When a customer steps into your restaurant, they not only see your beautiful establishment but they smell what is there, feel the air temperature, and get a sense of just how comfortable it is. Burning something in the kitchen, friers that may need to be cleaned, and the dirty dishes in the kitchen should not be odors your customers experience. You can improve the indoor air quality in your restaurant and see a remarkable improvement in the experiences you provide to your patrons.
The Importance of Improving Indoor Air Quality
Working to improve the indoor air quality in your restaurant is vitally important for many reasons, including the experience your customers have. It also helps to minimize the risk of mild and mildew growth, which can be critical in an environment where there is a high risk of spread. Additionally, providing proper airflow helps to keep your employees healthy and protected from respiratory illness and may help prevent the spread of germs.
Indoor air quality is not something that automatically happens, though. As commercial buildings become more airtight, there is less opportunity for airflow from the outdoors into the space to reduce pollutants, which is why you have to do some of the work yourself to protect the air you breathe. After all, you probably spend a good amount of your time in this space, too.
How do you improve the air quality in a restaurant though? There are numerous steps you can take, and those you employ should be those with the most opportunity to impact your space specifically. The following are some key recommendations and options to help you but keep in mind that it is always best to have an indoor air quality test completed to ensure you know what is really happening there.
Ensure Your HVAC Is Properly Maintained
Your building’s heating and cooling system is a critical system to maintain as it directly impacts the flow of air throughout the building. This includes having the air filters cleaned and the entire system professionally inspected and updated at least one time a year. The team at Ambient Edge can help you to do this on a routine basis, ensuring that the air traveling through your building is as clean as possible (you may even notice your energy bills drop as a result).
Put in Place a Whole Building Air Purification System
Whether you decide to invest in smaller units or a whole building air cleaning system, this is one of the best ways to improve the quality of air flowing throughout your space. These systems pick up the tiny particles in the air and remove them, allowing for healthier air to move throughout your space. A well-designed system can help to drastically contribute to improved air quality in a space, and it can be an excellent overall investment in your property as a result.
Consider an Indoor Air Quality Monitoring System
It can be hard to manage the air quality in your restaurant if you do not know what problems exist, but this is certainly something that can be better handled with an air quality monitoring system. These systems are not overly expensive, but they allow for an app-style setup that will tell you whenever there are concerns present, allowing you to take action right away if needed. They can detect a range of risk factors, including carbon monoxide, high VOCs, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and other chemicals.
Ensure You Keep Your Filters Changed
The air filters in your heating and cooling system work to stop the flow of bacteria, mold, mildew, and dirt throughout the property while also removing the tiny particles that cause odors as well. If your air filters are clogged, it is far easier for those particles to get through and enter into your HVAC system. We recommend cleaning air filters on your property at least one time a month and more so if there is significant work being done, such as landscaping or construction.
Utilize Proper Cleaning Processes
A core component of improving air quality is removing the material, toxins, mold, and mildew from the property, and to do that, you need to consider the use of routine cleaning. In a restaurant, it is a given that you need to clean daily, but do not ignore the hard tasks such as cleaning the friers, putting out the hoods, and moving equipment where mold and bacteria can rapidly grow and spread thanks to the amount of organic material present. Hire and maintain a cleaning team that handles the hard task of keeping your property in pristine condition to avoid these risks.
Have an Air Quality Test Done
It can be hard to treat conditions or to improve the indoor air quality at your restaurant if you do not know what is causing the problem in the first place. An indoor air quality test can offer some insight to you, allowing you to learn what types of chemicals, organic materials, or other contaminants are present in the air in your location. Have an indoor air quality test like this completed whenever you are doing significant renovations or at least every year to ensure you have proper insight into the needs of your property.
Service All Equipment Properly
It is also important to make sure the equipment in your location is operating properly, allowing for proper ventilation of toxins out of the space. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for how to maintain and service the equipment to ensure it works properly. This may include preventative cleaning, replacements of filters, and checking vents to ensure proper airflow.
Know When to Turn to a Team for Professional Help
At Ambient Edge, we work with restaurant clients who need help improving their indoor air quality for not just odors but the general health of their clients. Reach out to us today to get help with your heating and cooling system, working to minimize any risk to yourself, your employees, and your customers. Contact Ambient Edge today to learn more about how you can improve the indoor air quality in your restaurant.