Spring Maintenance Tips for a Healthy Indoor Environmental in Buildings across Puerto Rico

One week into the spring season and people across Puerto Rico have been busy with spring cleaning and other activities in their homes and businesses. Spring is also a good time to check the overall condition of a property and perform some preventive maintenance tasks to help ensure a property is in good condition to provide a safe, healthy and comfortable place for the months ahead.
 
Preparing a property for the spring and the upcoming hot summer temperatures could also help prevent costly repairs and increase the building’s energy efficiency.  Equally important, some of these tasks could help prevent indoor environmental issues associated with mold and moisture, indoor allergens and other health and safety concerns.
 
To help ensure a building is in good condition to provide a healthy and comfortable place for building occupants, the building science professionals at Zimmetry Environmental recommend the following:

• Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide sensors and change out the batteries.
• Change filters for the air conditioning system and consider having it checked by a qualified professional.  Also inspect any air ducts for the buildup of dust and debris.
• Clean outdoor air conditioning components and clear vegetation from around the area.
• Remove leaves and obstructions from gutters and downspouts and ensure water is draining away from the building.
• Check the siding for any damage or areas that moisture could enter.
• Check for any damage to the roof and any vents and be sure skylights are properly sealed.
• Check windows and doors for drafts and be sure they are properly sealed. Inspect and replace any worn weather stripping.
• Consider having the clothes dryer vent professionally cleaned and inspect the washing machine water supply hoses. Also draining some types of water heaters can help remove sediment that may have built up.
• Check indoor and outdoor faucets for leaks.
• Trim trees that could cause damage to the property with broken limbs.
• Repair cracks in concrete, stucco or asphalt.

 
“These are just a few simple steps that property owners, managers and tenants should do this spring to help prevent water damage and mold growth, increase energy efficiency and to provide a safe and healthy indoor environment,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental.  “For anyone in Puerto Rico that suspects there may be indoor environmental issues in their property, school or work environment that could be creating unsafe or unhealthy conditions, the building science experts at Zimmetry Environmental provide inspection, testing, monitoring and consulting services.  These services can mean the difference between a healthy indoor environment and one that could be causing harm to building occupants.”
 
Zimmetry also recently sponsored a video with spring maintenance tips for a healthy indoor environment that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/-mEiNk1bRZI
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their building science, indoor environmental quality, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail