Indoor Air Quality

Facilities Check List
Practical, step-by-step guides for the busy FM
May 1998

Indoor Air Quality

IAQ problems are some of the most vexing issues facingfacilities managers today. It’s often difficult to know where to begin.Following are check lists presented in BOMI Institute’s FMA course,Technologies for Facilities Management, and based on courses ofaction suggested by the EPA and the National Institute for OccupationalSafety and Health (NIOSH).

When dealing with IAQ issues, tracking downthe source of a problem is often more difficult than making the necessarycorrections. When trying to identify the source of the problem, here aresome areas to check:

1. Interior sources of odorand contamination from occupants. Human work processes, such as the taskof soldering, often create contaminants. Electronic equipment such aslaser printers, if concentrated in a small area, can generate particulatematerial (small particles of lint and dust) from the paper used. Facility-related interior sources of odor and contamination.There are potentially dozens of sources, but here are the major ones tosearch for:
   • Look for fiberglass particles from duct andplenum lining used for acoustic insulation. You can detect this by taking adust sample from a door frame with a piece of tape. If it contains a fairamount of black granular particles, the fiberglass is probablydeteriorating.
   • Check to see if rubber tubing or belts inoffice equipment have needed frequent replacement. If so, defectiveelectrical equipment may have emitted ozone.
   • For wet-surfacealterations such as painting, check to see if the paints emit toxicsolvents when they dry. Wherever possible, specify water-based fast-dryingpaints with quick “out-gassing” characteristics; paint after hours; ventthe space by using 100% outside air, temporarily separating HVAC systemsor setting up fans that vent directly to the outside. Specify that new carpeting and wall coverings be rolled out in awell-ventilated warehouse to “de-gas” for two or three days prior toinstallation. Specify that installers must never use mastic adhesive tofill in cracks and surface irregularities. Mastic in such places may emitfumes for months until it dries. There are latex-based products that workbetter and emit no fumes.
   • Facility-related exterior sourcesof odor and contamination. Outside air intakes for your HVAC systems maypick up toxic gases from loading docks, trash areas, nearby sewer vents,etc. You can mitigate exhaust fumes by requiring truckers to stop theirengines during deliveries. Problems with adjoining buildings are bestsolved with diplomacy.
2. Design, construction, operationand maintenance problems in the HVAC system. Although the HVAC system isnot always the cause of IAQ problems, it is always the common denominator.Look for:
   • Abrupt changes in direction or size of ducts.Many of these changes result from improper interpretation of plans bycontractors and duct assemblies that are not checked prior to payment forthe work. Such changes create eddy currents and dead-air pockets, andincrease the static pressure in the system.
   • Supply fans,filter banks and coils spaced too closely together. Small pockets of eddycurrents develop, creating dead-air space where contaminants can build up.
   • Poor fitting filters and frames. If filters do not fitproperly, air simply bypasses the filters and dirt circulates throughoutthe system, accumulating in the ducts. As the dirt builds up, the systemstatic pressure builds, leading to increased complaints about areas notholding temperature. In response, maintenance staff may increase fanspeeds, which pushes air over coils too fast for proper heat exchange, sonothing is really corrected.
   • Bypassed economizer (fresh air)cycle and disconnected exhaust fans. The best economizer system availableis useless if the control system is bypassed. There are alsoenergy-conserving hybrid fan/filter energy recovery systems available thatpermit stepping up ventilation rates with little or no increase in energyuse.
   • Too many air outlets added to a system. This is acommon result of adding private offices to a space never intended to havethem. Even if the outlets are installed, the system may not have enoughcapacity to effectively ventilate the new space. This in turn may decreaseairflow in other areas.
   • System operation eitherfull-throttle or shut-down. If your system cannot operate at low speedsduring off-hours, contaminants and particles will settle out of the airovernight. When the system is started up in the morning, the air may havehigher concentrations of contaminants. Low speed ventilation (withoutcooling) may help.
   • Inadequate vapor barriers in walls,floors and ceilings. Without proper vapor barriers, proper humidity controlis problematic. During warmer months, indoor humidity will be very high;any wet areas may become breeding grounds for microorganisms. In coldweather, you may need to add humidity to reduce dryness and electrostaticcharges, but if your vapor barriers are inadequate, this will only add tothe potential for wet areas, especially on cold outside walls. This isprobably the most difficult problem to diagnose, especially if you havefurred-out gypsum board attached to exterior masonry or concrete walls.

Because IAQ problems are of great concern to facilityoccupants, any problem, whether it is real or just perceived, has thepotential to blossom into a crisis. In this atmosphere, the need for goodcommunication and responsiveness by facilities managers is critical to keepa situation from escalating into a lawsuit. In situations like this, evenif the source of a problem is identified, it may take some skillfuldiplomacy to convince workers that there is no real problem.

Here aresome suggestions for handling low-level IAQ complaints in the workplace:

1. Take all complaints seriously, even if the sameindividual complains repeatedly.
2. Always survey the workersin the complaint area before bringing in sampling equipment. Teach theworkers about the chemistry they are likely to encounter on their jobs.
3. Team up the facilities engineers, occupational physician andhuman resources staff to solve sensitive problems.
4. Researchall possible chemical combinations (even onions, perfume and latex paint,if you can).
5. If an individual cannot be satisfied, offer torelocate him or her to another area. In many cases, they will decide theproblem is not that bad and will choose to stay.
6. Letworkers know how you intend to solve the problem and tell them you havenotified management.
7. Answer all questions by workers toprevent problems from being blown out of proportion.

This IAQ check list is based on materials in Fundamentals of Facilities Management course, a requirement of the FMA designation program.