A building’s air duct network acts as its respiratory system. Dirt, dust, debris, and microbial growth accumulate inside of air ducts, on cooling coils, and on re-heat coils—hidden from view—and “congest” the system and make it difficult for the building to “breathe” properly and function efficiently. Cleaning the cooling coils and re-heat coils alone can increase airflow by as much as 75%. In fact, a 1987 ASHRAE study concluded that MAINTAINING HVAC SYSTEM CLEANLINESS WOULD REDUCE AVERAGE OPERATING COSTS BY 10% TO 25%. With energy costs skyrocketing every year, it is more important than ever to ensure your HVAC equipment is operating at peak efficiency!!

It is estimated that the average 1500 square foot home generates 40 POUNDS OF DUST PER YEAR. Imagine the amount of contaminated filth your building is producing? And this dust is comprised of bacteria, mold spores, pollen, dust mites, building materials, hair and dander, soot, carpet fibers, paper, and other particulate matter. Most commercial HVAC systems have filters that only screen out 20 – 30% of these pollutants, and HVAC filters that are loaded with these contaminants no longer remove them from the air. Instead they build up in heating and air conditioning ductwork systems. As air circulates through the building ductwork, it picks up these pollutants and spews them back into the air your occupants breathe. Cleaning and maintenance costs are directly related to the quality of air inside commercial buildings. And indoor air contaminants don’t just affect people. They also create a film that covers walls, desks, computer circuit boards, and telephone switches—causing them to fail. . FACT: Fixing faulty telephone wires alone cost telecommunications companies more than $100 million over the last 10 years.

Dirty air can cause unsightly build-up not only on office furniture and walls, and but on ceilings and air vents as well. Current tenants, their customers, and potential tenants who visit your building are sure to question the quality of building maintenance when they see dirt on ceilings and air vents. The potentially permanent, negative impression can be an instant image killer for you—one that is difficult if not impossible to overcome easily.

As dirt builds up in your HVAC system, cooling coils and re-heat coils can become clogged…and even minor contamination can dramatically affect airflow. The result? Isolated parts of your building are affected, and tenants complain that it’s too hot or too cold. So your building maintenance people attempt to fix the problem by resetting the dampers to accommodate the affected parts of the building. This inadvertently affects other areas of the building and throws the entire HVAC system out of balance. Before you know it, EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING AND YOU CAN’T FIX THE PROBLEM!! Remember, your system was originally balanced when the system was NEW and CLEAN!! Attempting to eliminate hot and cold spots by manipulating airflow simply compounds a problem that can best be solved by cleaning!

And what about health problems? FACT: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 out of every three workers may be toiling away in a workplace that is making them sick. FACT: Poor air quality has been linked to a variety of health issues, including: headaches, nausea, dizziness, short-term memory loss, irritability, itchy eyes/throats, and possible nervous and respiratory system damage. FACT: Most often, the culprits are dust, mold, and bacteria funneled through muck-filled heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) systems. Microbial contamination (mold, mildew, and bacteria) is a BIG PROBLEM to fix once it occurs. In fact, studies show it only takes 5 minutes for mold to completely circulate throughout the air handling unit of a five story building.

The failure of a building owner to provide clean indoor air can result in costly consequences including health problems, absenteeism, reduced productivity, higher premiums for worker’s comp and health insurance, and lost tenants. Moreover, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that building owners have a non-deferrable legal obligation to provide a safe and healthy work environment. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) litigation increases every year, and recent IAQ lawsuits have commanded hefty settlements. Businesses are faced with ever more stringent responsibilities to provide employees with a safe work environment.

Commercial HVAC systems should be inspected regularly to verify cleanliness. Coils should be inspected annually and air ducts should be inspected at least once every 5 years. Your system might be clean but it might not be. Can you afford not to know. Call Monster Vac today and have one of our certified Inspectors take a look at your system. Please read our section on HVAC Inspections to find out more.

In the event our inspections shows that your system needs cleaning, Monster Vac will provide you with written recommendations for improving the cleanliness and efficiency of your HVAC system in a COST-EFFECTIVE WAY THAT’S PLANNED, SYSTEMATIC, MAKES SENSE, AND DOESN’T BREAK THE BANK!!