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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Indoor Air Quality

Environmental Health

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the average American is indoors nearly 90 percent of the time. Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma or cause acute symptoms like headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue. While chemical pollutants such as radon gas or formaldehyde are of concern, pollutants of biological origin are the most prevalent in homes. Common pollutants include molds, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust mites and pets.

The Florida Department of Health in Indian River County (DOH-Indian River) assists the public with their indoor environment concerns by offering a variety of services to residents. Types of services may include:

  • Advice on the health effects of common indoor air pollutants
  • Investigation of physician-reported illness outbreaks in public buildings
  • Phone consultations regarding indoor environment quality problems
  • Residential indoor air quality investigations if a physician has diagnosed a resident with a medical condition that is caused by a pollutant in the indoor environment
DOH-Indian River's program is consultative and diagnostic in nature and has no regulatory powers. It exists solely to assist the public in solving their indoor environment problems. The following services are not provided:
  • Declare buildings safe or unsafe
  • Mediate or investigate landlord-tenant, workman’s compensation and/or homeowner/insurance company disputes
  • Mold testing, instead environmental investigation for conditions that would contribute to mold growth such as water intrusion. Private labs provide mold testing not DOH-Indian River.
  • Screen air for pollutants in a building. Basic measurement for parameters (like relative humidity, CO2, temperature) or suspect chemicals may be part of an investigation. A private consultant is recommended for this service if you are interested in finding out what is in your air.

Additional information is available on the following topics relating to indoor air quality:

For more information regarding indoor air quality, please visit the Florida Department of Health’s Indoor Air Quality webpage.

For information and complaints regarding the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act (FCIAA) please contact the Division of Community Health Promotion, Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida. Call the FCIAA hotline at (800) 337-3742, or (850) 245-4281.