Indoor Air Quality at Daycares and Schools: What Maryland Parents Should Ask

Children breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. They spend 7-9 hours a day inside the same HVAC system. And most Maryland daycares and many private schools have never had their ducts professionally cleaned. Here's how to find out — and what to ask.

5 questions to ask before enrolling

1. When was the HVAC system last professionally cleaned?
2. What filter MERV rating is in use? (MERV 13 is the right answer for institutional)
3. Do you have an IAQ test report (in the last 24 months)?
4. Is the system humidity-controlled to under 60% RH?
5. Has anyone reported respiratory symptoms tied to time on site?

What the answers should sound like

Good answers: "Cleaned at the start of the school year, MERV 13 filters changed quarterly, IAQ report available, RH controlled by our HVAC contractor, no incidents flagged." If they can't answer one of these, the facility likely hasn't thought through IAQ at all.

Eagle's school/daycare service

We offer summer-break HVAC cleaning packages for Maryland schools and daycares: full system clean, MERV 13 filter upgrade, IAQ Lab Report, certificate of completion for posting in the lobby. Parents who see the framed Eagle certificate at drop-off know IAQ is taken seriously.