When choosing an apartment, diligent renters pepper landlords and real-estate agents with questions about square footage, amenities and security deposits. However, few renters consider the air quality in potential apartments. Most of us don’t think about the quality of the air we breathe at all — until we begin to suspect that the air in our apartments might be making us sick. As we learn more about how air quality affects common diseases like asthma and with new concerns about “sick building syndrome” in office complexes, more and more people are starting to take air quality seriously. Poor air quality can be caused by a number of different pollutants. In buildings with poor air filtration, common pollutants from outside industrial sites and automobile congestion can stagnate indoors and contribute to respiratory trouble. Carbon monoxide, which is deadly at high enough concentrations, can be produced when fuel-burning appliances malfunction. Radon, a radioactive gas that sometimes enters homes and apartments from the soil underneath the building, is one of the leading causes of lung cancer.

Mold and mildew can contaminate air filtration systems and release spores into the air. Along with pollen and dust mites, molds and mildew are key causes of allergies and asthma. The list goes on and on and can make you feel sick just thinking it. If you suspect a problem with the air quality in your apartment, there’s no shortage of products available in stores and online to help you determine which, if any, pollutants are present in your apartment. Several companies sell at-home testing kits that test for mold, some species of bacteria and fungal spores. Some companies will send inspectors to your apartment to test for mold, fungi and bacteria. If the general air quality in your apartment is poor, you can also buy self-contained air filtration units that span a wide range as far as price and quality. Of course, these filters, tests and kits can be quite expensive. Unfortunately, you may not be able to rely on your landlord to cover the most of these costs. You’ll have more luck if you can argue that your landlord’s negligence or problems with building maintenance have led to the poor air quality in the apartment.

A patch of mold and mildew in your ceiling might have been caused by a leaky pipe, one your landlord should have repaired. The terms of your lease may spell out the landlord’s responsibility for air quality obligations your landlord has to protect for the health of tenants in the building. Your landlord may also be open to installing carbon monoxide monitors, which are quickly becoming almost as common as smoke detectors. Whether your landlord agrees to cover the cost or not, you should get one of these. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is can kill you before you’re even aware of its presence. You can find them for less than $20, which is definitely worth the peace of mind. If your building is equipped with central air, your air conditioning system may require its own set of filters that need to be regularly changed, usually at least four times a year. Responsibilities regarding maintaining the HVAC system and its filters are often spelled out in the lease.

Many tenants assume that changing the air filter is the responsibility of the landlord, but often the landlord is only responsible for maintaining the air conditioning system itself. Tenants may be expected to change the filters, a fact that landlords don’t always make clear when tenants sign the lease. A dirty air filter not only makes the apartment air dirty, it also makes the HVAC system work harder to cool the apartment, resulting in increased energy bills. If you don’t have central air but want to improve air quality and circulation, you can purchase a self-contained air filtration unit or air purifier. amway air purifier whiteThese are often sold at home supply stores like Bed, Bath & Beyond, or specialty stores such as The Sharper Image. bionaire air purifier partsA wide range of apartment air-filtering systems is available, so it makes sense to do your research before you purchase anything.ionic pro turbo ionic room air purifier

Look for the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rating) of the unit. The CADR is a standard rating of how well the unit functions, with a higher number indicating a stronger purification power. You can also look for HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, which remove over 99 percent of airborne particles over .3 micrometers in size. All of these purchases can make filtering the air in your apartment expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, a well-placed (and clean) window fan can make a big difference and improve your apartment airflow. Letting sunlight and fresh air in through the windows may not seem like a particularly effective remedy, but sunlight can actually help eliminate dust mites — one of the major bad-air culprits in many apartments. The Blueair 650E is “Best in Test” as determined by ETL’s testing for Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). It has been certified by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) with the highest CADR rating possible in test.

The Blueair 650E is ideal for a large living area such as family room, master bedroom suite, any large living area. The e-series continuously monitors and purifies your air using integrated electronic sensors and automatic fan control. Simply set the unit on auto mode and let it regulate the-speed according to the actual amount of particles and gaseous contaminants present in the air. The faces on the digital display indicate the status of your indoor quality - from sad to happy. The Blueair 650E Air Purifier takes in polluted air through the sides of the unit. A fan draws polluted air into the unit. Air passes through an ion chamber where airborne particles are electrically charged with negative ions. Charged particles are drawn to the HEPASilent filter surface. The polluted air becomes Purified air, which is virtually contaminant-free and is re-circulated into the room from the top and sides of the unit. No ozone is emitted, in fact Blueair units reduce indoor ozone levels. Ideal for large rooms 698 sq. ft. or smaller (35 ft. x 20 ft.) on 5 air exchanges per hour

Removes impurities from the air - Certified efficiency 99.97% for particles such as dust, pollen, bacteria, virus, pet dander, mold spores and other airborne particles HEPASilent technology - Traps particles with mechanical and electrostatic filters, creating an open airflow system that remains near silent while cleaning Auto mode automatically adjusts the operating-speed according to the amount of airborne particles and gaseous compounds Replace filter indicator light-Alerts you when the filter needs to be replaced every 6 months Electronic gas sensor - Detects cooking odors and gaseous contaminants, including smoke, exhaust fumes and more Electronic particle sensor - Determines whether the amount of airborne particles is above or below the acceptable limit Protective steel housing made of galvanized steel for a strong, durable design SurroundAir vent system-Delivers up to 500 CFM air exchange without drafts This question is from HEPASilent Air Purifier2 Does it purify cigarette smoke from the air