Identify and Prevent Poor IAQ Pitfalls

Ken Horton, president of WCP Facility Solutions, Simpsonville, South Carolina, became involved in indoor air quality (IAQ) control for very personal reasons.  

“It started when my youngest daughter was three. She had a good dose of childhood asthma and was constantly on breathing machines. Every time someone in the house would catch a cold or get sick, she would be on the machine for three to four weeks,” he says.  

During the search for a solution, he realized his custom-built home was “built tight and sealed well” with an HVAC system that brought in no outside air. The poor-quality air inside was being re-circulated by the system throughout the house. An HVAC retrofit — complete with two-stage filtration and an introduction of 30 percent outside air — changed the narrative.  

“It made a world of difference in my daughter’s young life and began my journey to further understand IAQ,” says Horton. 

Even though Horton hadn’t planned to make IAQ his vocation, his experience with poor IAQ is all too common. Studies show that people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. This links the quality of the air in schools, long-term care facilities, and offices buildings directly to a person’s health, performance, and well-being.  

Fortunately, there are ways facility cleaning managers can protect that air quality and enhance indoor experiences.  

Explaining Air Pollutants 

Along with vital oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, air contains pathogens and chemical pollutants that degrade its quality. Common pathogens include bacteria, mold, fungus, and viruses. There are also mites, insect debris, pet dander, pollen and shed skin cells.  

“Those of most concern are the viruses: influenza, coronavirus, measles, and cold viruses in general,” says Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of virology in the Department of Environmental Sciences at The University of Arizona, Tucson.  

Chemical pollutants are particulate matter thrown into the air from various sources. They could be volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off gassing from fresh paint, new carpet, or cleaning fluids.  

“Some can be from incomplete combustion from internal combustion engines, like your car or two-cycle engines,” according to Paul Nelson, MD, MPH, FAsMA, Shared Air Solutions, Oxford, Mississippi “This is one reason there is a concern over cooking on gas stoves, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.” 

Wildfire smoke represents another new concern for IAQ. While wildfires are nothing new, their increased frequency, size, proximity to populated areas, and duration makes the problem especially acute.  

“I’m working with meteorologists to help create an early warning system,” reports David Trinks, Trinks Consulting Group, Franklin, Massachusetts. “It’s a nasty problem.” 

These impurities, both biological and chemical, find their way into facility environments through open doors, intake vents, windows, and one’s own body. The particulates then travel through the space via HVAC systems, blowing fans, and breathing, sneezing, and coughing. If the air is still and motionless, the particulates will eventually settle on surfaces or the floor, but they are not trapped.

“Walking and other activities will stir the particulates back up and into the air,” reports Shari Solomon, Esq., president, CleanHealth Environmental, Silver Spring, Maryland. “Cleaning can also have the same effect.” 

This is bad news for facilities because poor IAQ can lead to poor occupant/staff health. Along with exacerbating asthma, poor indoor air quality increases the spread of pathogens and the opportunity to inhale carcinogens.  

“There is a good body of evidence that people exposed to higher levels of particulates develop more heart disease, and have both a short- and longer-term increased risk in serious cardiovascular complications, especially in those with pre-existing cardiac disease,” says Nelson. 

Indoor air quality has also been linked to neurocognitive function. Students exposed to better air show higher test scores and cognitive performance. The same is true in the office setting where occupants breathe clean air.  

“More recently, we are seeing the link between poor IAQ exposure and risk of neurological disease, including Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disorder, or other dementias,” adds Nelson. 

Track and Measure IAQ 

Considering the poor outcomes, tracking and measuring indoor air quality is an important step in improving and/or maintaining conditions.  

“Measuring and testing the air is critical,” says Horton, pointing to the most basic tool: a particle counter. “We can go to any room at any time and measure particles by size category. While it doesn’t tell us what is in the air, it does tell us the quality of the particulate control currently ongoing.” 

Nelson is also a proponent for these devices, saying newer technology is less expensive and provides strong results.  

“They ‘make the invisible visible’ and,” he believes they “will drive the demand that employees, parents, and others become the biggest advocates for improved IAQ.” 

However, Nelson offers an important caveat.  

“While I have one and use it frequently, there are several issues. First it is hard to make sure the device is calibrated regularly as ASHRAE recommends. Second, unless you understand what you are measuring and why, or become fixated on only one parameter, you may be lulled into a false sense of security or miss the big picture.” 

When calibrated, however, these devices will effectively measure variables like temperature, humidity, PM2.5 (which are fine inhalable particles that are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter), VOCs, Carbon Dioxide, mold, or formaldehyde.  

Along with handheld monitors, there has also been an uptick in installing stationary monitors.  

 “We’re seeing these more and more. It’s not a standard but a best practice for certain types of facilities like data centers, hospitals or multi-family housing,” explains Solomon. Handheld or stationary, these monitors will generate data. But what should facility cleaning managers do with that data?  

“You can take that data as evidence of a direct issue of concern, or use it for a trend analysis over time,” answers Solomon. “Both are valuable.”  

But the real value comes from professionals who can interpret and assess the findings.  

“Since air is the largest surface in the building, it is incredibly important to understand, assess correctly, and then prescribe real actionable solutions for what we find,” says Horton. 

That assessment can come from a facility’s HVAC team. Standards and codes, however, are always evolving.  

“If all this sounds complicated, it is,” says Nelson. “That’s why I strongly recommend that you shop around to find an HVAC team that is reputable and familiar with these new standards and have them work with objective calculations from the ASHRAE standards instead of just spit balling it.”  

Because of the complexity, experts recommend hiring external consultants that work directly for facility cleaning managers to develop a comprehensive IAQ plan.