TEST NOW TO KEEP YOUR TENANTS SAFE

Summer is coming, and you know what that means: muggy days, hot nights, and lots and lots of atmospheric ozone. Wait … what?

Most Texans know all about the heat and humidity we experience in summer, but our ozone problem flies under the radar. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any less serious. Automobiles and petrochemical facilities leach the colorless gas called ozone (or O3) into our air year-round.

Your buildings aren’t always safe, either. Not only can ozone leak in from outdoors, it can also come from indoor sources like coffee machines, high-speed printers, photocopiers, and even air purifiers.

But don’t we need ozone in the atmosphere? Yes, and no. Ozone isn’t entirely bad. There’s a “good” kind of ozone that actually protects us from ultraviolet radiation (remember the campaign to fix the ozone hole?). However, this ozone collects way up in the stratosphere, which is a layer of atmosphere between 6 and 30 miles above the ground.

Ozone becomes problematic or “bad” when it’s down at ground level. It forms when nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and sunlight mix, and causes all kinds of health issues, particularly in the summer. According to the American Lung Association, when the mercury climbs, ozone is more likely to form and is harder to clean up.

What is ozone doing to my tenants? Ozone is a dangerous upper respiratory irritant. When someone is exposed to moderate levels for an extended period of time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports ozone can cause coughing and chest tightness, difficult breathing, lung inflammation, and aggravated asthma.

Ozone exposure can also make people more vulnerable to lung infections and/or cause permanent lung damage. In the past this was only a big concern outdoors on smoggy days when Houston’s ozone levels were above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). However, the latest research shows that these problems can persist inside commercial buildings as well if enough ozone leaks in, or if the office equipment mentioned above is producing indoor ozone.

Someone whose desk is next to a copy machine, for example, might have serious health concerns from breathing ozone 40 hours per week. Products like cleaning chemicals can also mix with ozone in the indoor air and break down into organic compounds like formaldehyde, which are more dangerous than their ingredients!

How can I keep my tenants safe? To protect your tenants from ozone, you first need to know whether the ozone levels inside your building are unhealthy. In light of the recent research we mentioned — and our clients’ interest in the WELL Certification program, which requires ozone testing — Building Air Quality now tests for ozone during our proactive indoor air quality surveys.

If your indoor ozone levels are high, we’ll compare them with the ozone level outside, then track down leaks or other sources that could be creating health risks for your tenants. From there, we can help you take steps to mitigate the pollution and improve your building’s indoor air quality.

Call 866-367-1177 today to schedule a proactive indoor air quality survey.