Consider that the EPA ranks poor IAQ among the top five environmental risks to public health. The EPA also notes that levels of air pollution inside the home can be two to five times higher (and occasionally 100 times higher) than outdoor levels. It's not surprising, then, that according to the American Lung Association, approximately 160 million Americans are breathing unhealthy air.
Poor IAQ can be found at home and at work. A recent survey by Kimberly-Clark, a manufacturer of a wide variety of filtration media, showed that more than privacy, noise levels, or even employee restrooms, the nation's office workers are most interested in improving the indoor air quality in their workplace. In fact, just under half (49 percent) of office workers polled selected indoor air quality as the thing they would most or second most like to improve in the office where they work.
Manufacturers, trade publications, and seminars have all beaten the IAQ drum, explaining how contractors should be helping their customers clean up their IAQ problems. It's been an uphill battle, though, as many contractors either don't believe that IAQ products really work or else don't want their customers to think they're being pushy in suggesting additional products.