Every maintenance department manager knows that clean duct work in the HVAC unit is important for a properly working unit, as well as making sure that the air is cleaner for everyone in the facility. However, cleaning the duct work is only half of the job.
The other half of the job is sanitizing the unit.
Germs Left Behind
According to IAQ Now:
“The routine job described above may not effectively remove such contaminants as mold spores, fungi, mildew, bacteria and algae, from the air circulating within a commercial, residential or industrial building. It is well documented that these types of contaminants can adversely affect the health of your building's occupants, leading to declines in productivity, increased absenteeism and potentially, a spike in healthcare liabilities.”
Cost vs Health Benefits
There are a couple of things to keep in mind:
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Sanitizing is Extra. When you have your duct work cleaned, this does not include sanitizing the duct work so you first have to ask about it and then find out the additional cost.
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Sanitizing Kills Microbes. Your system can have a number of microbes that are not good for the health of the people in the facility. These include legionella pneumophila, aspergillus fumigatus, staphylococcus aureus and mycobacterium bovis. By having the duct work sanitized, these microbes are eliminated.
The air supply in your HVAC can spread cold and flu viruses so a preventative approach is best – especially in schools and healthcare facilities.
Sanitizing
Some places sell a chemical that can be used in the HVAC as well as hand rails, bathrooms, and anywhere that people touch and can spread germs. It is a good idea to ask whoever does your duct cleaning, but some of these chemicals can be bought from vendors such as HVAC Maintenance Products, they sell Fast Attack.
Read More: Keep Cooling Towers Germ Free
No matter what you do, make sure that your plan includes your HVAC unit, including the duct work and the possible use of chemicals to fight microbes and germs that cause sickness. Planning for and scheduling this task is easy with Preventative Maintenance software from Maintenance Care.
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