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Your facility and its environment can be a complex combination
of systems and construction techniques that
can have an impact on the indoor air quality in your
building.
Does your building inhale or exhale? All buildings should
have a slight positive pressure (exhale) so that
unwanted contaminants are not brought into the facility.
Your HVAC system plays an important part in
achieving this. Its installation, operation and maintenance
are extremely important.
If your building inhales it means it is being depressurized
by some source or device in the building such as
bathroom exhaust fans, lunchroom exhaust fans, improperly
calibrated economizer dampers and other
processes in the building.
It is important for facility managers to pay particular
attention to:
· Having good documentation of your facility
including as built mechanical plans.
· Fixing water leaks of any type.
· Replacing any stained ceiling tiles.
· Maintaining a positive pressure in your facility.
· Providing the proper amount of outside air
per occupant per ASHRAE 62 standard.
· Proper maintenance and service of your HVAC
equipment. (We have found that over 50% of IAQ complaints
have some type of HVAC related issue)
- Upgrading of air filtration
system
- Installation of ultraviolet
light system.
· Proper weather-stripping of exterior doors
with proper closing devices.
· Maintaining a clean environment in your facility
and limiting the introduction of potential contaminants
into
the facility by tenants and their operations.
· Housekeeping staff should use HEPA rated vacuums.
· Clean and disinfect community items such as
railings, elevator buttons, drinking fountain buttons,
copy machines, phones etc.
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