In recent years, increased industrialization, emissions, and wildfires have reduced air quality. As a business owner, you might not think this is something you need to worry about, but it is. Ensuring that you have a quality HVAC system that filters out contaminants is key to ensuring your employees’ and customers’ safety.
In Utah, the 2020 wildfire season was a busy one, and the majority of fires were human-caused blazes. Wildfires scorched nearly 100,000 acres across the state. Wildfires in our home state and neighboring states can severely impact the air quality and your business. Smoke from wildfires can get into your building through the air intake system and begin to affect your HVAC system’s performance.
A commercial HVAC system can be a tricky thing to manage. In large commercial buildings, the HVAC system is a critical piece of infrastructure. It’s responsible for air circulation and temperature. Some common HVAC problems can include:
- Poor temperature control. There’s nothing worse than working when it’s too hot or too cold. If you constantly have temperature swings in your building or areas where it is either too hot or too cold, you may have an HVAC problem.
- Loud noises or unusual sounds. Humming, thumps, whistling, all of those annoying little sounds can signal that there is a problem with the HVAC system. If you notice them, get a specialist to look at your system right away.
- Old and unresponsive equipment. Replacing or upgrading an HVAC system in a commercial building is an expensive and invasive job. Many buildings may operate with systems that are out of date, unresponsive and inefficient. This affects how much energy is used and the comfort of the building’s occupants.
Smoke, pollution, and contaminants can be another major issue for HVAC systems. Contaminants can easily build up in HVAC systems that are not regularly serviced. Many operators choose to use higher-level filters to combat the problem. HVAC professionals use MERV filter ratings to rate how well the filter catches particles in the air. Filters that are rated 16 or below are suitable for use in commercial spaces. Many businesses are starting to use higher rated filters like the MERV 13 filter, which has some of the highest filtration levels for commercial properties. Depending on your local air quality conditions, it may also be necessary to upgrade and replace filters more often.
If you want to make sure that your employees and customers are protected, you need to regularly service the HVAC system. Proper air filtration is key for your business. Old or inefficient HVAC systems can make your business uncomfortable and unsafe. If you sign up for our facility services management, we can help you stay on top of HVAC repairs and service schedules.
