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 are
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. (See the section What to Do If You Suspect
a Problem on page 30.) You can encourage building management to
follow guidance in EPA and NIOSH s Building Air Quality: A Guide
for Building Owners and Facility Managers. It is available for
$24 from the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954,
Pittsburgh, PA 152507954; stock # 055000003904.
