Can pollution from cars get into a building?

Question

I live in an apartment next to a high-traffic road, and it's really hot so I often open the window for fresh air. But is it possible that the pollution from the cars' exhaustion pipes get into my apartment? Thank you

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

Of course! The air is moving in all directions inclooding in your apartment. The pollution from out is getting inside your home because you can't stop the air! It's all around. If it's really hot in there I suggest you to buy airconditioner or something.Hope I help.

Answer 3

Car exhausts is different than most air polution. It still hasn't figured out how pass through an open window so you should be ok.

Answer 4

Even in a tightly sealed house (or bulding) air is brought into it by an HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator).  Older houses (or buldings) are leaky (sometimes stated as breathing).  In both cases outside air is brought into  the house (or bulding).

If your house (or bulding) is newer and has an HRV filters can be installed to remove pollens and dust particles (HEPA filters); but the removal of CO, NO2, and HC etc has to be done with special filters (HEPA filters will not remove gasses).

If you are within 400 feet of a major thoroughfare, the concentrations of these gasses are much higher even on some of the upper floors of a highrise.

If you are in the downtown areas of a medium to large city, the whole downtown area can be contaminated with these gasses.

Someone mentioned ozone (O3), this is one of the many byproducts of exhaust emmissions combined with sunlight.  Ozone is very unstable and will combine with many elements and moisture which reacts as a corrosive chemical.  Higher concentratons can damage the lungs.  This is why they advise children, elderly, and people with breathing problems and/or in poor health to stay indoors.  they are also advised to keep the windows closed to reduce the infiltration of these nasty gasses into their home.

Hope this helps.  There have been volumes written on this subject.

Good Luck

Answer 5

probally if you have your windows open

Answer 6

Of course!  Exhaust goes into the air, which is going through your window and into your apartment.

Answer 7

Yes. Car exhaust is made up of many different gases and these gases behave like the air you breathe. As they move and move trying to create an equilibrium, some of it will reach your home. However the extent at which the exhaust does would depend upon the wind, the proximity to the streets, etc., etc..

Answer 8

Of course. The air you breath in your home is basically the same as outside, unless you seal your house well and install a HEPA type filter on your heating / air conditioning system. Even then, you need fresh air from outside to change the air in your house.

Answer 9

There is CO2 and CO and NO2 . The first 2 are pretty heavy so if u are in the second story ,U will not get much. The NO2 is bad for u as it is fertilizer and u do not need that. The weather man reports it as Ozone but it is not. Ozone is O3 and hazardous to u.