Indoor Air Quality Survey: Consumer Attitudes and Home Ventilation Trends (2020)
A 2020 Broan-NuTone consumer survey found that increased time at home made indoor air quality a bigger concern for many Americans. While the survey reflects a specific moment during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the findings remain relevant today because everyday activities like cooking, showering, cleaning and spending time indoors continue to affect home ventilation and indoor air quality.
What a 2020 Indoor Air Quality Survey Revealed
In 2020, Broan-NuTone commissioned a nationwide consumer study to better understand how Americans viewed indoor air quality, home ventilation and healthy living during a period when many people were spending more time indoors.
COVID-19 brought work, school, exercise, cooking and entertainment into the home at the same time. Many households were cleaning more often, cooking more meals indoors and spending more hours inside. That shift made the quality of the air inside the home harder to ignore.
The survey found that nearly two-thirds of consumers said they were more concerned about indoor air quality than they had been before COVID-19. Although the study reflects consumer attitudes in 2020, the findings still offer useful insight into everyday indoor air quality challenges that continue to affect homes today.
Survey Methodology
In May 2020, Broan-NuTone partnered with Savanta, a research and business intelligence consultancy, to conduct an online study with homeowners and renters across the United States.
Respondents needed to have full or partial decision-making power for home upkeep and renovations. The study used quotas based on gender, age and region so survey samples were proportionally representative of the U.S. adult internet population.
Because this survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, some responses reflect the unique lifestyle changes of that period. However, many of the ventilation and indoor air quality observations remain relevant because cooking, showering, cleaning and everyday household activities continue to generate moisture, odors and indoor pollutants.
Key Findings From the Indoor Air Quality Survey
| Survey Finding | Why It Matters Today |
|---|---|
| Nearly two-thirds of consumers said they were more concerned about indoor air quality as a result of COVID-19. | More time at home increased awareness of indoor air, ventilation and healthy home conditions. |
| More than 85% of consumers reported at least one sign of poor indoor air quality in the previous 12 months. | Many households experience common air quality warning signs but may not connect them to ventilation, moisture or source control. |
| Close to 40% cited foggy bathroom mirrors, lingering odors or difficulty keeping the home consistently clean. | Moisture, odors and airborne particles remain common everyday indoor air quality concerns. |
| Nearly 3 in 10 consumers reported allergy-like symptoms such as coughing, sneezing or watery eyes. | Households often associate indoor air quality with comfort, health and daily well-being. |
| Approximately 40% of consumers did not use their range hood regularly while cooking. | Many people underuse one of the most practical tools for removing cooking-related contaminants, moisture and odors. |
What These Findings Mean for Homeowners Today
The survey highlights a simple but important point: many indoor air quality issues come from everyday household activities. Cooking, showering, cleaning, using fragranced products, spending time with pets and keeping windows closed can all affect the air inside a home.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, improving indoor air quality generally involves source control, ventilation and air cleaning. For homeowners, that means reducing pollutants where possible, using ventilation consistently and maintaining filters and ventilation equipment.
The 2020 survey also shows why education matters. Consumers may notice foggy mirrors, lingering odors, stale air or cooking smells, but they may not immediately connect those signs to moisture, ventilation or indoor air quality.
What the Survey Revealed About Home Ventilation Trends
Consumers noticed signs of poor indoor air quality
Many respondents reported issues that can point to poor ventilation or excess indoor pollutants, including foggy bathroom mirrors, lingering food odors, visible mold or mildew and allergy-like symptoms among household members.
These symptoms are often treated as isolated household annoyances. The survey shows they may also be clues that moisture, odors or airborne particles are not being removed effectively.
Cleaning habits changed, but air quality awareness lagged
During the pandemic, many consumers cleaned more frequently, used stronger disinfectants, wiped down surfaces more often and used aerosol cleaning products. Those behaviors may have made homes feel cleaner, but the survey found that fewer consumers connected cleaning product odors or chemical use with indoor air quality.
A clean surface does not automatically mean fresh indoor air. Ventilation helps dilute and remove airborne particles, odors, moisture and chemical smells that can build up inside the home. For more on this topic, read How Cleaning Products Affect Indoor Air Quality.
Cooking at home created more ventilation needs
As more Americans cooked at home, the kitchen became an even more important source of indoor air quality concerns. Cooking can create moisture, smoke, grease particles and lingering odors, especially when ventilation is not used consistently.
The survey found that 1 in 4 Americans reported cooking odors lingering in the home for hours. Yet many respondents did not identify those odors as a sign of poor indoor air quality, and close to 40% did not use a range hood or under-cabinet fan on a regular basis.
To learn more about kitchen ventilation, read Range Hoods and IAQ: Why Ventilation Is Essential for a Healthier Kitchen.
Ventilation remains part of a healthier home
The survey captured a unique moment when Americans were reevaluating the role their homes play in health, comfort and safety. While circumstances have changed since 2020, the need for proper home ventilation has not.
Spot ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms, along with broader fresh air strategies, can help remove moisture, odors and airborne contaminants where they start. For many households, improving indoor air quality begins with recognizing everyday sources and using ventilation consistently.
For a broader overview, explore Air Purification vs Ventilation: What’s the Difference? and 4 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality at Home.
Read the Complete Indoor Air Quality Survey White Paper
The full report includes additional survey data, charts, consumer responses and demographic details from the 2020 Broan-NuTone indoor air quality study.
Download the Complete Survey Report
Explore the full research, including detailed survey findings, demographic breakdowns and additional insights into consumer attitudes toward indoor air quality and home ventilation.
Read the White PaperFrequently Asked Questions
What did the Broan-NuTone indoor air quality survey study?
The survey studied consumer attitudes toward indoor air quality, home ventilation, cleaning habits, cooking habits and healthy home concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Is the 2020 indoor air quality survey still relevant?
Yes. Although the survey reflects consumer attitudes during 2020, many of the ventilation, cooking, cleaning, moisture and indoor air quality challenges identified in the study continue to affect homes today.
Why did COVID-19 increase concern about indoor air quality?
COVID-19 caused many people to spend more time at home for work, school, cooking and daily routines. That increased time indoors made consumers more aware of air quality, ventilation and household habits that affect the air they breathe.
What are common signs of poor indoor air quality at home?
Common signs include lingering odors, foggy bathroom mirrors, mold or mildew, stale air, allergy-like symptoms and cooking smells that remain for hours after meals are prepared.
Does cleaning more often improve indoor air quality?
Cleaning can reduce surface contaminants, but it does not automatically improve indoor air quality. Some cleaning products can leave odors or airborne chemicals behind, making ventilation important during and after cleaning.
Why does cooking affect indoor air quality?
Cooking can release moisture, smoke, grease particles and odors into the air. Using a range hood or kitchen exhaust fan helps remove those pollutants before they spread through the home.
How can homeowners improve indoor air quality?
Homeowners can improve indoor air quality by using kitchen and bathroom ventilation consistently, reducing excess moisture, limiting lingering odors, maintaining ventilation equipment, replacing filters and introducing fresh air where appropriate.
The 2020 Broan-NuTone indoor air quality survey reflects a specific moment in consumer behavior, but its larger lesson remains useful: the way people cook, clean, ventilate and spend time indoors has a direct impact on the air inside the home. Recognizing those everyday sources is the first step toward a healthier indoor environment.