The perception of the indoor air quality by individuals is also related to odors within buildings and homes. Some humans have the ability to sense odors at very low thresholds. Because odors are subjective in nature, and the odor sensitivity varies amongst individuals it is not unusual for some individuals to express dissatisfaction while others will not complain. Individuals often times associate malodors (offensive or unpleasant odor) with their health, which may or may not be the case.
In any event, individuals expressing dissatisfaction as a result of a malodors are likely to result in an in indoor air quality complaint. In some cases the identification of an odor can be relatively easy if the source is readily identified. However the source of some odors can be elusive and resolving these type of odor problems may require more time and in some cases the use of sophisticated air sampling tools.
