The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tells us we now spend roughly 90 percent of our time indoors, where the air can be more polluted than the average industrialized city. With employees and tenants spending 40 hours or more per week in your business premises, learning why air quality may be a concern can help you decide whether it’s time to invest in an office air purifier.

Adverse Effects of Poor Air Quality

Depending on the level and length of exposure, breathing in contaminated air five days or more a week can cause a wide range of health issues ranging from daily discomfort to long term effects, like lung disease or cancer. Over the short-term, you might experience symptoms like:

• Lung congestion and coughing
• Nasal congestion and sneezing
• Eye and throat irritation
• Dizziness and headaches
• Unexplained fatigue
• Worsened asthma or allergies

Air Quality Concerns in the Workplace

A typical office or commercial space is vulnerable to many of the same air quality issues as the average home, but for different reasons and in different concentrations. Some of the common issues that can adversely affect air quality in a workplace include:

• Asbestos used in building materials and insulation in an older structure
• Dust from remodeling or construction
• Mold and mildew due to excess humidity
• Chemicals released by pesticides and cleaning products
• Off-gassed VOCs from carpeting, paint, furniture and paper goods
• Inadequate air exchange and circulation
• Vapors and gasses emitted during certain work processes

Solutions to Improve Office Air Quality

Today, there are several proven technologies available to help improve air quality in the workplace including photocatalytic oxidation, Ultraviolet (UV) light, carbon and high-MERV filtration. Installing a whole-system air purifier that employs a combination of these technologies can effectively control:

• Allergens like mold and pollen
• Minute particles like dust and insulation
• Infectious bacteria and viruses
• Harmful chemical vapors

If high humidity is contributing to air quality issues in your workplace, there are also whole-system dehumidifiers available to bring it under control. To learn if an office air purifier is a worthwhile investment to provide healthier air quality in your workplace, contact us at Jackson & Sons today.