The end of the school year is rapidly approaching, and all anyone can think about is summer vacation. However, summer break has seemed to come early for some high school students in Colorado.
Last week, Doherty High School in Colorado Springs was closed for an entire week due to ventilation issues in the building. There were two different incidents in the school that caused smoke to spread throughout the building. The school was shut down both Thursday and Friday of the previous week, and after evaluation of the school building and consultations with air quality experts, they decided that the ducts need to be cleaned and tested before the campus reopens.
The district says, “Closing the school is the best option to limit impact and disruption to Doherty and neighboring schools”.
Doherty High School closing because of poor ventilation, demonstrates the importance of having your ductworks cleaned, especially in an educational facility. Schools are a place where students go to further their education and prepare for their careers. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), poor indoor air quality can trigger many health problems including asthma and allergies that reduce students’ ability to perform. In fact, one study shows that students in a classrooms with higher outdoor air ventilation scored 14 to 15 percent higher on standardized test than students in classrooms with lower outdoor air ventilation. Not only does better air quality in schools enhance academic performances in students, but I also increases teacher and staff productivity as well as retention.
Now that summer is right around the corner, many educational properties will be empty, which makes it the perfect time to have your ducts inspected and cleaned! A Clean ductwork is the first step in removing airborne pollutants and allergens as well as improves airflow. This allows your facility’s HVAC system to run more efficiently, and helps reduce the risk of fire in HVAC systems.
