HVAC Cleanliness Affects IAQ and Performance

HVAC cleanliness and the proper functioning of air handling units are an important part of regulating airflow and ensuring good indoor air quality. Budgetary concerns may limit the time and attention spent on addressing IAQ issues, but ignoring problems leads to more expensive fixes down the road.

Indoor Air Quality Concerns

Building and facilities managers have made dealing with IAQ a top priority. Building engineers now consider HVAC cleanliness and its impact on IAQ in the design of their systems. The general public is also concerned with IAQ and the effects that Sick Building Syndrome has on students, patients, medical staff, and office workers. The Environmental Protection Agency has seen an increase in questions about this topic and has created resources to help building and facilities managers deal with these issues. We recommend the following steps and solutions to help you stay on top of HVAC cleanliness.

Maintenance & Remediation

Maintaining AHUs is critical to good IAQ. Inspecting systems for signs of trouble is also an integral part. Only by identifying problems and taking steps for remediation can we ensure systems are operating at peak performance. There are three key considerations for maintenance and remediation.

Building Use & Population

The demographics of the building population is a consideration for maintaining proper IAQ. Older systems that create a lot of noise disrupt students at schools and universities and patients in hospitals. Hours of operation, types of activities performed in the building, and the age of the building can impact IAQ performance as well.

HVAC System Schedule

Hygiene maintenance is critical to the proper functioning of HVAC systems as is a plan for regular cleaning of air handling systems. This includes rooftops and mechanical room units, duct systems, fiberglass insulation, and fresh air intake locations. The absence of regular cleaning allows debris to collect and microbial growth to go unchecked. Thermal/acoustic lining and duct boards also begin to break down. In the AHU, all ductwork, dampers, filters, evaporator and heating coils, drain pans, motors, and insulation need regular cleaning.

Contaminant Types

Take steps to prevent the contamination of air handling systems. Debris generated from construction and remodeling, the dust created by everyday use, and microbial contaminants all impact AHS. Control them to maintain safe IAQ levels.

Engineered Solutions for HVAC Cleanliness

Pure Air Control Services offers the following solutions to ensure HVAC cleanliness and improve IAQ:

Hygiene Assessment

An HVAC Hygiene Assessment determines the impact the HVAC system has on IAQ. Our assessment begins with the visual inspection of evaporator coils, drain pan, blower, and ductwork. Samples get collected and performance testing gets completed. Further testing for bacteria or fungi is done at our EDLab. A detailed report then gets produced that includes recommendations for improvements.

An HVAC Hygiene Assessment Can Include

• Airflow & Energy Efficiency Testing
• Air Conveyance Hygiene & Prioritization
• Duct Leakage
• Building Pressure Analysis
• Air Filtration
• Post Construction Evaluations
• Building Air Tightness Testing

PURE-Duct

Pure-Duct professional hygiene duct cleaning uses specialized equipment to go inside ductwork and create high-pressure air turbulence. This process dislodges built-up dust and debris where it gets collected by an industrial-strength vacuum system with HEPA filter.

HVAC New Life featuring PURE-Steam

Operating budgets limit what building owners and operators can do. The decision to replace aging HVAC equipment or continue to maintain an older system is a tough decision. The good news is that the basic mechanical design and components of air handling units have stayed the same over the years. This makes solutions like HVAC New Life™ with PURE-Steam™ a smart alternative over replacing an entire system. It extends the lifespan and optimizes the performance of components such as AHU cabinets, evaporator coils, drain pans, and blower motor assemblies.

We Can Help

Pure Air Control Services has engineered solutions for IAQ. We have been helping organizations keep their HVAC systems running at peak performance since 1984. Contact Pure Air Control Services to find out more!