CLEANLINESS OF VENTILATION SYSTEMS

WHY CLEAN DUCTWORK? 

There is growing concern over the quality of the air we breathe, and for most of us that means a long period of time breathing air supplied to us through air conditioning systems.

If you inspect any air conditioning system after three or four years you will invariably find debris somewhere in the system.  It may just be a light dust build-up but it is there, and the air that you breathe passes through or over it.  Add to this the worst situation of vermin decaying in the ductwork and then the added incidence of damp, and you will have the perfect scenario for the war of bacteria.  Yeasts and fungi will grow and multiply and you will breathe it in.

All these situations can arise over years by natural neglect i.e. filters wrongly specified or size changed, frequently missing vermin screens from intakes, badly maintained fan units causing vibration and noise, natural degradation of insulation material (used internally on some ducts) and certainly in acoustic silencers allow excess fibres to migrate into the system.  All of this is just the supply system.

Extract systems tend to be neglected as it is being sucked out of the building, but this gets contaminated with fibres, working materials, dead skin and many other types of contamination just from your office.

The following chart shows some of the problem bacteria and viruses associated with air conditioning that haven't had proper ventilation cleaning.

POSSIBLE RESULTS OF CONTAMINATED AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS:

 

This chart shows some of the problem bacteria and viruses associated with air conditioning systems.

WHILST IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE LIST BELOW TO BE FOUND IN SYSTEMS IN HARMFUL QUANTITIES IT IS IN FACT RARE.  HOWEVER, REGULAR CLEANING AND SANITISING WILL PREVENT THIS. 

SYMPTOMS

POSSIBILITIES

CAUSE TYPE

CATEGORY NAME

Hay Fever
Colds
Asthma type symptoms
Wheezing
Breathlessness
Runny Nose

 

Severe lung and ear infections.

 

Fungi.

 

Aspergillus
Cladosporium
Penicilium

Itchiness on skin with specific emphasis on genital area and mouth.

 

Severe skin and genital infections.

 

Fungi.

 

Rhodotorula
Candida

Itchiness
Sore Skin
Tendency to scratch

Dermatitis
Ring Worm
Scalp Infections

 

Fungi.

 

Trichophita
Microspora

Sore Throat
Eyes Watering
Itchiness

 

Eye and throat infections.

 

Bacteria.

 

Streptococcus

Tenderness around wounds.
Pain in kidney area and possible pain in passing urine.

Urinary tract infections.
Severe infections in open wounds.
Possibly fatal in minors.

 

Bacteria.

 

Proteous
Pseudomanas

Diarrhoea
Stomach Cramps
Dehydration

 

Gastro Enteritis.

 

Bacteria.

 

Coliform

Fever
Weakness
Severe Flu like symptoms

Pneumonia type infection, possibly fatal.

 

Bacteria.

Klebsiella
Pneumonia
Legionella

REMEMBER UNDER THE COSHH REGULATIONS YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND CLIENTS.