Much attention has been paid to improving outdoor air quality, especially across the European Union in regard to high pollution risk places such as airports and their surrounding areas.
However, less attention is given to the impact that poor quality outdoor air can have on indoor air quality – it is a problem, but one that can be mitigated.
Here are 12 tips to help you improve the indoor air quality of your building:
- Install radon barriers and seal cracks and openings using high performance tapes and other sealants. This includes the joints where the floor meets the wall, openings in the floor for the passage of pipes and wires, and hollow masonry walls that penetrate the floor.
- Ventilate the entire building aton regular intervals, especially basements and any crawlspaces.
- Use entry mat systems. These are critical in trapping soil, pollutants and moisture that otherwise would spread into and throughout the building.
- Improve the airtightness of the building by using high-performance tapes to splice roof membranes together and create a seal around openings such as windows, skylights and chimneys. Tapes can play a role in preventing air and humidity from entering through various areas of the building, as well as where the building envelope membrane meets the brickwork.
- Install exhaust fans that enable circulation of fresh air from the outdoors, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Once again, high-performance tapes can assist with the installation of ventilation systems such as these.
- Ventilate attics and crawlspaces to prevent moisture build-up.
- Thoroughly clean and dry water-damaged carpets and building materials, ideally within 24 hours. Alternatively, consider removal and replacement.
- Adopt a regular cleaning regime – this will reduce the presence of house dust mites, pollens, animal dander and other allergy-causing agents.
- Increase ventilation when using products that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
- Do not store products containing formaldehyde or benzene. These include paint strippers, adhesive removers and aerosol spray paints. Only use them outdoors, or indoors if the area is well ventilated.
- Lower humidity and temperature to counter the emission of formaldehyde from building materials such as wood, paints and adhesives.
- Use low-VOC or VOC free paint/products when decorating.
We’re also doing our bit to cut out VOC emissions. Avery Dennison Performance Tape’s low VOC formulations help industries to cut down on the harmful effects caused by these chemicals, all the while maintaining high-performance and pressure sensitive qualities.
By following some or all of these tips, you can improve the air quality within your building while promoting the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
To learn more about indoor air quality and how to improve it, read our white paper.
