Improve the Indoor Air Quality of your Phila. PA Business

5/9/2024 (Permalink)

Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, indoor spaces, cleanliness of surfaces, and air flow have become more important elements when considering the overall health of a commercial property.  Maintaining a healthy environment in your Philadelphia area business, maintains the health of employees, customers, patients and residents alike.

What determines clean air?  According to the EPA pollutants fall into 3 main Categories:

• Biological
• Chemical
• Particles

Indoor Air Quality or IAQ is defined by the EPA as the “air quality within and around buildings and structures,” which can impact the health and wellbeing of the building’s occupants.  Exposure to indoor pollutants can impact the health of occupants immediately or build over many months or even years.

Air pollutants can be created by indoor and outdoor sources.  Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor contaminates by not bringing sufficient outdoor air in to dilute emissions or the reverse, but not expelling enough indoor air.  High humidity and temperatures also increase the concentration of harmful or hazardous particles.

DETERMINE THE SOURCE

The most effective way to minimize the effect of indoor air pollution is source control.  By eliminating the source of the pollutant to reduce their emissions.  Common indoor sources of pollutants can be building materials such as asbestos, fuel burning combustible appliances, building materials (flooring, carpeting, upholstery, cabinets of pressed wood products), household cleaning products, tobacco and excessive moisture. Outdoor sources are Radon, pesticides and outdoor air pollution.

Indoor Air Quality is best handled by:

• Isolation: Removing the pollutant from the air
• Dilution: Removing the pollutant through ventilation
• Filtration: Removing the contaminants through cleaning the air

Action steps to improve indoor air through integrating air quality protocols in purchasing decisions for building, furniture and cleaning products.  Establish and enforce an effective no smoking policy.  Educate employees in the building on management of air quality and healthy building environment.

SERVPRO of Pemberton/Bustleton is available 24/7 to address your water, fire and mold restoration needs.

 Call us at: 215-671-7777. We are proud to serve our local communities in Philadelphia County.