It starts quietly. The phones ring a little more often with employees calling in sick. You notice a few grumbles about the office feeling “stuffy,” but it’s easy to write off. Then, you’re reviewing last month’s numbers, and there’s a dip in productivity. Not a huge one — but enough to catch your eye. No one’s connecting the dots yet, but you are. You start to wonder, “Could the air we’re breathing in here be the problem?”

Turns out it can. Indoor air quality impacts more than just comfort. It affects health, focus, and the bottom line. What if regular heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance is the missing link keeping your operation from running smoother? Let’s look at how something so easily overlooked might silently undermine your business.

The Connection Between HVAC Systems and Indoor Air Quality

You might not realize it, but the air inside your building could be up to five times more polluted than the air outside (sometimes even 100 times worse). That’s a severe problem when you’re trying to run a business. More sick days, sluggish focus, and equipment wearing out before your annual budget allows for a replacement — it all adds up.

Your HVAC system is either part of the solution or the problem.

• Dirty filters? You’re recirculating contaminants.
• Clogged ducts? You’re inviting mold.
• Poor humidity control? Perfect for bacteria growth.

How your HVAC system operates is directly tied to your facility’s air quality. When filters aren’t replaced or ducts go uncleaned, your system can become a vehicle for circulating harmful pollutants instead of keeping the air fresh and breathable. It’s an issue Lee Company encounters regularly in facilities across the Southeast. Businesses in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia are unknowingly dealing with the side effects of poor IAQ until the damage is already done.

Below, we’ll look at the hidden consequences of poor IAQ, many of which go unnoticed until it’s too late.

The Consequences of Poor Indoor Air Quality

At first, it’s just a few complaints: headaches, itchy eyes, employees moving slower than usual. But then you start noticing more sick days. Productivity dips. Morale drops. Revenue takes a hit. What’s going on? Poor IAQ doesn’t just make the office feel stuffy — it makes people sick.

Short-term damage includes:

• Eye irritation
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

The long-term effects are where things really get serious. Poor IAQ can lead to chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis. It’s even linked to cardiovascular issues like heart disease.

If there’s mold or consistent exposure to harmful particles, the risks rise for conditions as severe as lung cancer. And those with pre-existing health conditions like asthma? They’re even more vulnerable, dealing with constant flare-ups or worsening symptoms.

We’re just a few years outside of the largest public health crisis in recent history, which emphasized how vulnerable we are to a virus that spreads through the air. While there’s no way to know when something like COVID-19 will strike again, there is one thing we can do now: take control of indoor air quality.

The average person spends 86% of their time indoors. So if your HVAC system isn’t doing its job, it’s your people who pay the price.

Harvard Business Review found that improving IAQ could boost productivity by up to $6,500 per person per year. Fewer sick days, sharper focus, happier teams.

So ask yourself: How long can you afford to let this slide? Let’s dig into the causes before the problem gets worse.

Primary Sources of Poor Indoor Air Quality

For many businesses, the root cause of poor IAQ is a neglected HVAC system that fails to filter out harmful particles. This leaves dust, dander, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to circulate through the air.

Here are some of the primary sources:

• Neglected Filters: When HVAC filters aren’t replaced regularly, they become clogged, recirculating dust, pollen, and other contaminants. A simple HVAC system air filter replacement can make a big difference in the air quality.
• Mold and Moisture: Poor humidity control leads to damp conditions, creating a breeding ground for mold. Mold spores can spread quickly through your building, exacerbating respiratory issues for occupants.
• Poor Ventilation: Without proper airflow, pollutants get trapped in stagnant pockets, leading to concentrations of allergens and harmful particles.
• Outdated Components: Old, poorly maintained ducts, air handlers, and HVAC systems can spread pollutants throughout the building instead of filtering them out, worsening IAQ.

Another factor in indoor air quality is managing ventilation rates and humidity control. Ventilation rate refers to the amount of outdoor air being brought into a space and the quality of that air. If your building isn’t getting enough fresh air, contaminants like dust, VOCs, and mold spores have nowhere to go, resulting in higher concentrations indoors.

The key is finding a proper balance — too little outdoor air, and you’re circulating the same pollutants. Too much, and you risk bringing in outside pollutants if the air quality isn’t ideal.

Meanwhile, humidity control plays a huge role in preventing mold growth. Mold thrives in damp environments, and without managing indoor humidity levels, your HVAC system could be creating the perfect conditions for it. Ideally, indoor humidity should stay between 30-50% to prevent mold and mildew from developing.

The Role of Air Filters in Improving Indoor Air Quality

The effectiveness of your HVAC system largely depends on the quality and condition of its air filters. If your filters are clogged or outdated, you’re essentially circulating polluted air throughout your facility.

In most commercial buildings, filters should be replaced at least every 90 days. If your facility has heavy traffic or high dust levels, you may need to replace them as much as every 30 days.

For high-demand environments, HEPA filters are an excellent option. These filters can capture 99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including microscopic dust and harmful allergens. If your building has high occupancy or deals with significant airborne contaminants, upgrading to HEPA filters can drastically improve air quality.

