If you imagine that the duct suddenly became transparent, then the question of whether it should be cleaned or not would simply not arise. After several years of operation of the ventilation systems of the supply and exhaust ducts, a huge amount of dust, microbes and various contaminants accumulate. Let’s consider the issue of air duct cleaning in more detail.
Where does dirt come from?
Most of the polluting particles inside the premises can come from such sources:
- passive smoking, dirt, fumes from cooking,
- chemical vapors from cleaning solutions and detergents,
- gases and vapors from carpet and furniture fibers,
- dust mites, humans and pets,
- pollen, allergens brought by air, etc
The need to clean ventilation systems
Source:facebook.com
During operation, dust and grease deposits accumulate in the ducts and equipment of ventilation systems, which makes it difficult to maintain the set air parameters. Polluted air ducts of ventilation and air conditioning systems create the possibility of fires. Dust and grease deposits accumulated in ventilation equipment and ducts are easily ignited, and with the movement of air inside the ducts, the fire quickly spreads throughout the building.
If the ventilation system, in addition to transporting air, is designed to heat, cool and humidify it, then accumulated dust deposits create a favorable soil for the growth of ticks, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms dangerous to humans. Over time, microorganisms can detach from the surface of the ducts and be transported by the air flow to the serviced premises. Diseases such as allergies, flu, and SARS can be transmitted through ventilation, from an infected person to a healthy one.
Why should air ducts be cleaned regularly:
- During operation, dust and fats accumulate in the system under consideration;
- Polluted air ducts are more prone to sudden ignition;
- If, in addition to transporting air, a specific air duct also provides heating, cooling and humidification of the air, then contamination leads to the rapid growth of bacteria and fungi, mites and other microorganisms dangerous to the human body;
- Microorganisms eventually detach from the surface and are transferred to the serviced premises along with the air flow. It causes allergies, flu. Any viruses due to an uncleaned duct can easily be transferred from a sick person to a completely healthy one, even if they work in different rooms.
Frequency of air duct cleaning
Source:pinterest.com
Cleaning and disinfection of ventilation systems is carried out in accordance with sanitary standards established by the current legislation of the country. According to the specified standards, diagnostics and disinfection of air ducts is carried out with different cleaning intervals, depending on the type of structure:
- Working offices, administrative and shopping centers – 1 time per year;
- Production and industrial premises – from 2 times a year;
- Catering and healthcare organizations – once every 3 months;
- Educational institutions – 2 times a year.
Home air duct cleaning is a necessity.
Steps for cleaning ventilation systems
All the work on cleaning the ducts, which must be performed by specialists in their field, can be divided into primary inspection, direct cleaning and necessarily subsequent disinfection.
1. Initial inspection
Usually, one visual inspection is not enough to diagnose the exact condition of the surface. Therefore, specialists resort to special technical solutions: they use remote manipulators with video cameras. Samples of contaminants are taken, the study of which is carried out in laboratory conditions.
All the manipulations of the initial inspection allow us to determine the exact nature of the contamination: dust, grease, construction debris, i.e. the microbiological composition of the contamination and their degree in a particular examined air duct. The compliance of the ventilation system performance indicators with the established standards is also determined.
2. Cleaning procedure
There are different cleaning methods: chemical, mechanical and granule cleaning. The most common options include the chemical method. It is often used to clean air ducts in restaurants and in their kitchens when it is necessary to get rid of a strong fatty plaque. A special chemical reagent is sprayed along the main of the air exchange pipes, which removes the plaque of grease and dust. This method is suitable for any air ducts: rigid and flexible, semi-rigid. But the chemical cleaning method is not suitable for very polluted systems.
The mechanical cleaning method is used exclusively for rigid systems. Cleaning is carried out by vacuum pumps, hydromechanical and hydropneumatic devices. Special brushes are placed inside the duct, rotate there and clean the walls. The separated dirt is picked up by a vacuum pump and tends to exit. This is the most effective way for very heavy pollution.
Special granules, in particular, dry ice, can also be used for cleaning. It acts like a sandblasting machine.
3. Disinfection
Source:eandi.org
This is the final stage of complete cleaning, which cleans the air duct from bacteria, microorganisms, dust mites that are dangerous to human health. Disinfection is carried out with liquids, aerosols or powders. All of them are made on the basis of hydrogen peroxide and other components.
You can order professional air duct cleaning company services at the Home Alliance.
Advantages of duct cleaning
Advantages of cleaning:
- Improving the quality of indoor microclimate
- Reducing allergies
- Extending the service life of your system
- Reducing house dust
- Preventing mold problems
A clean air duct in any room is the key to a healthy microclimate and well–being. It is enough to clean every few years to maintain complete cleanliness and order.
