How to Be the Manager of Your Office Thermostat

Figuring out the right temperature setting for an office can be difficult. Too much heat or too much cold can affect productivity and cause other problems. If you’re in charge of the office thermostat, keep the following tips in mind to maintain a comfortable environment for everyone.

Recommended Thermostat Settings

How hot or cold should your office be? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends setting thermostats somewhere between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The setting yours should be set at depends in part on what time of year it is and other factors, such as the overall personal comfort levels of your co-workers. For example, employees might want the thermostat to be turned up a bit higher in winter, when it’s freezing outside. When it’s hot out, they might welcome a cooler indoor setting. Keep in mind that workers can always wear an extra layer to stay warm if you decide to set your thermostat lower.

Different Areas of Your Building

Certain areas of your office building might need different thermostat settings. Areas where technological equipment is stored or kept, for example, should be kept cooler. Other areas might not get much heat from the sun, resulting in a greater need to keep the temperature higher.

HVAC Solutions

There are ways to keep your office environment comfortable while avoiding arguments over the thermostat setting. HVAC professionals can provide you with solutions to ensure that your building is heated or cooled as needed. Zoning is one such solution, since it makes it possible to prevent hot and cold spots. You’ll also save money on energy costs for your commercial building. Having HVAC maintenance and inspections done can also help ensure that you’re able to heat and cool your office comfortably and efficiently throughout the year.

If you need help with your commercial HVAC system or if you need a new office thermostat, please contactAir Assurance. Our team offers high-quality heating and cooling services for commercial and residential customers in Broken Arrow.

Looking For An Air Filter? Knowing MERV Will Help

If you’re looking for the right air filter, understanding MERV can be to your advantage. MERV is a rating given to air filters based on their minimum efficiency reporting value; in other words, it's a rating of their capacity to efficiently remove airborne particulates down to 0.3 microns. This value can range from 1 to 20, with higher MERV ratings indicating a higher-efficiency air filter.With regards to shopping for air filters, MERV can be broken down as follows:

• For use in residential settings, air filters with a MERV between 1 and 4 are often lower-quality, disposable filters.

• A MERV between 5 and 8 would represent a better variety of residential air filter.

• A MERV between 9 and 12 might be found in superior residential settings or commercial buildings.

• In hospital settings and superior commercial settings, air filters will likely carry a MERV between 13 and 16.

• Capable of removing 99.97 percent of airborne particulates down to 0.3 microns, True HEPA filters carry a MERV between 17 and 20 and are used in applications such as laboratory clean rooms and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

What's surprising is that there is really no mandate set on how a MERV rating is performed.  Therefore, it's highly likely that MERV ratings on a filter may be tested at levels that don't work with the amount of air your comfort system produces.  In other words, a higher MERV rating could be a marketing ploy, and actually damage your system or it's performance.When choosing an air filter, you have to take the specifics of your system into account. Filters may not fit your system, or in some cases may be entirely too powerful for practical use in your home. With those things in mind, MERV should be used as one reference point for filter comparison, but not as the sole reason for your filter decision.That's why Air Assurance has tested all of the filters we offer to our customers with the air flo commonly used by the comfort systems we service and install.  To ensure that the air filters you choose are the most efficient and system-appropriate available today, let our trained technicians guide you through the process. For expert consultation, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, today!Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.