The importance of good air has never been more drastically reiterated than in the pandemic and post-pandemic world. As health-first policies begin to dominate all ecosystems, good air promises good health, which is honestly invaluable but also definitely helps fetch tangible results by helping increase the market value of your property. A common misconception is that air quality has to do with outdoor conditions. Sometimes, it’s the age-old carpet that contains all the contaminants and allergens. The first step here as well is to get your indoor air quality professionally checked.

Good indoor air is a fundamental right and facilitates business growth directly and indirectly. Many severe illnesses are tied to poor air quality, such as asthma, bronchitis, and other immediate respiratory diseases that cause irritation. A myth propagates that good air quality requires excessive and advanced power sources. Mechanical ventilation is the type that requires electricity, however, there are alternatives to achieve optimum air quality without having to burn your pockets.

Here’s how you can improve air quality to further enhance building efficiency:

1. Work at the source

The best-tested way of improving air quality is eliminating individual pollution at the source by reducing pollution. These controllable sources range from asbestos – which can be sealed or enclosed. Others such as adjustable gas stoves also contribute immensely towards lowering pollution levels. It might be wiser to start here before acting upon increasing or bettering the ventilation of your building as that is relatively more expensive vis-a-vis energy costs.

2. Improve the building’s ventilation

Another direct method of increasing air quality is by decreasing air pollution through optimized ventilation – or to increase the amount of outdoor air coming into the building. Contrary to conventional beliefs, ventilation does not take care of itself by merely opening windows and doors. If the HVAC systems are not updated, it’s more likely that they worsen the pollution levels of your building. Demand control ventilation systems respond directly to the occupants’ health because they possess carbon dioxide sensors.

Be wary of the short-term activities that cause trouble too; these are painting, paint stripping, heating with kerosene heaters, cooking, or engaging in maintenance and hobby (welding, soldering, or even sanding). Consider the following suggestions for increasing your building’s ventilation:

• Enhance every possibility of natural ventilation by strategically positioning windows and doors and keeping them open
• Adapt to the newer mechanical means that mandate updating the HVAC systems
• Practice infiltration – a process that allows the flowing of air inside through house openings such as cracks, joints, ceilings, floors, etc.

3. Invest in air cleaners

Although air cleaners are not designed to remove air pollutants, some air cleaners have great particle removal. There are many kinds of air cleaners on the market – from the more affordable top models to the expensive whole-house systems and their effectiveness depends upon how efficiently they collect the pollutants from free air. The air cleaners with low air-circulation rates have not been reported to perform ideally. Another determinant of efficiency is how well the air cleaner is being maintained as per the guidelines of the manufacturer, so be sure to sync!

Fun fact: despite the popular word on the street about some plants reducing the pollutant level of their surroundings – is not scientifically backed.