Even in sunny Orange County, California, which boasts among the mildest weather in the country, people spend the majority of their time inside their place of work, school or home. During the winter weather we tend to keep our buildings and homes more sealed up which can contribute to indoor air quality issues.
Q-TRAK Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Lack of air circulation, insufficient outdoor air in the HVAC system, unclean air filters, poor maintenance, off gassing from building products and equipment, mold/moisture, smoke, cleaning agents, scents such as air fresheners and perfumes can all contribute to complaints of poor indoor air quality. There are simple solutions to many of the contributory factors to poor indoor air quality including ensuring correct air balancing, using fans in restrooms and changing filters regularly on furnaces and routine maintenance of HVAC equipment.
If addressing the basics doesn’t improve your air quality, consider retaining an indoor air quality expert. If you retain an IAQ expert, consider using someone who belongs to the Indoor Air Quality Association. Also, consider using a firm that has Certified Industrial Hygienist’s (CIH) on staff under whose direction the investigatory work is performed. Large, complex projects that might have a legal component to them are typically performed by CIH’s or with their supervision. Regardless, you should expect the consultant to identify the source of the problem and develop solutions as well.
Steve Rosas, COO/Sr. Project Manager – Irvine, CA
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