Source Control Comes First for Good IAQ - GreenBuildingAdvisor

Building Science Source Control Comes First for Good IAQ Seven strategies for good indoor air quality start with the most important, source control By Allison A. Bailes III, PhD | April 9, 2026 Paying attention to the materials you bring into a house is one way to do source control. [Photo by Wonderlane, CC-BY-2.0] More Building Science Is a Humidifier in an Airtight House Ever Needed? Plenum Truss—Keepin’ the Ducts Inside Have You Seen What's Hiding Behind That Drywall ... Buried Ducts in Humid Climates Without Condensation There’s no mystery about how to achieve good indoor air quality (IAQ). But there’s a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding. If you listen to know-nothing influencers, you might think all you need to do is buy whichever magic device they’re promoting. But no one thing by itself can get good IAQ for you. You need a comprehensive approach. And it starts with source control. The allure of the magic pill We live in the age of the Internet and social media. With the huge potential for education they hold, we could be living in a golden age. Alas, they also allow misinformation to spread as quickly—or more quickly—as the stuff we know to be true. I don’t need to say much here because I’ve already covered why you should avoid most electronic air cleaners. The claims made their promoters often are not backed up by real data. In fact, a new study on the interestingly named bipolar ionization method found that they result in “limited pathogen reduction.” So,...