Improvement of indoor air quality in four problem homes

The occupants of six houses suffered from symptoms which improved upon leaving their houses. In a previous study, tests were conducted in these six houses to measure various physical parameters related to their indoor environments. Four of these houses were subsequently renovated to improve indoor air quality. Tests were repeated on the four houses to assess the effectiveness of the applied remedial measures. The post-renovation tests which were identical to the pre-renovation tests, included measurements of air temperature, relative humidity, ventilation rates, air distribution patterns, levels of carbon dioxide, concentrations of formaldehyde, and concentrations of volatile organic compounds. This paper describes the remedial measures applied to these houses. Also presented is a comparison of the ventilation conditions, and concentrations of chemical contaminants in the houses before and after the renovation. Crown Copyright (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.