Helping To Protect Schools from Wildfire Pollutants: An HVAC-Focused Approach for Facility Managers

As students return to classrooms, facility managers are confronted with an increasingly urgent responsibility: safeguarding indoor air quality against the complex mixture of pollutants drifting in from wildfires that can compromise both health and learning environments.

It’s not just visible haze; wildfire emissions can contain a combination of harmful contaminants:

• Particulate Matter (PM2.5) that can enter into the lungs and can also aggravate asthma.
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) contribute to eye, nose, and throat irritation.
• Carbon Monoxide (CO) can be dangerous even at lower concentrations in classrooms.
• Ozone and Formaldehyde have also been linked to respiratory distress and reduced cognitive function.

These pollutants travel far from the line of fire and can infiltrate school buildings traveling through HVAC systems, stressing equipment and endangering occupant health. To help defend against them, schools need a strategy rooted in monitoring, filtration, and system validation.

Monitor for Multiple Pollutants, Not Just “Smoke”

Wildfire events are unpredictable, and outdoor conditions can change within hours. Without accurate monitoring, facility managers won’t know which pollutants are entering or how indoor systems are responding.

TSI AirAssure™ IAQ Monitors continuously track PM2.5, CO₂, VOCs, temperature, humidity, and more, providing clarity on what’s present indoors. By comparing indoor data with outdoor air quality indices, HVAC teams can:

• Detect fine particles and gases infiltrating through air intakes.
• Identify pressure imbalances drawing contaminants inside.
• Monitor classrooms, gyms, and other sensitive spaces in real time.

Learn more about AirAssure™ IAQ Monitors 

Use Data to Guide Ventilation and Filtration

When outdoor pollution spikes, the usual strategy of increasing ventilation can backfire by pulling in more contaminants. Accurate data from pollutants help facility managers fine-tune HVAC systems to maintain safety without sacrificing comfort.
The TSI OmniTrak™ Solution offers portable, modular monitoring for particulate matter, VOCs, ozone, formaldehyde, CO₂, and more. With visualization and reporting through TSI Link™ Report Creator, TSI OmniTrak™ Solution helps HVAC professionals to:

• Verify filtration upgrades (MERV-13 or higher) are reducing PM2.5 and VOCs effectively.
• Adjust outdoor air intake to minimize pollutant infiltration without compromising IAQ.
• Share pollutant trend reports with administrators, school boards, and parents to justify operational changes.

Discover the TSI OmniTrak™ Solution 

Validate HVAC System Performance with Precision Tools

A building’s HVAC system is its frontline defense against wildfire-related pollutants, but only if it’s performing as designed. Clogged filters, unbalanced airflows, or leaky ducts can undermine protection.

TSI’s Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) tools ensure that:

• Supply and exhaust systems are balanced to prevent pollutant infiltration.
• Upgraded filters are installed and functioning correctly under high pollutant loads.
• Ventilation systems are efficient and resilient for future events.

See TSI HVAC Optimization Tools

Aligning with Standards and Best Practices

Organizations like ASHRAE emphasize filtration upgrades, sealing building envelopes, and real-time monitoring to combat wildfire-related contaminants. By using TSI’s solutions, facility managers can implement these best practices with confidence and ensure compliance with evolving IAQ standards.

Read more about Wildfire and Indoor Air Quality

Why Facility Managers Are Key to Cleaner Indoor Air

On average, students spend up to 1,000 hours a year inside school buildings. During wildfire season, HVAC teams aren’t just maintaining comfort, they’re safeguarding health. By monitoring a full spectrum of pollutants, optimizing ventilation strategies, and validating system performance, facility managers can help provide safe, reliable indoor environments that support learning.

Strengthen Your School’s HVAC Strategy Against Wildfire Pollutants

TSI offers tools designed to help schools detect and understand harmful pollutants: 

• TSI AirAssure™ IAQ Monitors – Continuous pollutant detection with cloud-based insights
• TSI OmniTrak™ Solution – Portable diagnostics for particulates, gases, and VOCs
• TSI Ventilation TAB Tools – Verification that HVAC systems are helping to protect students and staff

With TSI, facility managers gain data and validation to help keep schools healthier, even when the air outside is at its worst.