Ventilation’s Role in Preventing the Transmission of Infectious Aerosols
It’s beginning to look a lot like… cold and flu season! And those are just two of the reasons understanding ventilation is so important. You see, without adequate ventilation, indoor air pollutants and pathogens accumulate. More people are indoors respiring and sharing the indoor air. (Approximately 3% of that shared air is what the person next to you just exhaled).
Understanding ventilation and how it affects the transmission of airborne illness is especially important this time of year. We will soon be spending more time indoors with other people who are unwilling carriers. More people in a smaller space equals an increased risk of getting sick. Childcare facilities and schools are the most under ventilated, making them the most vulnerable to illness.
Since the weather outside is often inhospitable in the winter, people are spending more time indoors. The colder it gets outside, the dryer the air gets inside, from running our heating systems. Dry air indoors steals our respiratory system’s defenses by making it more likely a seasonal bug will get by our dried out mucosal membranes. Low humidity can even help viruses stay airborne longer, making them more likely to be inhaled and therefore increasing transmission risk. (Humidify the indoor air to between 40-60% by using a humidifier and remember to regularly clean the water tank within the humidifier to prevent bacteria growth and ensure optimal performance).
Proper ventilation can reduce the transmission of infectious aerosols. When cleaner air is brought in, either filtered or fresh, it dilutes the pollutants and reduces accumulation. One proven way to reduce the risk of airborne illness transmission indoors is by making sure your facility is implementing indoor air quality standards like ASHRAE 241.
Implementation of the Infection Risk Management Mode, or the IRMM of ASHRAE 241, is a gift you can give everyone in the building! The more people you have in an indoor space, the more air exchanges are needed to mitigate the transmission of infectious aerosols. More air exchanges reduce airborne pathogens partially through dilution, but adding a commercial mitigation solution to reduce the particle load is highly recommended by the air safety experts at Erlab USA.
These experts promote HALO’s HEPA H14 filtration for capturing and removing pollutants, making this type of mitigation an eACH, otherwise known as equivalent air changes per hour or ACH (depending on the size of the space). Implementing supplemental HEPA filtration, like Erlab’s HALO ceiling mounted air purification station, can help remove the smaller pollutants, like viruses and particulates that regular HVAC filters typically cannot capture. The ASHRAE 241 standard can be implemented during wildfire events as well.
By implementing infection prevention and control strategies, as stated in ASHRAE 241, you can significantly lower the risk of airborne transmission of infectious diseases indoors.
Want to verify that your building’s ventilation is ASHRAE 241 compliant? This can help reduce illness and absenteeism; Erlab can help you get certified! Many buildings are found to be overventilated. A ventilation assessment can save energy costs, as well as ensure compliance with decarbonization laws.
For more information about ventilation assessments contact our National Indoor Air Quality Specialist, Lisa Greenfield @ [email protected]
We are thankful for another year to celebrate with our customers, families and friends…Let us hope illness does not show up to steal our holiday cheer.
Have a happy, healthy, holiday season! From all of us at Erlab USA