IAQ: How to Answer Customers’ Air Quality Questions
For homeowners and businesses alike, concerns about indoor air quality, or IAQ, have stayed significantly elevated because of the pandemic. As a result, IAQ solutions have moved from an add-on opportunity to a must-have part of the HVAC portfolio. Here’s how you can address your customers’ most common IAQ questions and position your business for expanded service offerings and recurring revenue opportunities.
Home indoor air quality
Why should I care about how to reduce indoor air pollution?
Indoor air is up to five times dirtier than outdoor air, and people spend up to 90% of their time indoors. Breathing unclean air can lead to long-term negative health effects and respiratory issues. Thankfully, technological advancements and greater demand for IAQ solutions have made it easier than ever to find products that create healthier, more comfortable spaces and protect system performance. Connecting your customers to IAQ solutions helps build stronger relationships and diversify your business.
What indoor pollutants are in my home?
The most common indoor pollutants include asbestos, mold, bacteria, viruses, dust mites, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde, lead, nitrogen dioxide, pesticides, radon, indoor particulate matter, secondhand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and wood smoke. When you discuss these with your customers, ask them what they’re most concerned about. This can open the door for targeted IAQ solutions tailored to their needs.
What causes high CO2 levels in a house?
Day to day, using a fireplace, burning plastic, smoking, and/or a lack of ventilation can cause high CO2 levels in a house. In addition, a malfunctioning heating or cooling unit can lead to CO2 being released into the home. While a lot of homeowners understand the importance of carbon monoxide alarms in the home, carbon dioxide detectors are also a crucial part of in-home IAQ monitoring. Identifying this important gap in residential monitoring solutions for your customers can be both helpful and lifesaving and positions you as a trusted safety partner.
What are volatile organic compounds, or VOCs?
Volatile organic compounds are chemicals typically created by humans and usually involved in paint, refrigerant, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. They can have a negative impact on health, and customers will find these in the ingredients of many household products they use every day. These are often reasons why the air inside homes can be more polluted than outdoors.
Commercial indoor air quality
Are there any regulations or guidelines for indoor air quality?
At present, federal regulations on indoor air quality are limited, allowing state governments to set their own standards for indoor air quality in commercial settings. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in its mission to maintain safe environments for workers, provides guidance on topics like ventilation and air contaminants in the workplace that can affect IAQ.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) specifies ventilation standards required for buildings that will have human occupants. These standards include ventilation rates and operation/maintenance guidance for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality conditions.
Additionally, some states, such as California and New Jersey, have incorporated indoor air quality regulations into their Occupational Safety and Health guidelines.
Contractors who stay on top of indoor air quality guidelines and regulations strengthen their credibility as compliance advisors while expanding commercial opportunities.
Can poor IAQ impact employee productivity?
Sick building syndrome is a pattern of symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, nausea and dizziness, runny nose, headaches, and lethargy, which correlate with building occupancy. These symptoms are commonly associated with poor air quality. Occupants who regularly experience these symptoms at work may experience decreased productivity and workplace satisfaction. Since indoor air quality can affect business performance and employee well-being, building owners should consider IAQ a worthy investment.
Can IAQ monitoring be integrated into a building management system?
Building management systems provide an excellent opportunity to automate indoor air quality solutions for better efficiency. Since building management or building automation systems often control HVAC airflow, integrated IAQ sensors can trigger demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) to move polluted air. Because DCV would only operate when air quality reaches a specified threshold, building owners could save on utility costs by avoiding always-on ventilation. This is an ideal upsell conversation point if your customers are looking for energy efficiency and operational cost savings.
Indoor air quality monitoring
Do you know how to check air quality indoors?
Conducting a home air check can happen around the clock with an IAQ monitor. These sensors detect particulate levels, pollen, dust, and formaldehyde, among many other indoor pollutants. Ask your customers which pollutants they want to prioritize in their monitoring and present them a range of options at different price points.
Are there continuous IAQ monitoring solutions?
Continuous indoor air quality monitoring solutions are widely available for residential and commercial applications. Continuous monitoring is critical in identifying gradual indoor air quality changes that would otherwise be difficult to notice. Consider helping your customers find a continuous monitoring solution that can integrate with automated air quality improvement products via IoT.
Indoor air quality products
What is a HEPA filter or MERV filter ratings?
HEPA filters, or high-efficiency particulate air filters, remove more than 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns or larger at a specified flow rate of air, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control.
MERV filter ratings refer to minimum efficiency reporting values, a filter’s ability to capture larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns. A higher number means the filter is better at trapping specific types of particles, with 16 as the highest MERV filter rating. Learn more about MERV rating recommendations.
Because an HVAC HEPA filter can be so dense, using it in a residential home may reduce air flow. Let your customers know which filter would work best to meet their needs without straining their specific heating and cooling system.
Is there a product that can purify both air and surfaces safely?
Active ultraviolet (UV) products from certain manufacturers filter and then create supercharged molecules that break down contaminants both in the air and on surfaces. You could support your customers by calculating the size of their homes and helping them choose the UV product that fits their needs. Proper sizing and integration reinforce your value as an expert HVAC consultant.
For all IAQ products, check the manufacturer’s guidelines and the capacity of the mechanical equipment to help determine the size of the device needed for your customer’s home or business.
What is photocatalytic oxidation, and how does it work to purify the air?
Photocatalytic oxidation, or PCO, purifies air by using energy from a high-intensity UV bulb that then reacts with a metal catalyst or absorption bar to neutralize odors and VOCs.
What is needlepoint bipolar ionization, or NBPI HVAC?
Needlepoint bipolar ionization is an air cleaning technology that creates and releases ions into the airstream using an existing HVAC system as the delivery method. The ions form bonds with air particles and cluster together. These larger clusters can then be filtered through your system. NBPI HVAC devices are installed in the ductwork and require little to no maintenance, making them a strong solution to recommend for customers seeking low-impact upgrades.
Which portable IAQ devices are the best?
Devices that are classified as FDA Class II have been tested and can provide valid scientific evidence collected from human clinical trials showing they are safe and effective for their intended use.
Installation and maintenance
Where is professionally installed IAQ equipment placed within an HVAC system?
Customers may want to know where and how an IAQ solution will integrate with their current systems for access or maintenance purposes. Most products are installed in the blower fan cabinet on the mechanical equipment or in the ductwork of the system so your customer can enjoy the benefits of cleaner air without a lot of products cluttering their space. Demystifying the installation process can make customers feel more at ease with the cost and time of installation.
What type of IAQ equipment maintenance is required?
Some equipment is self-cleaning, but typically, bulbs, filters, pads, and cells need replacing every six to 18 months, depending on the manufacturer. This is a good time to discuss service contracts for you to inspect and maintain equipment as needed.
Bundling IAQ solutions with value-add services, such as replacement filter subscriptions, seasonal bulb replacement programs, and duct-cleaning services, eases customers’ reservations about adding work to their building’s maintenance teams and provides you with a recurring revenue stream opportunity.
What’s the best location for portable IAQ equipment?
Portable devices can be wall-mounted or placed on a table or shelf. They’re sized based on the square footage they can treat, and multiple units can be spread out in high-traffic areas or located on opposite sides of a room.
Ferguson can help with your IAQ questions
Do you need more answers before discussing IAQ with your customers? As one of the nation’s leading HVAC/R suppliers, we back our expansive inventory with expert product knowledge and support.
To learn more about improving indoor air quality for your customers at home or at work, explore our IAQ solutions and contact Ferguson to discuss customized support.