Indoor Air Quality
What you can't see does matter!. It is unfortunate but true, the air in your living/working space is not as clean as that outdoors. This is especially true in Colorado, where our outdoor air is typically some of the best in the nation.
In
most buildings it is a certainty, your indoor air is not as health as
that outdoors. This is due to an extensive list of possible pollutant
sources. The first signs of poor IAQ are usually respiratory or other
immediate physical symptoms. Many of us have had the experience of
entering a building and in short time experiencing sneezing, coughing,
burning eyes or just unpleasant odors. Sick Building Syndrome
is the name usually given to this phenomenon. But many of the indoor
contaminants can go unnoticed for months or years because they have no
immediate effects on your health. Radon and asbestos are good examples.
Evaluating a building for IAQ problems must include a careful inspection for sources. Usually a visual assessment is a proper start. A review of maintenance practices, building use, and equipment operation is also important. With this information, we can formulate a hypothesis regarding potential IAQ concerns and develop a testing protocol.
The Solution to Indoor Air Pollution
Plateau has extensive experience in ventilation system design, humidity control, and industrial ventilation. Whatever you need, we can design a system that will work for your environment.
An Investigation
A high profile restaurant called with concerns regarding unusual odors in the dining area of their facility. The problem was serious enough that customers were leaving and the restaurant was developing a "reputation". Bad odor and good food just don't mix. Their concern was highlighted by upcoming catering events for some very famous patrons.
We began our investigation with an interview of the staff, requesting information on the odor characteristics, location and time of day. The odor appeared only a few days of the week and when it manifested at its worst, sections of the dining facility had to be shut down and aired out by opening all of the windows. The odor had the characteristic smell of sewer gas.
We asked the lead chef to put us on call. We would respond to the site at the first signs of an odor problem. The call came the next evening and we arrived while the odor was still minor. We began by using a chemical tracer smoke to map the air currents in the affected area. We found that there was significant negative pressure within the area, so bad that the fireplaces were back drafting. A back drafting combustion appliance is bad enough but where was the odor coming from? The chimney was shared by a number of other combustions stacks that had been recently installed as part of a new boiler installation. We determined that one of the stacks had not yet been connected and was discharging a potent odor. That odor was being sucked from a basement mechanical room. The room was inspected and a large underground boiler condensate treatment pit was found to be the source.
Further investigation revealed that the negative pressurization of the restaurant was caused by an imbalance in the make-up air for the kitchen exhaust units. The imbalance was immediately corrected and further corrections were made to the fireplace unit to prevent back drafting. These solutions were implemented only a couple of weeks before the new boilers came on line. Had they waited, the combustion products and Carbon Monoxide from these units would have entered the restaurant instead of the sewer-like gas. Rather than a few angry customers, they may have ended up with several sick or deceased ones instead.