The indoor air quality (IAQ) of your commercial property in Daphne, Alabama, can impact the comfort, health, and productivity of your employees. Poor IAQ causes discomfort, fatigue, and several other health conditions that decrease productivity levels in the workplace. Take measures to ensure proper humidity control, air purification, ventilation, and regular HVAC maintenance to improve indoor air quality and boost workplace productivity.
Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality
The most common factors affecting indoor air quality are temperature, air circulation, humidity, and pollution. Problems arise when the indoor air is either too hot or cold. You may also run into trouble if the air is too moist or dry. Lack of ventilation makes the air stale, and drafty buildings allow polluted air from outside to come in, which makes it difficult to control the indoor environment.
Pollution in the indoor environment can come from dust particles, chemical pollutants, or biological contaminants like bacteria and mold. Often, contaminants from boilers and chimneys sneak into the building. Microbes from stagnant water while dirt and dampness become airborne and pollute the indoor air.
Office equipment such as printers, computers, and photocopiers can also cause air pollution. If your workplace is undergoing maintenance, repairs, renovation, cleaning, painting, or pest control, the IAQ could suffer.
Even your coworkers cause some indoor air pollution through the natural biological process of respiration and perspiration. Sometimes, people bring in other contaminants like perfumes, deodorants, air fresheners, and dog dander on their clothing.
Problems Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality
Many people in Alabama spend a substantial amount of time indoors working in an office or other commercial establishment. Indoor air is often more polluted than the outside air, so it’s of particular concern to employers whose employees spend a lot of time inside.
Indoor pollutants increase the risk of illness and have a negative impact on the productivity of the occupants. Some of the common health problems caused by poor IAQ include cold, flu, headache, fatigue, sinusitis, and eye and nose irritation. Presence of allergens like dust particles, pollens, animal dander, smoke, and mold spores can trigger allergic reactions such as sneezing, runny nose, and even difficulty breathing in occupants that are sensitive to these allergens.
Impact of Indoor Air Quality on Workplace Productivity
When employees don’t feel comfortable at work and are not in good health, their productivity suffers. Health issues in employees cause an increase in medical leaves and absenteeism, bringing down the number of productive hours in an organization.
Circulation of clean and healthy air is more likely to keep the occupants happy and energetic. This helps employees make fewer errors and improves the quality of their work.
Sometimes, the temperature and humidity levels alone can make the workers form a positive or negative perception about the quality of the building and business. Perception has a direct bearing on the employees’ mood, which in turn, reflects in their performance.
In addition to employees, poor indoor air quality also impacts other occupants of a building, such as customers, clients, guests, and patrons. An indoor environment that causes discomfort and dissatisfaction to occupants can mean a substantial fall in revenue.
Tips for Maintaining Good Indoor Air Quality
Separate any sources of pollution from the workspace. If it’s not possible to totally isolate the source, keep it away from direct air intakes. Prevent the outside contaminants from construction, combustion, and other activities from entering the building as much as possible.
Proper ventilation is essential to let the polluted, stale air out and bring in an adequate supply of fresh air. Ensure that the design and capacity of your HVAC system match the building’s size and number of occupants. Air supply and return vents should be at the correct locations for easy and efficient supply of air to occupants. Make sure that the workspace design and layout allows adequate air circulation.
Use filtration and purification products to clean the indoor air. Use a high-quality HVAC filter and replace it regularly. Our team can help install UV lamps and air cleaners and check your indoor humidity level. If the humidity is high, a dehumidifier can help reduce the moisture content of the air.
In order to maintain good IAQ and workplace productivity, it’s crucial to schedule routine inspections and maintenance of your commercial HVAC system. Our experienced team at Air Specialty is available at your service 24/7. Call us at (251) 415-4559.
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