7 tips for an optimal indoor climate – reduce the risk of infection
As in our last blog post Reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection with humidity , the indoor climate has an influence on the risk of infection of COVID-19. For this reason, humidity between 40-60% should be ensured in buildings to reduce the risk of infection. (Link to the Annual Report of Virology) In the following, you will learn how indoor air quality in buildings can be affected.
Depending on the form of ventilation (technical or manual), the masonry of the building, the number of people in the room, the heating and other factors, the humidity also rises and falls. In order to achieve an optimal indoor climate, it is necessary to know how high the humidity actually is. Only when the actual values are measured can action be taken accordingly. The state-of-the-art smart building platform from LineMetrics uses sensors to record current air values, document them and display them clearly in a secure web platform. With the transparency created in this way and the following tips, responsible persons can ensure an optimal indoor climate:
1. Plants for an optimal indoor climate
Plants not only affect the design of a room, but also improve air quality. Up to 90% of the irrigation water is evaporated, which increases the humidity. In addition, many plants filter dust from the room air.
2. Ventilate regularly and reduce the risk of infection
Regular ventilation allows fresh air to enter the room. With the outdoor humidity sensor from LineMetrics, you can immediately see when the outdoor humidity is particularly high. At such times, you should ventilate particularly intensively and for a long time.
3. Hang damp cloths
The humidity can be increased quickly and easily with damp cloths. You can hang these in the rooms, preferably directly over the heater. The water is then immediately released into the room air.
4. Drink plenty of fluids
Although this does not affect the indoor climate, it does moisturize the mucous membranes, which allows the immune system to work optimally. You can find more information about this in our blog post on the topic.
5. Adjust the heating
Heating too long and too much quickly leads to very dry air. Therefore, avoid excessive heating in winter, you will improve the indoor climate and also save costs. Temperatures between 19 and 21°C are ideal.
6. Turn off the air conditioning
In summer, when rooms are cooled with air conditioners, they remove moisture from the air. Therefore, if possible, these devices should only be used on an hourly basis.
7. Technical humidification
Technical aids help to humidify the air in your rooms in a targeted manner. However, these often consume a lot of energy and are cost-intensive to operate.
Of course, there are many other ways to influence the indoor climate. However, it is always important to know the current values and to take targeted measures to reduce the risk of infection. This is where the LineMetrics Smart Building platform can help. We have compiled information on use cases in offices, schools, hospitals and retirement homes for you in the following presentations:
Download the presentation now:
- for schools and kindergartens
- for offices
- for retirement homes
- for hospitals
- for production facilities
