What Is Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the environmental characteristics inside buildings, such as the concentrations of pollutants in indoor air, temperature, and humidity level. IAQ may affect health, comfort, or work performance (mainly refers to SBS).
We spend about 90% of the time breathing “indoor air.” It’s recycled continuously, trapping and building up pollutants.
Why you need to know how polluted the indoor air is
Poor IAQ leads to short-term or long-term health issues, reducing productivity and creating additional stress in a world where it is already enough.
Common symptoms associated with poor indoor air quality are:
eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. In some cases, a high level of air pollution worsens the condition of the tenant/worker. It exacerbates the existing respiratory diseases, turning them into chronic ones: asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, systemic hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Indoor air quality is generally worse than outdoor air quality, especially when considering how much time people spend indoors.
Why monitoring indoor air quality is important?
Gas and particles in the air are the primary sources that contribute to poor IAQ.
Pollutants:
Dust, Pet hair, Dust mites, Household cleaners, Odors, Mold spores, Pollen, Bacteria and viruses, Carbon monoxide, Pesticides, Exhaustion Fumes, Environmental tobacco smoke, Lead, Asbestos, Non-vented gas heaters, Inadequate ventilation, Poorly maintained HVAC systems, Wood and coal stoves
IAQ monitoring applications are:
Health and comfort assessment, Mold detection and disposal, HVAC system performance monitoring, Investigation of poor AQI complaints.
It is easier to fight the problem when you are optimistic about its source.
Monitoring the IAQ, you will know your enemies face to face, shortening the time, a non-renewable resource that we should value a lot as health.
What is indoor air quality monitoring?
It is a process that determines air quality and identifies areas where the content number of the following substances is exceeded:
Contaminants such as carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Nitric Oxide (NOX), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2).
Air quality monitors can connect to a smartphone or even interact with the Smart Home system products for automated air quality control.
ERV’s system results
Methods for assessing the IAQ
Real-time monitors
It is used to detect pollutant sources and provide information on pollutant levels throughout the day.
Integrated samples
Set for a specific period for a particular pollutant’s source investigation.
How Green Ductors can help
We have experience working with clients who had similar situations described above and know how to fix a regular or commercial building case. More on our indoor air purification case studies, read here.
