Commissioning and maintaining ventilation systems involves measuring a wide range of air parameters, from temperature, pressure, and air flow and velocity, to humidity, CO2 concentration and more. That’s why portable, multifunction instruments are the tool of choice for these tasks.

Sauermann has extensive expertise in manufacturing premium measurement instruments. Our devices deliver the high degree of accuracy needed to test ventilation systems against the indoor air quality standards and recommendations that apply to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

Sauermann’s portable, multifunction devices are some of the most advanced commissioning, testing, balancing and maintenance instruments on the market. And because they’re built for reliability, speed and user-friendliness, they help professionals work more efficiently. What’s more, their modular design and range of attachable probes lets engineers build a custom measurement solution – all calibrated in Sauermann’s in-house laboratories, which are accredited by COFRAC to ISO 17025:2017.

At Sauermann, we have long recognised that air flow is a critical measurement for maintaining indoor air quality in commercial and public buildings – and that the air change rate (ACR), its associated parameter, is of crucial importance. That’s why we designed the DBM 620 air flow meter specifically for this purpose: to easily calculate the ACR via the accompanying mobile app. Air flow readings play a key role in checking whether the ACR is high enough – and in keeping the system running as efficiently as possible.

“An air flow meter is the most versatile and effective portable instrument for measuring vent air flow.”

Regularly replacing the air in a room – by bringing in a flow of filtered air from outside – is the most effective way to reduce concentrations of pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bacteria, viruses and dust. Measuring the ACR is therefore especially important in ensuring that the air inside a confined space is clean and healthy. An air flow meter is the most versatile and effective portable instrument for measuring air flow. It is compatible with all types of air vent – incoming and outgoing – and far outperforms other solutions when it comes to measurement accuracy.

Measuring differential pressure on either side of an air filter is an extremely common maintenance procedure – and also one of the most important. Regularly replacing clogged filters helps to improve air quality and air flow while reducing energy use, because a new filter reduces pressure drop compared with a clogged one and doesn't contaminate the air that passes through it.

“An extremely common maintenance procedure – and also one of the most important.”

Temperature and humidity are two of the fundamental parameters involved in indoor air quality management. They influence many other aspects of the ventilation chain, not least the heating and air conditioning settings.

These two properties also have major implications for occupant health in commercial buildings, as well as affecting the lifespan of certain materials, which can be damaged by the growth of mould. That’s why it’s essential to measure temperature and humidity both inside the ventilation-system pipes and in the ambient air in occupied areas of a building.

“Temperature and humidity need to be tightly controlled in certain types of commercial premises, such as data centres.”

Temperature and humidity need to be tightly controlled in certain types of commercial premises, such as data centres, as well as in main distribution frames, transformer rooms and other technical facilities.

Our portable instruments, coupled with cones of different sizes, are ideal for inspection and maintenance tasks, providing quick and reliable air flow measurements at vents. Our thermo-anemometers are the perfect tool for this task, since they also provide air temperature readings that give a clearer picture of ventilation system performance.

Improved indoor air quality management and ventilation system efficiency gains.

Measuring air flow is vital to effective indoor air quality management, since every aspect of the environmental conditions inside a building hinge on this parameter. Getting the air flow just right leads to improved indoor air quality management and ventilation system efficiency gains. It’s equally important to measure the air flow through outlet vents, in order to check that the air inside a room – which is loaded with CO2 , particles, chemical and biological compounds, and other pollutants – is being extracted effectively.

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) concentration is a vital measurement in assessing indoor air quality. In fact, it’s a key indicator of the rate at which air is replenished in a room – the air change rate, or ACR – for several reasons: because CO2 concentration is highly responsive to changes in indoor atmospheric conditions, because it’s directly influenced by the number of people in a room (each of whom breathes out CO2 ), and because it’s quick and easy to measure.

“Sauermann instruments use non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) CO2 sensors, the only kind of sensor that delivers dependable CO2 concentration readings.”

But reliable measurements can only be obtained using premium, calibrated devices. That’s why Sauermann instruments use non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) CO2 sensors, the only kind of sensor that delivers dependable CO2 concentration readings. Our AQ 110 portable instrument is configured in the lab and certified to CO2 measurement regulations. As well as taking occasional readings, its internal memory can store recurring measurements, providing insights into changes in CO2 concentration as the number of occupants in a room fluctuates over the course of a day. These measurement campaigns allow the air flow from the ventilation system to be adjusted in line with target ACR values.

Tachometers provide a precise measurement of the actual speed at which a fan inside an air treatment unit is rotating. Because these mechanical parts can wear over time, checking their performance at regular intervals can help in preventing breakdowns and costly downtime – or worse, damage to equipment in data centres and other critical facilities.

Preventing breakdowns and costly downtime – or worse, damage to equipment in data centres and other critical facilities.

Our CT 110 tachometer is an easy and reliable way to take these readings, with a conveniently designed remote probe that works via an optical or contact connection – all backed by a calibration certificate.