Why Do You Need to Improve Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality refers to the quality of air within a building or structure. The presence of air pollutants has an impact on the health and comfort of its occupants. The most common sourcesof air pollutants include building materials, cleaning products, fuel-burning appliances, HVAC systems, moisture, and tobacco smoke.
Exposure to air pollutants can lead to a variety of health issues including eye, nose, and throat irritation, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and allergies. Long-term exposure, on the other hand, can lead to heart disease, respiratory disease, or cancer.
In a residential community, the HOA is responsible for maintaining the indoor air quality in common areas such as the clubhouse, function rooms, fitness centers, and offices. This is so that homeowners can enjoy HOA amenities safely and comfortably. Thus, HOAs should make sure to include indoor air quality in their maintenance plans.
5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your HOA
Here are great ways to improve indoor air quality in the common areas of your community.
1. Lead and Asbestos Removal
Older communities may have been constructed with lead and asbestos, which we now know are toxic materials. When asbestos particles are dislodged, they can be easily inhaled. It can lead to shortness of breath, persistent coughing, fatigue, and chest pain. Long-term exposure can also lead to asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.
Meanwhile, when lead-based paint chips or crumbles, these particles can also be inhaled. Lead is most dangerous for older adults, pregnant women, and children. It can lead to anemia, kidney damage, or brain and nervous system damage.
HOAs should conduct a thorough inspection of common areas to see if lead-based paint and asbestos were used in construction. Have these toxic materials removed by professionals as soon as possible for the safety of your homeowners.
2. Improve Air Circulation
Excess moisture can promote the growth of mold in basements, bathrooms, and other areas without proper ventilation. Black mold is a major health risk; inhalation of spores can cause chronic fatigue, chronic coughing, and persistent headaches.
To improve indoor air quality, HOAs can install additional bathroom vents and humidifiers in common areas. Adding plants throughout common areas can also reduce humidity. Don’t forget to open doors and windows to increase air circulation throughout the day.
3. Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
A lot of commercial cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When these compounds react with air molecules, they form particulate matter and ozone that can be hazardous to your health.
If you want to improve indoor air quality in HOA common areas, consider switching to eco-friendly cleaning products. Green cleaning products are just as effective but do not contain hazardous chemicals. Apart from improving air quality, becoming a green HOA can also help save the environment.
4. Keep Floors Clean, Vacuum Regularly
Many air pollutants settle on floors and when kicked up by foot traffic, are recirculated back into the air. As such, thorough and regular floor cleaning will help improve indoor air quality in your HOA.
Carpeted common areas should be vacuumed at least twice a week. Make sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to trap air pollutants and prevent them from recirculating back into the air. Hot water extraction is also recommended every 6 months. Meanwhile, non-carpeted floors should be mopped and vacuumed at least twice a week.
5. Ban Smoking in Common Areas
Smoking not only affects the health of the smoker but also everyone who inhales second-hand smoke. HOAs can ban smoking in common areas to protect indoor air quality and the health of the entire community.
If there is a need for it, you can set up a smoking area that is far enough from the common areas. Make sure that this rule is strictly implemented and all offenders should face the consequences. If you are collecting fines, the money can be reinvested into air cleaning products for the HOA common areas.
Indoor Air Quality and Quality of Life in Your HOA
Indoor air quality in HOA common areas is not often thought about, but it can have a major impact on the quality of life of your residents. The first step is to pay attention to your common areas and identify potential sources of air pollution. Next, consider the five ways to improve indoor air quality to safeguard the health of your community.