How Proper HVAC Maintenance Impacts Your Employees
Maintenance of your commercial HVAC system isn’t just about whether the heating and cooling are operating correctly, it’s also a matter of health and comfort for employees in the building.
Sure, if the heat or air conditioning isn’t working it’s uncomfortable and you’ll need an emergency repair to fix it. But it doesn’t take a major system failure to adversely impact workers.
If simple servicing practices such as replacing filters, cleaning vents and coils, and lubricating components are ignored, your employees can suffer.
Indoor Air Quality Impacts Health
One of the primary reasons commercial HVAC service is important is it impacts your facility’s air quality. HVAC components such as coils and filters need to be cleaned regularly or replaced to avoid dirt accumulation and to facilitate clear air flow.
A dirty coil or improper ventilation decreases the system’s performance and increases the humidity level in the building, particularly in warmer months. When humidity rises above 50 percent, it can lead to mildew and mold growth as well as high concentrations of dust mites.
These issues can cause or aggravate several health conditions in your employees. According to the CDC, indoor mold can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation or skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Likewise, dust mites can affect people with asthma.
During the winter, poorly maintained industrial HVAC systems can cause low humidity, which is levels near 30 percent. Low humidity also has adverse effects on people, such as sore eyes, dry throats, itchy skin, headaches or stuffy noses.
Temperature Levels Affect Productivity
Aside from air quality, a poorly maintained commercial HVAC system can have other issues. Often, when components aren’t properly cleaned, lubricated and electrical connections aren’t checked, it can affect the system’s performance, which can cause it to improperly heat or cool.
Certain areas of the building may be hotter or cooler, or the thermostat may not function correctly.
Uncomfortable temperature levels in the workplace are more than a minor inconvenience to your employees. In fact, 80 percent of office workers complain about the temperature of their workplace. Twenty-nine percent of workers spend between 10 and 30 minutes each day not working due to uncomfortable office temperature, and 22 percent leave the office to cool off when it’s too hot.
As companies look to get an edge in business, these issues negatively impact production and employee satisfaction.
When your commercial HVAC system is working effectively, it creates a safe, comfortable and productive work environment for your employees. A 5-Star Seal of Approval qualified industrial HVAC contractor can analyze your system’s performance to make sure it’s operating effectively, and a regular service contract will ensure air quality and temperature are at optimal levels. Find a contractor near you today.