Proper filter maintenance is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to maintain indoor air quality. It can also extend the lifespan of your HVAC system and save you money on energy costs. So if your budget is tight, invest in quality air filters now to save on costly repairs and replacements.

Reducing Allergens and Pollutants with Regular HVAC Maintenance

While regularly replacing air filters is crucial for good IAQ, facility managers sometimes assume the job is done after a filter swap, overlooking other critical equipment needs. At Lee Company, we know that comprehensive HVAC maintenance is essential for keeping your commercial heater or air conditioner functioning efficiently and preventing the buildup of allergens and harmful particles that can affect air quality.

Our maintenance services go beyond the basics:

• Inspecting and Cleaning Components: Our licensed technicians thoroughly inspect key components like coils, air handlers, and blowers. Dust and grime buildup in these areas can reduce airflow and cause contaminants to spread. Cleaning these parts protects your air quality and keeps your system operating at peak performance.
• Checking for Leaks: Ductwork and connections are prone to leaks that let in unfiltered air, dust, and allergens. During maintenance, we can check for and seal leaks, reducing the chance of pollutants circulating throughout your building.
• System Calibration: We calibrate your system for optimal airflow and ventilation, reducing the potential for stagnant air pockets that can harbor allergens.

Duct cleaning and sealing are also important for maintaining good air quality. Over time, dust and mold spores build up in the ducts, circulating pollutants back into your space. We recommend duct cleaning every 3-5 years and biannual maintenance to keep everything running smoothly and your air as clean as possible.

The Hidden Payoff of Regular HVAC Maintenance

Beyond keeping the air clean, regular maintenance of your commercial furnace or air conditioner keeps your operation running smoothly and efficiently. With HVAC systems eating up 44% of your building’s energy consumption, even minor inefficiencies can spike your utility bills. But that’s just the start.

Here’s where regular maintenance pays off:

Better Performance

A neglected HVAC system leads to uneven temperatures, hot spots, and that one room that’s constantly freezing or overly hot. Regular maintenance ensures consistent airflow and temperature control across the board, avoiding customer complaints and costly downtime.

Energy Efficiency

The Environmental Protection Agency claims regular maintenance can boost efficiency by 5-20%. For a large facility, that’s not pocket change — that’s tens of thousands saved in energy bills annually. This is because a poorly maintained system works harder to achieve the same results, and you’re paying for that extra energy consumption month after month.

Fewer Emergency Repairs

You know the drill. Something breaks at 3 a.m. on a holiday weekend, and you’re scrambling for a solution or staring down a hefty emergency repair bill. Regular HVAC maintenance gets ahead of these breakdowns, catching worn-out parts before they fail and keeping your emergency budget untouched.

Longer System Lifespan

Replacing a commercial HVAC system? That’s easily a five-figure headache. Extend the life of your system by keeping it tuned up and running efficiently.

Predictive HVAC Maintenance: Preventing Problems Before They Start

There’s another layer to maintenance that facility managers often overlook: proactive, data-driven maintenance.

Predictive analytics and smart building technology can radically improve the performance and lifespan of your commercial equipment.

Ever thought about how fluctuating energy demand impacts your HVAC system’s wear and tear? If your system is constantly adjusting to unpredictable occupancy levels without the right tech in place, it’s working harder than it needs to. Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) systems automatically adjust airflow based on real-time occupancy data and CO2 levels, offering benefits like:

• Energy Savings: Reduce energy use by up to 70% with optimized airflow.
• Less Wear and Tear: Fewer unnecessary adjustments mean a longer system lifespan.
• Fewer Breakdowns: By lessening the load on your equipment, DCV helps avoid costly repairs.

Then there’s air quality monitoring. While many managers focus on regular maintenance, few are implementing real-time IAQ sensors. These sensors measure levels of pollutants like VOCs, CO2, and particulate matter, offering immediate feedback so you can address air quality issues before they escalate into health hazards or productivity killers.

Another consideration is a Building Automation System (BAS), which automates and monitors multiple building systems (HVAC, lighting, security, etc.) to improve energy efficiency and control. It uses data to optimize performance, reduce energy use, and catch potential issues.

If your HVAC isn’t connected to a BAS, you’re missing out on smarter energy management and better control of your facility. A BAS efficiently regulates your HVAC and gives you a complete picture of how it interacts with other systems, helping you run a more streamlined and cost-effective building.

Is it Time to Take Your HVAC Maintenance from Reactive to Strategic?

At Lee Company, we’ve been leveraging predictive analytics and integrated technologies to help businesses like yours not just maintain their systems but optimize them. With 24/7 service and a team of experts serving the Southeast, we offer more than just routine check-ups. Our Smart Buildings Group provides the insights and tools that keep your building operational, efficient, and ahead of the curve.

Move beyond basic upkeep. Partner with Lee Company to maximize your system’s potential and keep your building running at peak performance year-round! Contact us to learn more about our full range of commercial HVAC services.