Have you ever spent a considerable amount of time in a building you felt you were allergic to? You were likely experiencing a reaction to the building’s air quality. Americans spend, on average, 1/3 of their lives at work. Employee morale and engagement are critical to retaining a high functioning and happy staff. Keeping them healthy should be at the top of your priority list.
Office air quality has always been important to consider. But the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on how we work has made it a front and center priority for companies. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the steps you can take to improve the air quality in your building.
Improve Air Circulation
Take a walk around your office building and look at your vents. Are any of them blocked, preventing the free flow of air through your facility? Desks, boxes, bookshelves, or any other items blocking a vent can have a major negative impact on the proper circulation of air. If air is not allowed to flow, it doesn’t get filtered by your HVAC system. Similarly, your HVAC filters need to be checked and replaced frequently. A dirty filter allows dust and debris to compound behind it and settle into air ducts.
Clean Your Office Frequently
Regular cleaning removes allergens from surfaces, lessening the chances that they can become airborne and make your employees sick. Many companies schedule regular professional cleanings to minimize pollutants and avoid them contributing to poor office air. Frequent cleaning will also help identify spills and food rot that could be adding mold and mildew to the air.
Control Humidity
Dust mites, mold, and other allergens thrive in overly dry environments. Maintaining a proper humidity level of 30-50% prevents pollutants from travelling as freely as they do in dry air. Consider using standard humidifiers or a whole office humidifier built into your HVAC system to keep humidity at the appropriate level.
Create an Indoor Green Space
Plants are natural air filters. They naturally absorb pollutants, stabilize humidity, and produce clean oxygen. Of course it’s also important to recognize that some people have allergic reactions to some plants. If you’re not able to add plants to your office space, opening windows when the weather allows it is another great way to inject your office building with clean, fresh air from time to time.
Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned Regularly
None of the other suggestions we’ve made will do you much good if you don’t address the unseen areas where air travels through the walls of your building. Dirt, dust, and debris build up in air ducts more than you would imagine, restricting airflow and creating potential health problems. Sams specializes in cleaning office air ducts. We deploy a truck-mounted system with a rotating brush that removes debris from your air ducts and collects it in the truck outside. We can also deploy an E.P.A.-approved anti-microbial disinfectant designed to inhibit the growth of mold, mildew, and other odor-causing bacteria.
Successful companies recognize that their employees are their most valuable assets. Its hard for them to live up to their full potential in an environment they feel is making them sick. Make their wellness a priority by taking these steps to improve the air quality in your office building. Call Sams at 636-949-8229 or schedule an estimate online to have someone walk through your facility with you, understand your concerns, and provide you with a maintenance proposal to get your air ducts cleaned and keep your team healthy.
