Indoor air quality is a growing concern for Americans who are spending more time at home than ever before. Remote work has people thinking more about the air they breathe at home and how one impacts the other.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a considerable number of Americans have switched from working away from the home to working from within the home, whether in a dedicated home office or a makeshift office carved out of their space. They have been forced to find space where they can plug in and use a wide array of office equipment, from computers to printers/scanners to additional phone lines, so they can be productive and accomplish a full day’s work.
Many factors can affect indoor air quality (IAQ), including poor ventilation, problems controlling the temperature, humidity levels, recent remodeling. In the mid-1990s, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a booklet entitled “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality” which describes sources of air pollution in the home/office, and ways to correct and/or reduce pollutants. This booklet notes that in the several years preceding its publication, the body of scientific evidence available showed that “the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.” Further, it states that other air quality research indicated that people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, which causes greater health risks from indoor air pollution than from outdoor air pollution. Considering these findings, we can conclude that taking measures to improve IAQ is vital to health and wellness.
It turns out that if you are working remotely from home, you might have compounded the problem if you remodeled to accommodate your workspace. The dust from demolition, leftover paint, and other remodel-related things can decrease IAQ significantly. Using barriers to contain dust and other pollutants is key.
Also, having new furniture in your home office space might also be problematic. The EPA explains that some items made of pressed wood have been found to emit polluting gasses that negatively impact indoor air quality. Relatedly, the placement of your office furniture matters. If you block key means of ventilation, contaminants are effectively trapped inside your home; they cannot be diffused and expelled from the home. So, it is vitally important to keep your ventilation system from being blocked to maintain a healthy IAQ.
HVAC systems have become a crucial component of indoor air quality management plans for people working from home. Well-maintained HVAC systems help keep the temperature and humidity at reasonable levels in your home while also helping to keep the air clean; they help remove contaminants and pollutants that could cause or worsen allergies, exacerbate preexisting respiratory conditions, or otherwise impact the health and wellness of you and your family. One of the most important and most basic scheduled maintenance tasks required for your HVAC system to work effectively and efficiently is replacing the air filter. If you need assistance with this task, a professional HVAC technician from a reputable HVAC company can take care of it for you during your regularly scheduled HVAC system maintenance.
If you are ready to upgrade your heating and cooling systems for energy efficiency, The Coolest is your go-to HVAC service and installation company in Austin, Texas. The experienced HVAC technicians at The Coolest are ready to assist with all your HVAC needs, including consulting on solutions for maintaining excellent indoor air quality. The professional team can help you make smart choices for achieving the best possible indoor air quality. Contact the competent, trusted HVAC experts at The Coolest to discuss your needs online or by phone at 512-468-6140.
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