In the last few years, businesses have quickly learned about the importance of indoor environmental quality in commercial spaces. Most businesses have had to quickly pivot to accommodate customers in a way that promotes health and safety. According to EPA.gov, “indoor air quality refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.”
There are many causes of poor indoor environmental quality. Indoor air pollution can include combustion appliances, building materials, furnishings, carpet, pressed wood, cleaning supplies, personal care items, central heating & cooling, moisture, pesticides and outdoor sources as well. Older construction may face additional air quality issues that could be revealed in a renovation process and will require necessary abatement, like asbestos. Most of these items can seem daunting to address, but there are some simple things you can do to improve indoor environmental quality. Let’s look at 4 ways your building maintenance team to improve indoor air quality today.
- Change HVAC filters often using localized HEPA filters. In a dry, clean commercial building, your HVAC filter will run efficiently for three months. Changing your filters every 3 months and using a HEPA filter is a great first step to maintaining indoor environmental quality. Your property maintenance team will schedule this for you.
- Consider ultraviolet light for maintenance and surface cleaning especially if you’re currently building or planning to build. Ultraviolet light can be an excellent way to address disinfecting surfaces. Portable units are available to deliver chemical free, surface disinfection in a commercial space.
- Install an air purification system in your central HVAC system. An air purification system can be added onto a central HVAC system or in addition to it to clean the air. Commercial systems can run anywhere from $1,500-$15,000 depending on the type of system and the size of your building.
- Schedule cleaning and disinfecting when the space is unoccupied. While odorous cleaning products cannot always be avoided because they can lower indoor environmental quality in some ways, their use should be limited to when the building is unoccupied. Cleaning should be conducted after hours whenever possible and ventilation throughout the building should be increased during that time.
Weaver Realty offers full-service property maintenance services to tackle issues like indoor environmental quality in your commercial space. We provide excellent service in order to keep our clients healthy and productive. Call us today at 904-733-0039 to find out how we can assist you.
