The Importance of Indoor Air Quality Monitoring In Commercial Spaces

The Importance of Indoor Air Quality Monitoring In Commercial Spaces

Indoor air quality is a significant factor in the comfort and usability of commercial spaces. Unpleasant odors and other indicators of poor indoor air quality can negatively impact the performance and perception of a space, as well as its occupants. Every person has experienced poor indoor air quality at some point, most commonly in large buildings with lots of people or offices with an old HVAC system. There are many potential causes for these types of issues, including high humidity, frequent door entry/exit and inadequate ventilation. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to monitor the indoor air quality in your commercial space so that you can catch these issues early. In this blog post, we’ll go over some common indicators of poor indoor air quality, discuss why it matters, and empower you with solutions for monitoring indoor air quality.

What is Indoor Air Quality?

Air quality is the amount of pollutants in the air in a given area. Air quality is measured with air quality indices that use a scale to indicate how polluted the air is. The scale measures different pollutants and rates them based on their health effects. Some examples of indoor air quality pollutants include: - Particles, such as dust, pollen, mold spores and tobacco smoke - Gases, such as radon, carbon monoxide and methane - Odors from fumes, cleaning products and other odorous materials - Humidity levels - Temperature and ventilation There are many reasons why indoor air quality might be poor and, as a result, should be monitored.

These include but are not limited to:

• High levels of particles that may come from nearby construction or outdoor air, or from indoor activities such as cleaning.
• High levels of gases such as carbon monoxide from poor ventilation and/or faulty appliances, or radon from the soil below the building.
• High humidity levels which can come from indoor activities such as showering, cleaning, or weather such as rain or snow.

Indoor air quality monitoring is important because poor air quality can cause health issues like allergies and asthma, it can impact productivity and it can damage the materials in the building.

Why Should You Invest in an Indoor Air Quality System?

Poor indoor air quality can have significant impacts on the health and productivity of those in the building. If you notice signs of poor air quality you can catch the issue early and mitigate its impact, or avoid it altogether by taking steps to improve the air quality.

An indoor air quality system can help you to:

• Indoor air quality monitoring can help you to identify health issues early so that they are less severe. For example, if there are high levels of dust or other particles, you can use an air filtration system to clean the air and prevent occupants from being significantly impacted.
• Identify productivity issues caused by poor air quality early so that they are less severe. If you have high humidity, you can use an air dehumidifier to mitigate the impact on productivity.
• Identify the source of poor air quality so that it can be addressed more effectively. You can use air quality sensors in several areas of the building to determine where the source of the issues are so that they can be addressed more effectively.

Know your air with Ace Instruments’ IAQ Detectors Range

To mitigate the effects of poor air quality and ensure building occupant health and safety, the Ace Instruments IAQ range provides insight into a variety of parameters, including: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Particulate Matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), Temperature and Humidity. Our flagship 6-in-1 IAQ monitors provides one solution for the monitoring of a range of parameters (CO2, VOC, PM2.5, PM10, Temperature and Humidity). In addition, we have multiple duct mounting and single parameter options available for all parameters.