Are You Testing Air Quality in the Right Places?

Clean air doesn't have to be complicated, but it can be. If you take measurements in the wrong place or even use the wrong devices, the true quality of the air within a structure could be masked by false readings.

You need to know that you're testing air quality in the right places to ensure not only the comfort of the interior environment but safety for occupants and any sensitive materials or equipment. Setting up air quality monitors within lobbies, in often-used spaces, or in furnace rooms can all help.

Where to Test Air Quality

It’s important to test air quality with indoor IAQ sensors near areas where people gather. They can also be beneficial in risk areas, such as near sources of gas in a garage or within range of a gas stove in a kitchen.

Prioritize areas such as:

• Bedrooms
• Living Rooms
• Daycare or school classrooms
• Medical Centers
• Lobbies

Think about where the most vulnerable people are and which spaces are most commonly used when placing the sensors.

It’s also a good idea to place sensors where they’re visible and to avoid blocking them with furniture or other items, which allows personnel to get them easily. Indoor sensors should normally be placed at “breathing zone height,” which is around three to six feet above the ground. Additionally, it’s typical to place them away from sources of air pollution such as toasters or air cleaners, since these can result in inaccurate measurements.

Testing Air Quality at Home

Whether you're concerned about air quality at home or you’re hoping to help an industrial facility stay ahead of pollution issues, sensor technology simplifies the process of detecting air quality. Sensors can test for specific pollutants (for example, if you think radon may be present), or you can keep general-purpose monitors on hand to keep an eye on common air quality concerns such as CO2 or humidity levels.

Keep in mind that beyond sensors, the thing that impacts and helps to regulate indoor air quality the most is airflow, which is affected by three things:

• Pressure
• Humidity
• Temperature

In your building, you should have laminar flow, which is a smooth, fluid movement of air from one place to another in a single direction. Turbulent flow, which can occur because of obstacles in the building or other elements, is less efficient and undesirable in most circumstances.

It's important to have good ventilation in a building to reduce the likelihood of respiratory and health problems. The same can be said for reducing humidity and eliminating odors or pollutants. But, how can you best manage air quality, and are there options that will help you make your building more efficient and easier to take care of?

Methods to Address Air Quality Management

There are many tools you can use to measure air quality. Veris's five best tools to monitor the indoor air quality in your space include the following.

1. TW2 Series Temperature Sensors: These sensors monitor temperatures and autonomously control HVAC systems.
2. HW2 Series Humidity Sensors: These sensors monitor humidity (RH) and temperature in a single platform.
3. CW2 Series CO2 Sensors: These tools have all-in-one functionality measuring CO2, VOCs, humidity, and temperature.
4. PX3 Pressure Sensors: These sensors measure the sometimes overlooked air pressure in rooms, including monitoring both air pressure and velocity.
5. CD2 Series Duct CO2 Sensors: This series of duct mount all-in-one sensors combines CO2, temperature, humidity, VOC, and particulate matter (PM) sensing options into a single unit.

Get Help With Indoor Air Quality Concerns With Veris

Air quality is something you can monitor easily with the right products, and installation is often quick and easy. Taking back control of your building's air quality is possible.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) monitors help you comply with indoor air quality standards for both healthy and safe building environments. It's important to monitor and address issues with air pressure and quality to maintain the highest-quality, pollution-free air inside.

Ready to learn more? Schedule a virtual meeting with our team at Veris today.