How to solve your Indoor Air Quality issues in only 5 steps

Indoor air quality is crucial for maintaining a healthy and safe work environment. In fact, you might be familiar with some of the health implications of poor indoor air quality: dry eyes, headaches, and respiratory problems.

It can also have a negative impact on employee productivity and overall building performance. And let's not forget the effects on the organization itself, as it can affect your compliance with regulations such as ARBO, RI&E, and QHSE reporting.

While it sounds very logical to conduct an IAQ audit and improve the air quality in your workspace, it is sometimes not as logical to know where to start with it.

So, let's get to it: how do you improve the indoor air quality in your building?

You can improve the air quality in your workspace by following five simple steps. In this blog post, we will guide you through all the steps of conducting an indoor air quality audit for your facility, including what equipment to use and how to interpret the results with the help of an Indoor Air Quality Check.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

The first step in conducting an indoor air quality audit is to identify the problem. Of course, you can't solve a problem without knowing its root cause.

This can be done by assessing any complaints from employees or by conducting a visual inspection of the facility. Be on the lookout for signs of poor indoor air quality, such as: 

• Mold,
• Dust buildup,
• Strong odors,
• Hot and cold spots,
• Employees having difficulties breathing, or
• Occupants showing allergic reactions or skin problems. 

Additionally, you can use a survey to get input from employees on their comfort level and the symptoms they are experiencing, this will give you a clear understanding of the areas that need attention.

You can read all about the most common signs in our article: how do I recognize indoor air quality issues?

Step 2: Gather Data

Once you've identified the problem, it's time to gather data. This can be done by using a range of indoor air quality monitoring equipment. The most important parameters to measure are:

• Temperature,
• Relative humidity,
• Carbon dioxide,
• The total level of volatile organic compounds, and
• Particulate matter.

However, it can be difficult to do it on your own, that's why you can use a solution like the Indoor Air Quality Check. With the help of IAQ experts, you can get a full Indoor Air Quality measuring set-up, customized to measure all the problematic parameters at all your troublesome locations, ensuring that you get accurate and reliable results.

Step 3: Analyze and Interpret the Results

Once you've gathered the data, it's time to analyze and interpret the results. It's important to look at the patterns in the data and evaluate if any thresholds have been exceeded. 

If you have no prior experience with this type of data analysis, it is always a good idea to leave this type of evaluation in the hands of experts. That way you make sure to get a clear understanding of the existing complaints, the source of the complaints, and possible next steps to solve any identified issues. 

Step 4: Take Action

Based on the results of your indoor air quality audit, you'll need to take action to improve the air quality in your facility. Depending on the issue that needs to be solved and the air parameter that needs to be addressed, possible solutions may involve:

• Cleaning certain areas more frequently or following a special approach,
• Performing maintenance of defective systems in the building,
• Installing air filters, making changes to the ventilation system, or
• Designing ventilation and occupation strategies. 

Step 5: Monitor and Evaluate

Finally, it's important to monitor and evaluate the air quality in your facility on a regular basis. This will allow you to track the progress of any changes you've made and make sure that the air quality remains at a satisfactory level.

Also, it will allow you to identify possible risks and failures at the moment, thus avoiding costly repairs or recurrent IAQ audits. 

Conducting an indoor air quality audit for your facility is an essential step in ensuring a healthy and safe work environment. By following the steps outlined above, you'll be able to identify the problem, gather data, analyze and interpret the results, take action, and monitor and evaluate the air quality in your facility.

Don't worry, we are here every step of the way. 

Read more about our customized Indoor Air Quality Check and solve all your IAQ problems in a record time of only six weeks.