Controlling Outdoor Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

06/17/2009

Many outdoor contaminants are the source of causing indoor air quality problems.  While it is often difficult to eliminate outdoor air pollution it is not unreasonable to develop strategies for managing or controlling unwanted outdoor contaminants.

Steps to take to control some outdoor pollution from contaminating the indoor air quality include:

1. Put in place and inspect frequently bird screens.
2. Ensure outdoor air intakes are free of visible materials and standing water.
3. Ensure proper building pressurization to reduce infiltration.
4. Use high-efficiency filtration in the air handlers.
5. Frequently vacuum high-traffic areas.
6. At loading docks and near outdoor air intakes vehicles to turn motors off.
7. Limit the use of gasoline, propane, and diesel-powered landscape equipment near outdoor air intakes when the building is occupied.
8. Reduce temporarily outdoor air vent intake rates during times you know you can not control outdoor air contaminants from coming into the building.
9. In designing new buildings consider traffic patterns in locating outdoor air intakes.
10. Relocate school bus drop-off and pick-up to areas some distance from outdoor air intakes.
11. Require school buses and other vehicles to turn off engines when by an outdoor air intake.