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Chimney fire © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com Indoor Air, Gas, Odor or Mold Emergency?

What to Do & When to Hire a Professional

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How to respond to an indoor air quality emergency in a building: this article describes four key actions to take in response to an actual or believed indoor air quality emergency: immediately seek expert assistance, get out of the affected areas of the building, ventilate the affected areas, and inform other building occupants of the hazard.

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Four Actions to Take in an Immediate Indoor Air Quality Emergency

Mold contamination © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com If you believe that an indoor air quality or contamination emergency exists, get out of the building and seek professional help from emergency services such as dialing 911 from a telephone outside of and away from the building. 

The US EPA IAQ Wheel offers these emergency steps for immediate action in an actual or suspected mold or building air emergency [expanded with comments - Ed]:

  1. Immediately seek medical or public health assistance (e.g. from local or state health department - suitable for mold and similar IAQ emergencies], [or in the case of carbon monoxide or other building gas hazards, or more broad building safety questions, your local fire department, emergency rescue services, or police department]
  2. Evacuate the affected areas, if warranted, and if feasible, take steps to limit or stop unsafe conditions [turn off dangerous heating equipment, shut water mains where plumbing supply pipes have burst];

    Watch Out: IF YOU SUSPECT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING GO INTO FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY and get others out of the building, then call your fire department or emergency services for help.

    Watch out: IF YOU SUSPECT SEWER GAS or METHANE GAS HAZARDS do not operate electrical switches, cell phones, or light any flame - there may be an explosion hazard. Get others out of the building, then call your fire department or emergency services for help. Sewer gas contains methane gas (CH4) - is a risk of an explosion hazard or even fatal asphyxiation.

    Details area at METHANE & SEWER GAS HAZARDS
  3. Ventilate the suspected areas: when appropriate, such as for carbon monoxide poisoning [first turn off the suspected equipment] or chemical spills, ventilate the affected areas with large amounts of outside air (use temporary fans if needed).
  4. Inform building occupants and parents of minors of the problem and maintain clear communications.

If you are not sure if a mold emergency exists

If you feel unsafe, follow the advice given above.

Additional information helpful in deciding if an emergency condition exists can be read at the links given below.

If you cannot get out of an unsafe building

Watch out: First, if you smell gas or carbon monoxide or see smoke (or fire) you must go outside and call 911.

Staying in such a building is an immediate risk of death for its occupants. Get everyone out.

For other building hazards such as poor air quality, odors, mold contamination, possible sewage contamination, those areas may also be unsafe to occupy.

However some readers tell us that even in those unsafe conditions and even if they are already sick and think the building is the cause, even so, they cannot leave because there is no emergency housing or no emergency money immediately available.

For that situation, and recognizing that staying in such a building can lead to very serious illness, injury or even death, we're forced by that situation to try to offer some advice, found

at UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT, CAN'T LEAVE


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