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Our modern society afforded us many unimaginable luxuries 100 years ago, including the ubiquity of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system. These days, you likely rely on your HVAC system to maintain the perfect temperature where you can live and work comfortably indoors in all seasons.
Since urban society spends most of our time indoors, in some cases as much as 90%, it’s vital to have your indoor air as clean as possible. In the following article, you’ll learn more about how HVAC engineers help you stay healthy indoors.
Understanding Indoor Air Pollution
Indoor air pollution is a serious concern for everyone. The US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has found that indoor air pollutant levels are much higher when compared to outdoor air. Indoor pollutants come from several sources, including cooking, household cleaning materials, pesticides, and even excessive moisture.
It’s noteworthy that most commercial heating or cooling units aren’t directly responsible for cleaning your air. It would be best if you found ways to introduce fresh outdoor air into the building. For this reason, you must take note of your pollution sources and work with your HVAC engineer to implement better ventilation for your indoor spaces.
Recent studies done by the EPA show that indoor air pollution is one of the most highly ranked environmental threats to public safety. This threat to our lives is why we must pay special attention to ensure that the indoor air we breathe is clean.
Some of the health problems you may encounter with indoor air pollution could be: .
•Eye Irritation
•Coughing
•Allergic Reactions
•Triggering Asthma
In addition, you may also contend (or are already contending) something called “sick building syndrome.” Common symptoms include fatigue, irritation to your ears, nose, and throat, headaches, itchy and dry skin, and others. These symptoms reduce significantly or may even disappear once you leave the affected building. If you’re looking for any causes of discomfort indoors, you need to check the indoor air quality and find ways to improve it.
How You Can Improve Indoor Air Quality
•Improving Ventilation
To eliminate air pollutants in your building and improve air quality, you need some way to bring fresh air from outside. Recent technological advances mean that you work with an HVAC engineer to install a device known as an air-to-air heat exchanger. This system ensures fresh air is introduced indoors in any season without compromising your existing heating/cooling system’s energy efficiency.
•Using the Best HVAC Filters
Since traditional heaters or air conditioner units don’t clean out the air directly, they usually rely on filters to clean out the air. To get the best results, you must figure out the highest MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating your system can handle. A higher MERV rating means your filters clean out the air better while sacrificing the amount of air that can pass through. A system with a high MERV rating and low airflow is no better than one with a lower MERV rating and increased airflow, so it’s vital to talk to your HVAC engineer to see what would work for you.
•Introducing Maintenance Schedules
Cleaning out your HVAC system on a scheduled basis is essential for maintaining system efficiency and decreasing energy costs. However, clean your filters and ductwork during this time, and look for any signs of moisture building up. Maintenance schedules allow you to eliminate any potential air quality problems early and ensure all your building occupants remain healthy.
•Reducing Chances of Mold and Bacterial Growth
It’s not only in your ductwork where moisture could build up. It can also happen in wall cavities and ceilings. For this reason, you should install water-resistant exterior access panels on your property. These access doors have neoprene gaskets between the door and frame. They also include insulation to maintain a thermal barrier between the environment and your utilities — massively reducing moisture build-up.
While you don’t see indoor air quality discussed often, you can still need to pay attention to it. HVAC engineers help plan your heating/cooling system and ensure regular maintenance, a well-running HVAC system with frequent cleaning guarantees that everyone in your establishment stays comfortable, healthy, and productive throughout the day. .
