How to Understand Indoor Air Quality | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey discuss indoor air quality, what it is, and how to measure it

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1. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a description of different compounds and pollutants that comprise the air inside a home or building, which includes everything from particles released from cooking, CO2 from humans breathing, VOCs from cleaning products, etc.
2. IAQ has become more top of mind for HVAC engineers because homes are tighter and keep air inside the building for significantly longer than in years past.
3. To keep clean air in an airtight home, consider installing an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) which can act like lungs for the building, bringing fresh air in without losing any of the heating or cooling attached to it.
4. There are a couple different monitors designed to measure and keep track of common pollutants in the air, including radon, CO2, VOCs, etc., that can be installed in a home and monitored via phone.

Resources:

Most homeowner-friendly IAQ monitors have similar price points, but Ross suggests carefully reading the reviews of the monitors before investing in one, since they have different quality levels of sensors and some are more accurate than others.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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Keywords: Ask This Old House, Kevin O'Connor, Ross Trethewey, Richard Trethewey, indoor air quality, IAQ monitors

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How to Understand Indoor Air Quality | Ask This Old House

[jko]

I was in the same boat as Richard. We built a house 16ish years ago and I went above and beyond the code standards and doubled down on insulation and windows. Then added foam board and spray foam. I was naive with HVAC equipment back then and trusted the contractor. The first winter every window in the house was a water fall. My wife would get up in the morning and make the rounds wiping windows I would come home during my lunch break and do the same. 4 times a day we went through this routine.
The contractor would say that happens in all houses the first year. We felt tired and we had more flu and colds that winter. Then I did some research and found out that even back in those days there was positive effects from installing an HRV unit. My contractor fought me on it and said it was a waste of money but I wouldn’t give up.
I’ll never forget the day they installed the HRV. It was already consistently in the 30 degrees range here in my home state and the windows had already showed signs of condensation droplets. The unit ran for only 30 minutes and the windows were already drying up! The salesman came by the next morning to see the results and I’ll never forget it when he looked at me and said, “oh I didn’t think that your house was that tight”.

[abidingmarmot]

Ross is so excited to talk every time he gets the chance. He's like a kid who's just so stoked to be working with his dad. I think alot of us can relate to that.

[robbrownstone]

Just learned that areas like Las Vegas and Phoenix have some of the worst indoor mold problems. Even though the climate is dry, people keep their homes shut up to save on energy costs while using their A/C which often creates a breeding ground for mold. What Richard said about not feeling good is a real thing, mold is a drag..

[yanassi]

I’d like to know more about the air quality “gadgets” on the table and in the stores. Honest reviews of the advantages, disadvantages and what should i be looking for (or a respectable web site that would inform me).

[yanassi]

When you’re looking at several houses to select from, is there a small, portable air quality tester you’d consider to bring along? “A” (one) because it would seem “inspector gadgety” to carry a separate device for each radon, formaldehyde, co2, humidity, etc. I read radon testing requires long term for accuracy but even short term (10 minutes) would give a hint of what’s going. I think air quality is the invisible consideration besides nice garden, architecture, and interior spaces. What would you carry along?

[SteveFontaine]

Wow, this is such an insightful post! Thank you for sharing this valuable information
with us.

[boydalexander]

Buildings don’t need to breathe people need to breathe indoor air quality especially important during COVID-19 indoor air is seriously 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air so thank goodness you’re showing me this this old house.

[JoshuaMuse]

I know it's time to change the filter when the cat and my wife start to sneeze.

[Engineer]

A video on “How to understand indoor air quality” would be an instruction to go watch some videos on “How indoor air quality works”

[jeffderice]

what device is best used to monitor dust allergens for asthma?

[peterrobbins]

I have a crawlspace.I installed a vapor barrier and dehumidifer, but the air quaity is still bad in the living space. should I install an exhuast fan? because at this point, I'm thiking of selling the house if I can fix the air qualifty issues because I have bad allergies. Also, also if I can't fix the air quality issues, thinking about digging the crawlspace out and putting a reqular basement in. If I can't fix it I will have to sell because the house is making me sick. the house also has a flat roof, I wish I never bought the house, but now im stuck and looking for solutions

[arielrodriguez]

I've check the AQ in my home countless times and it is 98-99% good with 0-1 PM2 and VOC.

[lovetofly]

So I travel alot and I feel better when Im away from my home. BUT I KNOW my windows are drafty. Theyre old. My home is like mid 70s. I always feel like crap. My lymph nodes in my neck are sore this morning again and I was fine all week away from my house. When im home i get these annoying mild headaches. I still dont know if Im crazy or what but ten years of this is getting old.
About 3 years after i bought it I replaced most of the carpet and padding because it had the old waffle padding and it just had that manufactured smell when you walked in the house. That helped that smell but its still in two other rooms. I feel crazy sometimes trying to think of what it might be. Sure wish I had something to test for EVERYTHING so i could fix the issue.

[EllyECristiano]

I wanted to see more info ruim that machine.
Where do you install that ?

[TheRajulurvashi]

Wondering why radon gas was not being discussed here. Also requesting you to make one mitigation system with basement and without basement houses. Please.

[justauser]

The air things view plus is a do everything monitor that comes in a small package- I'd check it out if your concerned about IOA!

[songofyesterday]

This explains why my new house has more particulates than my mom’s house from the 90s. Hers has lots of wood, gaps, few insulation and zero foam. It breathes, her electric bill reflects that 😂

[PupShepardRubberized]

A heatpump with an ERV in the formfactor of a window AC unit would be great for apartments. Cool in summer, warm in winter, all with fresh air.

[XzTS-Roostro]

I just installed a Glas® smart thermostat by Jonson Controls earlier this year to replace the Honeywell® programmable thermostat that my mom had installed 15 years ago.
The Glas® smart thermostat checks the indoor air quality and will run the HVAC circulation fan whenever necessary.

[H.C.Q.]

The AQI outside is “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”, whereas the air in my house with an Oransi HEPA air filter is “Excellent”.