If you’re responsible for your building’s facility management, you may be curious to know how you can increase your facility’s indoor air quality (IAQ). Fortunately, the holiday season can provide ample opportunity to measure and upgrade your air quality to the levels it should be in order to keep your employees or patrons safe. Read on for some helpful tips about how you can upgrade your indoor air quality this holiday season and stay on top of checking the air quality index within your building.

Why Is Indoor Air Quality Important?

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.” Airborne viruses and bacteria, as well as everyday chemical or environmental pollutants, can cause your indoor air quality to be particularly damaging to the people spending time in your facility – including staff members and customers.

When these pollutants are present at higher volumes in your space, they can wreak havoc on your inhabitants’ respiratory systems, and even cause long-term negative health effects. These health issues can manifest immediately in the form of irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. A single exposure is enough to cause these types of problems, but repeated exposures to a pollutant can cause even more damage over time, resulting in longer-term health effects. And in today’s world, air disinfection for Coronavirus is of the utmost importance for facility management teams everywhere.

Common long-term issues from poor indoor air quality and exposure to pollutants can include diseases such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, and other respiratory diseases, which can eventually have fatal consequences, especially for immunocompromised individuals. Here are some tips for measuring, understanding, and getting your indoor air quality up to par this holiday season.

Understand What Factors Might Contribute to Poor Indoor Air Quality

When we think of indoor air quality, our minds often jump to allergens like pollen or chemical pollutants like cleaning supplies. But many other factors can cause issues with your air. The use of tobacco products or perfumes, newly installed flooring, upholstery, carpeting, fresh paint, certain wood products used for furniture or cabinetry – all these things can contribute to harmful indoor air quality. Of course, common pollutants such as building cleaning and facility maintenance products, pesticides, and radon can cause significant damage as well.

Other common sources of poor indoor air quality include issues caused by excess moisture in the air, either from being located in a humid environment, leaks in your building’s foundation, or some central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices. Mold, mildew, and asbestos can grow in any environment, whether visibly on walls, ceilings, and floors or in harder-to-see places like the building’s insulation. And if your facility utilizes fuel-burning combustion appliances, you increase your risk of poor indoor air quality. Knowing what puts your facility – whether it’s an educational facility, manufacturing plant, hair salon, or office building – at risk for polluted air is the first step to getting back on track.

Select a Company to Monitor and Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Once you understand what puts your facility’s indoor air quality at risk, it’s time to hire professionals who can help occupants breathe easier. When looking for a company that performs air purification services, be sure to shop around and ask plenty of questions. You’ll want to hire a facility maintenance team that’s well-versed in air purification and has a portfolio of satisfied past clients.

A good air purification provider will be able to thoroughly answer all of your questions, provide you with a fair quote, and perform the job to the highest standards – with excellent communication along the way.

Monitor and Purify the Space With an Air Purification Service

Finally, you will need to work with the hired team to monitor your indoor air in real time and purify it, according to good data. Consistent monitoring is essential because air quality isn’t static – it changes with temperatures, humidity, number of occupants, changes in ventilation, and time of day. If there is a detected presence of particulate matter that could lead to immediate or chronic health issues, a simple air filter probably won’t do the trick. Instead, you’ll need a thorough purification service to remove harmful and obnoxious airborne substances and odors, as well as any VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the air.

Be sure to monitor your indoor air quality regularly, as its state changes frequently. Staying on top of air monitoring and purification will ensure that your employees and customers stay as healthy as possible, even with the onslaught of potential pollutants that are so common in our air.

Elevate Your Indoor Air Quality to Its Optimal Condition with The Budd Group

When looking for a provider for your air purification needs, look no further than The Budd Group. We have a long track record of serving satisfied clients throughout the Southeast since 1963. Our team of subject matter experts is happy to answer any questions you have, explain the issues and solutions, and execute the air purification service to the highest standards.

Our BreatheWell Air Purification Program utilizes state-of-the-art air monitoring and purification equipment to identify the air particle sources in the occupants’ breathing zone. We then use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers that can capture approximately 99.7% of particles 0.3 microns and larger in size, making for a much healthier internal environment. We offer data-driven results to our clients, ensuring that they are satisfied with the work done upon completion. And we promise to communicate throughout the process so you know exactly what to expect and where your money is going.

The holidays offer an excellent opportunity for performing indoor air quality monitoring, measurements, and purification. Many facilities – including schools and office buildings – are empty for extended periods of time around the holidays, making it the perfect time to check these services off your list. And if you’re managing a retail or restaurant environment, it’s of the utmost importance that your indoor air quality is top-notch for your customers and patrons. Don’t wait – take steps to improve your indoor air quality today and keep your building and its occupants safe this winter.