Keeping your body happy and healthy is about more than eating healthy, staying hydrated, getting enough exercise, and taking care of your mental health. Air quality plays a crucial role in how we feel, but it’s easy to forget how important it is to maintain clean air in your home or office. So what impacts air quality, and how can we ensure we’re doing everything necessary to breathe fresh air and maintain good air quality? Let’s find out.
- What is indoor air quality?
- Why air quality is important
- How airflow impacts your health
- HVAC fire dampers and air quality
What is Indoor Air Quality?
When we think about pollution, it’s easy to focus on the air we breathe outside. Air pollution is one of the most significant public health challenges facing our world and is primarily caused by burning fossil fuels. However, your health can be impacted just as much by the air you breathe indoors as it is outside, sometimes even more so.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality is the quality of air within buildings, particularly as it impacts the comfort and health of those living and working inside. Indoor air quality is affected by pollution sources, inadequate airflow, temperature, and humidity. Therefore, controlling the sources of pollution and regulating airflow is crucial to breathing the freshest, cleanest air possible.
Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
- Tobacco products
- Newly installed flooring and carpet
- Furniture made using certain pressed wood materials
- Cleaning products
- Insulation containing asbestos
- Central heating and cooling systems
- Increased humidity
- Appliances that use fuel combustion
Maintaining air quality indoors involves understanding how much pollution each source creates and how harmful the pollution is. Factors such as the appliance’s age, how often the cleaning products are used, and the amount of airflow can change how dangerous each type of pollutant is and how much it impacts the air quality.
Why Air Quality is Important
Indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental public health risks, and failure to maintain clean air can lead to short and long-term health effects for people exposed.
Indoor Air Pollution Reactions:
- Coughing
- Eye redness and irritation
- Headaches
- Allergic reactions
- Asthma
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Legionnaire’s disease
How Airflow Impacts Your Health
There will always be sources of air pollution indoors, but one of the most essential factors in ensuring the pollutants have as little impact as possible is creating adequate airflow.
Businesses such as hospitals and manufacturing facilities dealing with hazardous chemicals invest in airflow systems that help move air consistently throughout the building and from outdoors. However, it’s just as important for all buildings to have adequate airflow.
Poor ventilation can cause a build-up of pollution inside the building, including carbon monoxide and radon. Another concern when proper ventilation and airflow aren’t maintained is a build-up of moisture. An increase in humidity, especially in bathrooms, can cause mold to grow, which can be even more harmful, especially to people with weakened immune systems.
Thankfully, poor ventilation and airflow are easy to remedy. According to the American Lung Association, here are the top eight tips to maximize airflow and keep your air quality top-notch:
Tips to Maximize Air Flow
1. Always vent appliances to the outside of the building.
2. Install exhaust fans in bathrooms to remove built-up gas and moisture from the room.
3. Clean the vent on your dryer every time you use it, and make sure it vents to the outside of the building.
4. Add extra ventilation if chemicals or high concentrations of cleaning supplies are being used regularly. For example, install a fan, open the windows, and give the space adequate time to expel the fumes.
5. Conduct radon tests on a regular basis. Radon is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer but is easily removed by an experienced professional.
6. Control sources of moisture throughout the building. Install a dehumidifier if necessary and check with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) specialist to maintain the efficiency of your system.
7. Install carbon monoxide detectors in multiple locations and test the batteries frequently.
8. Ensure adequate ventilation in the parking deck or garage and never allow your car to idle in an enclosed space.
Fire Dampers and Air Quality
In an emergency, one of the most essential points to consider is how long it will take everyone to evacuate the building safely. Unfortunately, it isn’t always as easy as walking out the nearest door in larger office buildings.
Evacuating from large buildings such as hospitals or schools can take several minutes and staying safe during that time is crucial. Installing fire dampers in your HVAC system can help give employees and customers the time they need to safely exit the building without exposure to dangerous chemicals and gasses.
A fire damper helps prevent the spread of fire within a building’s HVAC system in an emergency. Fire dampers come in three styles: fire, smoke, and fire and smoke. These types of fire dampers work the way you may expect. Fire dampers help prevent the spread of fire, smoke dampers prevent the spread of smoke, and combination smoke and fire dampers prevent both smoke and fire.
When considering which style to install in your HVAC system, the easiest method is to select the highest level of protection available for the barrier the fire damper is protecting. For example, if the wall is rated to protect against smoke and fire, use a smoke and fire damper.
Installing fire dampers is a crucial part of your building’s fire protection plan and plays a significant role in maintaining air quality during emergencies. By installing fire dampers and other air quality control products, it’s easier than ever to ensure your building is comfortable and safe.
If you’re unsure what type of fire damper or airflow control system you have, schedule an appointment with an HVAC expert to go over any steps you can take to increase the airflow, air quality, and safety of your building.
