As we continue to approach the winter season, it may be time turn off the AC unit and flip on the heat. However, businesses are taking extra precautions to ensure that their buildings are clean and safe for both their employees and visitors, especially in commercial facilities. Commercial facilities are high traffic areas, which is the perfect way for bacteria and viruses to spread. One area that plays a huge part in making people sick is the building’s ventilation system. However, in many commercial duct systems it isn’t as easy as just changing out a filter, the entire system has become full of pollutants and leads to unhealthy air being circulated even when the filter appears clean. The only way to completely remove these pollutants from the air you are breathing is through routine HVAC duct cleaning and the installation of UVC Light Disinfection systems.
Since the ductwork is above the ceiling and typically out of sight, it’s easy to not think about having it cleaned. But a dirty ductwork is the perfect breeding ground for mites, mold, bacteria, viruses, and other poisons that are toxic to the environment. This is why duct clearing in commercial facilities is an important part of keeping an environment safe and healthy for everyone that enters through the doors. Cleaning your facility’s ductwork is the first step in removing any airborne contaminants and allergens out of the air they breathe.
In addition, a study by ASHRAE found that a dirty HVAC system is up to 40% less efficient than a clean one.
Therefore, a dirty ductwork can load filters quickly and lead to more stress on the air handler and potentially higher energy costs. Blockages in reheat coils, mixing boxes, VAV boxes and other terminal boxes found in commercial HVAC systems can also restrict airflow. So, not only does a facility’s dirty ductwork lead to the system running less efficiently, but it can lead to poor indoor air quality, which can cause employees to become sick.
Components of HVAC Duct Cleaning for Commercial Buildings Include:
- Supply & Return Ductwork
- Dedicated Exhaust Ductwork and Fans
- Air Handler Units
- Internally Lined Ductwork: Cleaning and Encapsulating (Sealing)
- Mold Remediation from all types of Ductwork
- VAV’s Reheat Coils, Mixing Boxes
- Filter Replacements
Another way to help eliminate bacteria and other viruses from growing and spreading through your ventilation system is the installation of UVC Light Disinfection. UVC Light is a method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions. UVC refers to ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200 – 280 nanometers (nm). Light in the UVC wavelength can be used for disinfecting hospitals, sterilizing surfaces, destroying harmful micro-organisms in food products and in air. UVC Light disinfection in an apartment setting provides benefits in limited space applications such as PTACs, Fan Coil Units, and Water Treatment.
In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 30% of all commercial buildings have significant IAQ problems, and ventilation systems are implicated in the spread of infection and pollutants.” Therefore, using UVC light in a facility’s duct system close to the coil can restore coil capacity, return the HVAC close to the original system, and kill bacterial growth by shrinking biofilm on the coil.
We know it’s hard trying to quarantine and social distance from everyone. We all want to venture out back into the world. But knowing you could catch the virus at any minute through the ventilation system of a building can make it hard for people, especially those with weakened immune systems. Fortunately, regular HVAC duct cleaning and the installation of UVC Light can significantly help reduce the levels of bacteria and the spread of viruses, while also increasing your buildings indoor air quality.
Looking for HVAC duct cleaning in commercial buildings? Contact Us Here or call us at 888-845-3952 to find out how Hughes Environmental can help improve the air you breathe.
