Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is the air quality in and around a building. IAQ is important because it can impact the comfort and even the health of building occupants. Facility managers and building owners are often looking for ways to improve their facility’s IAQ.

Understanding Pollutants

Before we can improve indoor air quality, we need to understand what causes poor IAQ in the first place. Indoor pollutants are the main cause of poor air quality in facilities. Pollutants come from a wide range of sources including, but not limited to:

• Tobacco products
• Building components such as deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation or newly installed carpeting
• Household cleaning products
• Personal care products
• Fuel-burning combustion appliances
• Central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices
• Excess moisture
• Outdoor sources such as pesticides or environmental air pollution

Improving IAQ

The number one way to ensure good indoor air quality is proper HVAC system maintenance. Partner with an HVAC service contractor for regular inspections and maintenance as part of your IAQ strategy. In addition to scheduled maintenance, upgrading your facility’s ventilation is a best practice for improving Indoor Air Quality. The more fresh air you can get into your building, the less pollutants you’ll have floating around inside. For businesses, increased fresh air can actually improve employee efficiency!

If you want to improve your IAQ even further, consider adding additional filters. HVAC filters help clean the air inside the building as well as cleaning any outdoor air that is coming in from outside the building. This is important because the air surrounding facilities can sometimes contain pollutants. If you’re not sure where to begin, hire a professional. A commercial HVAC technician will be able to help you decide on the best filters or ventilation upgrades for your facility. Contact us today!