally, the site provides contact information for other agencies and groups that offer educational information related to indoor air quality. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Illinois Department of Labor, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are mentioned.
Towards the end of the website, a bullet list of recommendations for indoor air investigations is provided.
This site does not provide a lot of detail but it does cover a large scope of information related to indoor air quality. Indoor Science follows many of the items covered by the IDPH website when doing an investigation for indoor air quality contaminants. If you have any concerns please feel free to reach out to us at (312) 920-9393.