Indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, from the business owner or landlord's perspective, fall into two categories: real and suspected. Fortunately, real IAQ issues do not happen too often, but they do happen and they can be problematic. Suspected issues arise when an employee complains about the IAQ. IAQ complaints may be based upon a real problem or not. But regardless, they must always be investigated.
Real IAQ Issues
Real IAQ issues have many causative agents, with mold being the most common. Mold is ubiquitous. Mold spores occupy the air we breathe, and they are found everywhere. When organic materials become wet (especially materials that are not normally wet), they provide a suitable substrate to promote the germination of mold spores. Mold needs moisture, organic matter, and an appropriate temperature to promote its growth. If you take away either one of these, mold cannot grow. Wet sheetrock is a very common mold substrate. And remember, mold can grow on the side of sheetrock that is not visible to you!
So what should you do if you see or suspect mold damage? Ask ESA to guide you through the appropriate steps to determine if there is a mold issue that requires professional remediation. Not everything that appears to be mold is mold, and not every mold problem requires an expensive solution. Certainly, a visual inspection is required at the outset. Then, depending upon what is found, there may also be a need to do mold sampling and testing. If remediation is required, ESA can then recommend an independent mold remediation company.
Suspected or Perceived IAQ Issues In the Workplace
When an employee registers an IAQ complaint in your place of business, you must respond immediately. You have an affirmative responsibility to respond appropriately to their complaint. The mere failure to respond "within a reasonable period of time" could jeopardize your standing should the employee pursue legal action.
Once you've notified ESA that an employee registered a complaint, ESA will interview the complainant and conduct a thorough inspection of the office, including its HVAC system. ESA's next course of action is based upon the nature of the employee's complaints, the presence of other staff with similar complaints, the nature of the operation(s) within your place of business, and observations made during our inspection. Typically, ESA will engage in some form of sampling, which normally entails air and/or substrate samples. The nature of the sampling is also predicated upon ESA's synthesis of the data and information gathered.
While, on occasion, we discover real IAQ issues requiring systematic mitigation of the problem, ESA often determines that the solution is more simple than that. Sometimes filter replacement, duct cleaning, or improved air exchange is all that is required to improve the air quality for the complainant.
Specific Indoor Air Quality Issues