Indoor Air Quality Solutions: How to Improve the Air Quality in a Commercial Building

Having good air quality in a building helps keep your staff and customers safer, breathing fresh and clean air. It’s important to ensure you do what you can to rid the air of allergens and pollutants that can cause potentially serious issues. Use our helpful guide to find the indoor air quality solutions you need for your commercial building.

What Causes Air Pollution?

Air pollution can be caused by a number of things which lead to some health concerns if not properly dealt with. Indoor air pollution is a bit harder to detect considering it hides behind the AC air and the smell of air fresheners. This makes it easy to dismiss. Once you find the areas to focus on, you can get the indoor air quality, or IAQ, you need. So what causes air pollution?‍

• Chemical pollutants — From office equipment to upholstery cleaner, the workplace can emit chemical pollutants that can be harmful to workers and customers. These can include polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), polyurethane, formaldehyde and VOCs.


• Mold and mildew — When moisture forms around windows or inside of the HVAC system, it can cause mold and mildew to form and be spread. If this air gets circulated throughout the commercial building, it can be dangerous.


• Dust — Dust is the most common type of allergy trigger. Without proper ventilation, dust particles, mites and more can circulate around the space.


• Smoke — Even if employees smoke outside of the building, cigarette smoke can linger on clothing. There are more than 4,000 chemical compounds in cigarette smoke which are highly toxic to the respiratory system.

‍How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Finding the right indoor air quality solutions starts with keeping things clean, using the proper purifiers for the space and avoiding pollutants as best as possible. Below are just a few key points to keep in mind when improving the overall indoor air quality of your commercial space.

Keep Your Workplace Clean

Ensuring there’s a standard for workplace cleaning will help lower the amount of air pollutants. A clean space means lower levels of dust, mold and other allergens or contaminants that could spread through the air. Look into using eco-friendly cleaning products to avoid releasing harsh chemicals.

Integrate Air Purification Systems

Using commercial-grade equipment such as air purifiers and dehumidifiers is a great way to keep the indoor air quality of the space at good levels. Once you have the right equipment, you can rest assured the air will be cleaner and you won’t have to hire a professional to rid the air of mass amounts of pollutants.

Change HVAC Filters

The HVAC system in a commercial building should be cleaned regularly. Make sure the filters are changed to prevent dust and other pollutants from circulating through the air. If the air filters are clogged, this will interrupt the airflow and cause a buildup of dust, mildew and debris.

Conduct Air Tests Regularly

If you conduct regular air quality tests, you’ll be able to find the trouble areas and adjust the IAQ improvement plan. An air test can include checking the humidity levels, ventilation, airflow, mold growth and even water damage.

Avoid Indoor Pollutants

The best thing to do is avoid indoor air pollutants as much as possible. There are a couple of ways to do this. Start by replacing harsh cleaning chemicals with eco-friendly ones that have no strong chemical smells. Then, make sure to keep the space clean by vacuuming and dusting daily. You can also use mold test kits to identify any issues within your commercial air unit.