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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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