Thread by @joeyfox85

Reducing COVID risk in a hotel (apartments too) 🧵

The three things you should do are:
1. Verify the building ventilation is working
2. Clean the air in your suite
3. Possibly block the airflow through the door (see below)

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Verify the ventilation is working

The standard way ventilation systems work in hotels and apartment buildings is outdoor air is supplied to the hallway, flows under the door and is exhausted through the washroom. Here's how to check the ventilation:

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1. Use a CO2 monitor. If it's high, you know something is wrong.
2. Go into the hallway and ensure air is being supplied. You can hold the CO2 monitor to the supply air and measure the CO2 being supplied. It should be around 420 ppm (100% outdoor air)

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3. Hold a tissue to the exhaust grille in the washroom and ensure that air is being exhausted.
4. Check to make sure air is flowing under the door.

There might be units in the room for heating and cooling, but they only recirculate air. No ventilation.

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If there are issues with any of this, notify the front desk.

Clean the air in the suite

Open windows and run a HEPA filter. It's best to place it near the door so you are filtering the air that is entering from the hallway.

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Blocking the door

If the windows don't open and the system is working properly, it will be detrimental to block the door. Air is exhausted through the washroom and has to be replenished from somewhere.

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If it doesn't come through the door, it could leak in through the walls of a different suite. So here's the rule:
- If the windows aren't open and the system is working (airflow through the door and up the exhaust) then do not block the door.

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- If you have the windows open or the system isn't working (no air going through the exhaust), then block the door.

If you are blocking the airflow through the door, use painters tape around the door cracks to stop the airflow.

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More references: