Following the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor air purification has become a much talked about issue in commercial buildings. As more information is studied regarding the long-term impact of the quality of the air we breathe, more commercial building owners are investing in indoor air quality and advanced air purification technologies.
Healthy airflow and ventilation are critical in commercial buildings for various reasons, which means commercial building managers and property owners now have a greater obligation to protect occupants and visitors from indoor air contaminants.
In this article, we will take a look at how indoor air quality testing and indoor air purification works, the importance of high-quality air in commercial buildings, and the benefits of hiring an air purification company to improve the air quality of your building.
The Importance of High-Quality Air in Commercial Buildings
If you don’t have any chronic health problems, your air quality might not be a priority. However, long-term exposure to the pollutants most commonly found in indoor air can be exceedingly harmful.
Indoor air quality is significant for a variety of reasons. While the wind can carry outdoor air contaminants, toxins in an enclosed environment tend to pile up and become more concentrated, making them more dangerous. As a result, circulating and purifying air found in a commercial building becomes vital.
Pollutants found in a commercial building are similar to those found in a home, but in different concentrations and for various reasons. Some diseases, such as asthma, have been linked to specific indoor air contaminants. While exposure to contaminants, such as asbestos and radon, does not cause immediate symptoms, long-term exposure can lead to cancer over time.
Because of circumstances beyond your control, your indoor air quality may contain a variety of contaminants. The buildup of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by office furniture, carpeting, cleaning materials, and even paper supplies can have an impact on air quality in new or recently renovated buildings.
Furthermore, office buildings can become disease incubators, with bacterial or viral diseases spreading through the HVAC system. If you manage an older building, your indoor air quality may be an even more serious issue.
How Indoor Air Purification Works
Air purifiers essentially work by sucking in the surrounding air and circulating it through a filter or numerous filters. Pollutants and particles are caught as the air passes through the filter(s), and the clean air is pushed back into the surrounding area. In some air purification systems, the particles found in the air are also sterilized before being recirculated to the surrounding area.
Let’s take a closer look at how specific air purification and air filtration systems work.
HEPA Air Purifiers
High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers are one of the most reliable and effective air purifiers available. HEPA air purifiers permit an electrical charge to trap particles flowing through the air stream. As a result, more particles are collected, and charged particles are delivered directly to the HEPA air purifier, where they are captured.
Air purifiers with a HEPA filter can capture up to 99.97% of allergens, pollen, dust, dander, and other particles with a diameter of 0.03 microns or larger. Hazardous indoor air particles with a diameter of 0.03 microns or greater can induce allergy and asthma symptoms.
Ultraviolet Light Air Purifiers
UV (ultraviolet) light air purifiers are essential for neutralizing viruses and bacteria that build on the air filters found in air purifiers. UV technology must be used in conjunction with HEPA air filters, as many germs may be hidden from UV light without a particulate filter system because UV light is difficult to spot on an air filter.
Many viruses are killed 99.99% of the time before they reach the return air stream, and one of the best aspects of UV light air purifiers is that no chemicals are used, making it safe and ozone-free.
Bi-Polar Ionization Air Purifiers
Bi-polar ionization air purifiers operate by injecting a precise amount of positive and negative air ions into the air supply of handling units.
To reduce air pollution, these purifiers ensure that all airflow travels through their tubes, allowing positive and negative ions to excite the air in all spaces supplied by the HVAC system and remove inhalable particles and pathogens, such as dust, mold, smells, viruses, and germs.
Up to 90% of hazardous VOCs and 95% of ultra-fine particles are removed using bi-polar ionization air purifiers, and colony-forming units in mold, bacteria, viruses, and other organisms are also disrupted.
HLR Module Air Purifiers
HLR (HVAC Load Reduction) module air purifiers use innovative reusable sorbents to clean the indoor air, reducing the amount of outdoor air required to maintain IAQ and save energy. Additionally, the HVAC system and indoor air quality are actively and automatically managed by the HLR module, resulting in reduced load and energy savings.
Benefits of Hiring Design Mechanical to Improve Your Air Quality
Air purification systems have long been used to enhance the life of HVAC systems in buildings. However, with the new focus on indoor air quality, the benefits of these systems have increased exponentially, resulting in an increasing number of advantages to hiring an air purification company to help.
Some of the advantages that come with hiring Design Mechanical to help with your commercial building air quality include the following.
- Improved HVAC Efficiency
- Improved health and safety
- Bacteria and odor elimination
- Mold and mildew prevention
- Allergy, cold, and flu relief
Design Mechanical is Here to Help with Your Air Purification
Installing an air purification system in your commercial building is one of the best ways to make your building healthier, more comfortable, and more productive for your tenants and visitors. Think you may need indoor air quality testing and purification services? Design Mechanical can help.
At Design Mechanical, we aim to provide the most professional indoor air quality testing and purification services in the Kansas City area. We will ensure that your building occupants and visitors breathe the cleanest air possible.
If you’re considering installing an air purification system in your commercial building but aren’t sure where to start, give us a call at (913) 281-7200 so we can help you out today!