The Importance of IAQ

On average, people spend nearly 90% of their time indoors. Is your IAQ high enough to protect people from bacteria while they’re inside your building?

Why IAQ Is Important in 2022

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is essential for the health and wellbeing of those inside your commercial building. Breathing in dust, debris, and pollutants can lead to immediate and long-term illnesses, including:

Respiratory illnesses
Coughing
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Asthma-like symptoms
Sore throat
Allergic reactions
Fatigue
Scratchy skin

Ensuring a high level of IAQ is vital to the safety of your tenants, students, or employees.

IAQ and COVID-19

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance of IAQ. COVID-19 impacts office building indoor air quality—especially in commercial buildings—because the virus is airborne.

Fine droplets and particles constantly spread through the air in your building and accumulate quickly. Without proper ventilation, the virus spreads much quicker, decreasing your IAQ. So, how can you improve your IAQ and decrease the spread of illnesses like COVID-19, the common cold, or the flu?

Improving Indoor Air Quality With HVAC Systems

Having a high-quality HVAC system improves your IAQ in several ways:

Improved Ventilation

HVAC systems keep the air flowing through your commercial building. When not freely flowing, air gets stale and accumulates germs. Ventilation also improves indoor temperatures, removes indoor pollutants, and reduces the level of contaminants in the air, in turn improving your IAQ.

Cleaner Air

HVAC systems filter debris, dirt, germs, pollutants, and small particles from the air. When your air has less debris in it, your IAQ improves.

Disinfection Systems (UV Lights for Commercial HVAC)

Many commercial HVAC systems include disinfection systems, like UV lights. Coils and ductwork hold bacteria. UV lights, specifically UVC lights, have a high frequency and kill stored bacteria. UVC lights help your HVAC system eliminate:

Viruses
Mold
Contaminants

These lights turn your HVAC into a disinfection machine, so your air is not only filtered but it’s also sanitized. By implementing a UVC lighting system into your commercial building, you’re increasing your IAQ by providing your facility with the cleanest air possible.

Preventative Maintenance

Many HVAC companies provide preventative maintenance plans to ensure your system runs efficiently. Regular inspections prevent your HVAC system from breaking down, potentially increasing the number of pollutants in the air.

If you want to make sure your HVAC is consistently releasing clean, filtered air, implement a preventative maintenance plan with an HVAC professional to improve your IAQ.

Upgraded HVAC System

Your office building indoor air quality significantly decreases when you use an old HVAC system.

Outdated HVAC systems store pollen, bacteria, build-up, and dust, decreasing your overall IAQ. If your HVAC is over 20 years old, it needs to be replaced. There are several health risks involved in running an old HVAC system, including:

Lung infections
Skin irritation
Headaches
Breathing problems
Nasal congestion
Fatigue

Upgrade your HVAC to improve your IAQ.

What Is IAQ Testing?

If you don’t know where to start with IAQ improvement, IAQ testing is an excellent option for you. HVAC professionals use IAQ testing to detect biological pollutants, like mold, dust mites, pollen, and chemical pollutants, like volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, lead, and radon.

IAQ testing also detects combustion pollutants, including:

Environmental tobacco smoke
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Soot from burning fuel (wood, natural gas, charcoal)

Other benefits of these tests are:

Cleaner smell/reduced odors
Low energy costs
Improved HVAC performance
Decreased short and long-term health effects
Increase comfort within your building

HVAC companies typically provide IAQ testing before working on your HVAC system so they can detect any potential toxins that are poisoning your air. Regular IAQ testing improves your overall IAQ, so it’s a good idea for all businesses to invest in it.

Where Can I Get IAQ Testing and HVAC Services?

If you want to improve your IAQ, React Industries is the HVAC partner for you. With over 37 years of experience and superior continuous maintenance programs, we promise to get your HVAC running properly and improve your IAQ.