Have you witnessed customers start sneezing as soon as they walk into your place of business? People may be allergic to flowers you’ve set out or maybe someone’s perfume or cologne. But the cause of constant sneezing is most likely due to mold and dust circulating in the air. When you’ve worked so hard to build your business, the last thing you want is someone leaving with a tarnished opinion because your building is affecting their allergies.
For the sake of your customers, employees, and yourself, it’s important to take indoor air quality seriously. It’s good for business, and it’s good for health.
5 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality In Commercial Buildings
As a business owner, you likely spend more time at work than at home. Which means the allergens in your business’s air are just as troublesome as the ones in your home. Help your health and business succeed and take control of the air quality in your commercial building.
1. Keep Air Vents & Grilles Open For Air Flow
When new inventories are delivered, you and your staff may be in such a hurry you stack things up wherever there’s room. While this is ok for just a minute or two, the risk of leaving items in the wrong place too long is high.
It’s crucial to the work-life of your HVAC not to block vents and grills. This limits the airflow in and out of your AC and furnace.
When the intake vent is blocked, pressure builds up within your system. This can quickly lead to long-term damage to your HVAC unit. Not only will you be left with costly repairs and/or replacements, but the indoor air quality will suffer.
Are you trying to remember the last time your commercial HVAC was maintained? Don’t put it off any longer. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
2. Implement A No Smoking Policy
Unless you own a pet store, it’s unlikely that pet dander is an issue in your business. However, smoking indoors also leads to excessive allergens and dust in the air and on surfaces.
Smoking makes it harder to keep indoor areas clean and drastically reduces the quality of the air everyone is breathing. The best route to eliminate this problem is to implement a zero-tolerance no-smoking policy.
The first reason smoking is so hard on your HVAC is that it decreases the lifespan of your air filter. When the air filter gets clogged, air flow decreases. In turn, your HVAC has to work harder. An HVAC that is working overtime is sure to lead to more serious and costly problems in the future.
The first issue you’ll notice from an overworked HVAC unit is an increased energy bill. If you smoke, it is likely already hitting your wallet pretty hard on its own. But when you factor in the cost of health care and replacing your unit sooner than expected, that price skyrockets.
It’s imperative to take steps to prolong the work-life of your HVAC. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at the hefty cost of replacing your unit much sooner. Do your health and your HVAC a favor by cutting the smoke. Or, at the very least, take it outside.
3. Inspect & Clean Ducts
The air flowing in your business is only as clean as the ducts it runs through. With that in mind, it’s important to keep your ducts clean.
While getting to the nitty-gritty inside the ducts is not a do-it-yourself job, there are some things you can do. For instance, keep the vents clear of dust and debris. Take A vacuum to all your vents regularly. Then wipe them down with a dust rag to make sure no dust or debris can make its way into the depths of your ducts.
In addition to keeping vents clean, you also need to make sure the ducts are working properly. This entails inspecting for leaks. First, make sure your HVAC is running. Next, move your hand around the seams. If you feel air escaping, then you have pinpointed a duct leak. Re-seal these duct leaks with foam, mastic sealant, or metal tape. Not only will this keep your HVAC running properly, but you can count on a lower energy bill and a cleaner home.
If your place of business is causing allergy sufferers to sneeze every time they walk in, it’s probably time for a professional duct cleaning. Contact us today to schedule your assessment and get a quote.
4. Replace Air Filters Regularly
Air filters are what keep your HVAC running and your breathing air clean. Without a filter, all the dust, dander, and debris in your business will eventually travel through your duct system.
By replacing air filters regularly, you keep an open line of defense between your entire HVAC and the dust that is on a mission to destroy it. Moreover, air filters remove that dust from the air.
It’s important to realize that there are different types of air filters. Depending on which one you buy, you’ll need to replace it every 1 to 3 months. However, it’s also important to keep an eye on your filter between replacement schedules. If it seems to be getting dirty faster, then go ahead and replace it early.
Changing the air filter is usually pretty simple. First, locate your air intake vent. It may be located on a wall, ceiling, floor, or even inside a utility closet. Next, make sure you have the right size replacement filter. Once you’ve confirmed your new air filter is the right size, go ahead and remove the old, dirty filter. Whether it’s a reusable filter or disposable, either clean it or trash it. Then place the new filter in the air intake with the arrow pointing towards the airflow. Finally, close the vent and secure the latch.
5. Schedule AC & Furnace Maintenance
The biggest factor in keeping your HVAC running and your air clean is to maintain your HVAC. To do this, it’s important to schedule regular maintenance and checkups. Otherwise, small problems become big problems. And before you know it, you’ve run down the work-life of your unit by several years. Then, you have to dig into your pocketbook to pay thousands for a replacement HVAC.
Between routine checkups, there are several things you can DIY to keep your HVAC clean and running smoothly. This includes keeping your outside unit clean and free of debris. Additionally, clearing out clogged drain lines and changing filters are also good things to learn to do yourself. However, if there’s a DIY project you’re not comfortable with, get your HVAC experts on the phone and schedule an appointment.
Reliable, Trustworthy, & Timely HVAC Services For Your Houston Business
Valderrama AC & Refrigeration has been in business for 35 years. We cover both residential and commercial HVAC systems to keep the air flowing for your comfort and health.
Don’t wait until temperatures drop or your HVAC unit starts to give you trouble. Seasonal temperature changes mean HVAC technicians’ schedules get packed. This year, get ahead of the curve to make sure you have a well-functioning machine to take you through the upcoming season. Additionally, HVAC repairs are much more cost-friendly the sooner they are identified. Don’t put it off while the problems become more expensive to fix. Call us today to schedule your HVAC checkup and maintenance.