The COVID-19 pandemic caused facilities managers of commercial and education buildings across the nation to make a lot of adjustments to their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. However, what many facilities managers may not realize is that if HVAC systems were already strained due to deferred maintenance, the COVID-19 adjustments could cause system failure.

Let me explain. At the recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), many facilities managers of commercial and school buildings brought more outdoor air in to keep CO2 levels down and improved filtration in their HVAC systems in the last 18 months. While intended to dilute the concentration of the virus in the air, these actions often increase PM2.5 pollutants, reduce air flow and put a tremendous strain on the HVAC system.