By Pat Muller, Ready 2 Respond Trainer
With wildfires a significant threat in more areas, maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) has never been more critical for facilities teams. While the dangers of outdoor smoke are widely recognized, smoke particulate matter can also infiltrate indoor spaces, posing serious health risks for occupants.
Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 or smaller) that can easily migrate into buildings. These tiny particles are hazardous because they can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing respiratory issues, cardiovascular stress, and even increasing the risk of long-term health effects like dementia.
While outdoor air remains the greater risk, outdated HVAC systems often fail to effectively filter out these particles – leaving building occupants vulnerable.
Best Practices for Improving IAQ
There are several proven strategies for ensuring proper IAQ, particularly when smoke is a factor:
1. Ventilate if possible. If the air outside is cleaner, send smelly or smoky air out of the building and bring in fresh air – the more, the better. Use a high static pressure axial fan with wire-reinforced ducting or set up high-volume airmovers that can be directed out windows and doorways.
2. Add portable air scrubbers. Not every site has easy access to outdoor ventilation, often because of security concerns or building design. In cases where ventilation is impractical or insufficient, maintaining adequate air exchanges indoors – at least six air changes (ACH) per hour – is essential. This can be achieved using portable air scrubbers, which remove contaminants and improve overall IAQ.
3. Choose the right equipment. For smoke remediation, mold remediation, prevention of virus and bacteria spread, and critical areas like hospital rooms, insist on a HEPA-equipped air scrubber that is independently lab-certified to be 99.99% efficient down to .1 microns.
4. Add carbon filtration. A HEPA air scrubber equipped with an added activated carbon filter not only absorbs smoke odors but also helps remove other noxious smells, such as those from fumes, chemicals, and adhesives. Using a filter with just a light carbon layer will usually not be sufficient – look for a heavy-duty filter filled with carbon pellets. For both HEPA and carbon filters, use only those recommended by the equipment manufacturer – not knockoff filters that can be less effective.
Incorporate IAQ into Planning
Wildfire smoke is just one of the many IAQ challenges facilities teams face – which is why developing a comprehensive, year-round IAQ plan is important. Planning should include regular monitoring of indoor particulate levels, routine air scrubber checks and filter replacements, and HVAC maintenance. Because maintaining proper IAQ is crucial for day-to-day operations, including during construction projects and after water damage, strategies should be a part of broader facility maintenance and emergency preparedness protocols.
Being proactive with IAQ planning enables facilities teams to respond quickly to worsening conditions and protect workers and occupants. In an era of significant environmental challenges, planning ahead is not optional – it is essential.
Contact the R2R team for help with emergency planning and customized training. For more tips on IAQ and on drying after water damage, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our Facility Insights newsletter.
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