Hot, humid and stuffy days in the office are an unpleasant fact of life when the British summer deals us a heatwave. However, air quality is not something people often think about until it starts affecting your health. In order to avoid respiratory problems and lost productivity, it’s important to pay close attention to the air people breathe.
Faulty air conditioners are often thought to be the reason why people feel bad, get sick, and experience worsening of such problems as asthma and emphysema at work. However, the machines themselves are hardly to blame. The reason for poor air quality often stems from human error. How can you improve the air quality in your office?
Clean or Replace Air Filters Regularly
Air conditioning units have filters that collect dust, dirt, and contaminants on their way inside the system. The air which goes through the filters exits the a/c cleaner than it was before it came in. However, once the filters get clogged, they produce the reverse effect. Instead of cleaning the air, the filters allow the system to pump the contaminants back into the office. The contaminated air may include mould spores, dust mites, bird droppings, animal hair and hazardous bacteria. Timely filter cleaning or replacement is mandatory for all equipment that circulates air, including air purifiers, humidifiers, and even vacuum cleaners.
Check For Leaks
All air conditioners use refrigerants, most of which can be harmful to human health if inhaled. You are unlikely to notice a refrigerant leak yourself immediately. However, as the system loses refrigerant your a/c will need to work harder to achieve the same cooling effect, so look out for an unexplained spike in power consumption or a drop in efficiency. A leak could also be indicated by ice or frost build-up on the evaporator coils. Refrigerant gasses are potentially toxic, so don’t delay in contacting a servicing engineer as soon as you suspect a leak. Fortunately most leaks can be picked up quickly during routine maintenance before they pose a major hazard.
Keep Your Office Clean
Even if your air conditioning system is functioning correctly, your employees may still complain about respiratory problems. Why does this happen? If you have mould growing near the windows, dust mites crowding your cabinets, and allergens settling on your surfaces, your air conditioner will pick them up and circulate them through the room! Start by keeping your office clean, getting rid of mould, and keeping dust at bay. You can improve air quality by using standalone air purifiers and vacuum cleaners with allergen filters.
Keep The Air In Your Office Sweet This Summer!
At ACE Services, we offer a full range of air conditioning system services, from installation and maintenance to repair and leak detection. All our technicians are certified for work with F-gas refrigerants, so give us a call to get a free quote today.
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