Apartments can have the same indoor air problems as single-family homes because many of the pollution sources, such as the interior building materials, furnishings, and household products, are similar. Indoor air problems similar to those in offices may be caused by such sources as contaminated ventilation systems, improperly placed outdoor air intakes, or maintenance activities.

Solutions to air quality problems in apartments, as in homes and offices, involve such actions as: eliminating or controlling the sources of pollution, increasing ventilation, and installing air cleaning devices. Often a resident can take the appropriate action to improve the indoor air quality by removing a source, altering an activity, unblocking an air supply vent, or opening a window to temporarily increase the ventilation; in other cases, however, only the building owner or manager is in a position to remedy the problem.

For more information, see:

• Improving Indoor Air Quality - www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/improving-indoor-air-quality
• Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality - www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/care-your-air-guide-indoor-air-quality

Visit our website - www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq