ASTM Releases Standard for Investigating Residential Indoor Air Problems

ASTM International has published a new standard for investigations of indoor air quality problems in residential buildings. Standard D-7297 contains guidelines for an initial assessment of possible indoor air quality problems and a subsequent three-phase process for finding the sources of any problems. A first-phase walk through the house is followed by more extensive, second-phase investigations of the airflows in the house, the heating and cooling systems, the potable water supply, and other possible sources of contaminants. The third phase of the protocol calls for detailed measurements of air quality to determine the types of contaminants, including volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and dust. Standard D-7297, which references several other testing standards, is available at www.astm.org/standards/.