Did you know that indoor air is worse than outdoor air? Indoor air pollution is one of the biggest culprits of health symptoms experienced by workers in Australia and the rest of the world. It’s why it’s essential to ensure the air in offices is clean and safe. Good air quality inside offices and commercial buildings promotes comfort and also protects everyone’s health.
What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality in Offices?
Indoor air pollution is a health concern. Unfortunately, people tend to ignore the need for clean air until the symptoms begin to appear. Heavily polluted outdoor air can quickly be noticed. You can see dark smoke and smell toxic air. But indoor air is not the same. It hides toxins more effectively, especially with the cool air blown by the air conditioner.
The office may smell pleasant and calming, thanks to air fresheners. But what these products do is that they simply mask the odours. Mould, mildew, dust, cigarette smoke, and chemical pollutants are just some of the reasons why air quality in your office is poor.
The good news is that there are ways that help clear indoor air and make it healthier again. Aside from ensuring the workplace is clean, you can rely on your air conditioning system to improve office air quality.
The Benefits of Air Conditioners
Switching on your aircon does not just keep the office cool and comfy. The system works hard behind the scenes, particularly in clearing the air in the building. It takes the air, sucking it in through its filter. The air will then pass through the fan coil, which will push through a series of vents. Everyone in the office can then enjoy the cool air.
But the process involves a few more intricacies that aid in improving air quality in an enclosed space. With the help of your office’s air conditioner, some air particles are removed, making it safer to breathe. If there are large particles, the aircon filter catches them before they get into the fan coil. This part of the appliance is also responsible for pulling away water-soluble particles and excess moisture in the air.
Most particles, debris and pollutants are captured in the filter, before moving into the return air duct. From there, the clean air goes back into the room. That means the air you breathe is fresher, cleaner, and healthier. However, if the atmosphere feels stale and stuffy, some of your employees may find it difficult to breathe. If so, it may be time to look at your air conditioning system.
The key lies in the ability of the aircon to filter air. To ensure your employees breathe clean, quality air, follow these steps:
1. Clean the Aircon Filters Regularly
This practice may sound overly simplistic, but it works. Think about it. When the filters are clean, the air is clean, as well. It’s the filter’s job to seize dirty particles so that they no longer go back to the room. The aircon filters can get dirty quickly, which is why it is necessary to check them at least once a month.
When you or your cleaning crew notices that the filter looks dirty, it’s time to clean them. Some people believe that impacted dirt encourages more particles to get caught in the filter. However, this is a fallacy. The truth is that there is reduced airflow, which makes it an even bigger challenge for the air conditioner to clean the office air.
The filters should be replaced once the cleaning is causing the filters to deteriorate.
2. Clean the Evaporator Coil
If the filters aren’t cleaned regularly, then the evaporator coil can become dirty & require cleaning. This is not a job that can be undertaken by anyone, you will require a technician to do this. This process can take some time to do depending on how dirty the coil is.
Keeping the coil clean is an integral part of having clean office air. In most cases, you only need to perform this task if the filters aren’t cleaned regularly, as without regular cleaning the filters will get blocked with dirt and if left this way then the coil will require cleaning. After cleaning the coil it is best to replace the filter as well, this ensures you are starting with clean air.
3. Ensure Ductwork is Intact
The duct can be blown off in some instances or eaten into by vermin. Ensure that all duct is still connected and intact as this will prevent dirty air in the ceiling space entering the ductwork, as well as improve the efficiency of the system. Ducts in commercial buildings should be tightly sealed. You may have to call a professional to have this checked; otherwise, you have a source of endless dirt and dust, which significantly contributes to polluted air in the office.
4. Regularly Seek Maintenance Services for Your Air Conditioner
Aircons have complicated engineering, so they require a qualified technician. ACSIS can help ensure that your air conditioner works efficiently. We clean and maintain your air conditioning system so that your employees enjoy its benefits.
If the aircon is dirty, particularly its filters, it may cause specific issues for people with allergies and asthma. Polluted air will circulate with the pollutants and allergens remaining inside the facility. That means you and your employees breathe in dust and pollen almost daily. Dirty air may also contain moisture, which leads to mould growth. These issues can all be prevented with regular servicing.
ACSIS consists of experienced professionals equipped with the know-how in setting up office air conditioning systems. We can boost your aircon to a new level, inspect and repair it when required. If a replacement is necessary for your old or broken aircon, we will inform you right away. At ACSIS, we partner with you so that you have better indoor air quality for the health and productivity of your employees. Contact us today to get started.
