Ask two questions at your next apartment viewing: where does outdoor air enter, and where does extracted air go? Record the answers for the exact apartment, noting what is installed, what is only planned, and what still needs a professional check.

Use this checklist to prepare questions for a new-build apartment viewing in Yerevan. It is not a ventilation test, an Armenian building-code checklist, or confirmation that a property is suitable to buy.

1. Ask how outdoor air reaches the rooms

Ask the representative how outdoor air is intended to enter: through open windows, dedicated inlets, or a mechanical supply system. Request the relevant plan or equipment information rather than recording only “there is air conditioning.”

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that most residential heating and air-conditioning systems do not mechanically supply outdoor air.[1] That general guidance does not identify the equipment in the apartment you are viewing.

Ask:

  • What is the intended outdoor-air supply when the windows are closed?
  • Which rooms does it serve?
  • Is that equipment included at handover, or would the buyer have to arrange it?
  • Which document or equipment model supports the answer?

Do not assume that opening a window is appropriate in every situation: EPA cautions that nearby outdoor pollution sources need to be considered.[1]

2. Ask where kitchen and bathroom air goes

For each extract point, ask where the air is discharged. EPA distinguishes bathroom and kitchen fans that exhaust outdoors as a way to remove contaminants from those rooms.[1] A visible grille alone does not answer these questions about the actual system.

Ask separately about the cooker hood and bathroom extraction:

  • What is installed, and what remains to be installed?
  • Where is the discharge route shown in the apartment’s system information?
  • How is the system operated, and who can demonstrate it?
  • What cleaning or filter maintenance does the supplied equipment require?

Record an answer you have not checked as reported, even if it sounds specific. Ask a ventilation professional to assess unresolved technical questions; do not alter ducts or connect equipment during a viewing.

3. Separate working equipment from planned equipment

Request a demonstration only if the equipment is commissioned, accessible, and the representative says it is safe to operate. Note which controls were used and what you observed. Fan noise or a demonstration should not be treated as a measurement of ventilation performance.

If the building is unfinished, record “not yet verifiable.” Request the proposed equipment information and ask when operational checks will be possible. A demonstration in a showroom or another apartment is not a demonstration in your selected apartment.

4. Copy this note for each apartment

Use the same fields for each apartment so you can see which questions remain unanswered when you compare options. The labels below are a note-taking method, not a certification system.

  • Development / address / apartment:
  • Viewing date and construction stage:
  • Outdoor-air supply, by room:
  • Kitchen extract and discharge route:
  • Bathroom extract and discharge route:
  • Equipment included at handover:
  • Controls demonstrated and observations:
  • Maintenance information received:
  • Supporting plan / equipment document and date:
  • Unresolved question / person to ask / next check:

Label each entry:

  • Observed: something you personally saw during the viewing.
  • Reported: an explanation from the representative.
  • Documented: information in an identified document; note its date and scope.
  • Not yet verifiable: something you could not check at that stage.

A statement may have more than one label. A documented design and an installed system are different kinds of evidence. Keep both entries when relevant.

5. Finish with a specific next check

After the viewing, send the representative your unresolved questions with the apartment identifier. Request the missing plan, equipment details, demonstration, or professional assessment rather than marking a blank field “fine.”

Keep a record of the answers and their limits. This checklist does not establish airflow rates, equipment adequacy, legal compliance, or indoor-air safety. Take questions requiring those conclusions to an appropriately qualified local professional.

Save the note for your next viewing. Before comparing apartments, mark which answers still need evidence.

For broader shortlisting questions, see our guide to choosing a new-build apartment in Yerevan.

Sources

[1] https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/improving-indoor-air-quality