Now, more than ever, it is important to maintain a safe and healthy environment for both employees and customers. Paying attention to the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your commercial building is essential in maintaining a safe, healthy and productive environment for all who enter. Many contaminants of indoor air quality are both invisible and odorless, but can have significant negative impacts on our health. High levels of dust, mold, volatile organic compounds and allergens can be floating around in your commercial building, leading to a variety of health issues from mild irritation to more serious respiratory diseases. However, with the right ventilation and air purification systems, it is easy to reduce the risk for everyone. In this blog, we are going to look at the specifics around indoor air quality and why it matters for your commercial building here in Toledo, Ohio.
Common Air Quality Problems in Commercial Buildings
Many office buildings and commercial spaces can have a high occupancy density or a steady flow of customers. With so many people occupying relatively small spaces like meeting rooms, kitchens, or travelling through lobbies, the levels of CO2, volatile organic compounds and viruses can easily increase or spread. Additional factors to consider include particulate matter from cooking in shared kitchens and cafeterias, as well as from printers, adhesives, and industrial cleaning products, which create airborne chemical contaminants which can only add to the dirty air.
How Poor Air Quality Impacts Employees
The negative impacts of poor indoor air quality on employees may not be immediately recognizable or attributed to a building's air quality. Employees working in an environment with poor IAQ may experience increased fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Over time, employees may also experience more serious symptoms, such as frequent headaches and irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat. Persistent air quality issues can increase sick days, impair job performance, and cause company productivity and satisfaction to crater.
Ventilation in Commercial Buildings
In many commercial buildings, the ventilation or HVAC system is often thought of only as a means of temperature control. Proper ventilation is the best way to ensure good indoor air quality, as your HVAC system is the primary source of air circulation in the space. Without a reliable, well-functioning ventilation system, many commercial buildings will be unable to provide clean air or remove stagnant air from the space. Whether old or new, commercial buildings often lack windows that open to bring in fresh air, so the ventilation system must be effective at removing airborne contaminants and carbon dioxide while bringing in clean air around the clock.
Signs Your Building Has an Indoor Air Quality Problem
Signs of an indoor air quality problem in your building are easily overlooked and not always easy for non-professional HVAC technicians to identify. Some key indicators could be things like excessive dust, visible mold or mildew, condensation on the windows, lingering odors or stuffy air. Each of these signs means the air in your workplace is not being circulated around or filtered effectively to remove dust, odor or other compounds. The good news is that a professional commercial HVAC company can provide practical solutions that will not only improve air quality on day one but also ensure it remains good over time.
Air Filtration, UV Lights, & Air Purification Solutions
A commercial air purification system employs multiple modalities to effectively reduce airborne contaminants and support a cleaner indoor environment for employees and customers alike. Some solutions include electronic air cleaners, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and UV germicidal lights. Air filtration through an HVAC system removes many airborne particles, such as dust and pollen, from the air. However, this is just the starting point for ensuring good indoor air quality in commercial buildings. Additional measures like UV lights are effective at killing viruses in the air, while a HEPA filter helps capture the most microscopic airborne particles that slip through a basic HVAC air filter.
Commercial IAQ Solutions & Improvement Plan
As one of the best commercial HVAC companies in Toledo, OH, we are the go-to local HVAC company for real solutions for commercial indoor air quality. Our team can work with you to perform regular maintenance and cleaning of your HVAC equipment and provide long-term solutions, such as air purification systems that coordinate with your existing rooftop unit, furnace, or air handler. If you are interested in one of our commercial air quality improvement services for your commercial or multifamily building, the team at Fry is ready to get to work and create a safer, healthier and simply better commercial space for you, your staff and your clients to enjoy.
