Ductwork cleaning - it’s easy to imagine that this is a simple task that could be taken on by anyone, saving the expense of calling in the experts. But with a multitude of nooks, crevices, corners, rises and falls, not to mention the parts of the ductwork which are normally inaccessible, your ductwork cleaning really does need to be done by professionals with the know-how, the experience and the tools for the job.
And without regular reminders it can be easy to forget how important your ductwork cleaning really is - especially because you can’t actually see the dirt building up inside them. But forgetting your ductwork cleaning can prove to be a disaster - one that could easily be prevented by hiring a ductwork cleaning company and tasking them with a regular ductwork cleaning schedule.
Ductwork Cleaning - What Could Go Wrong Without It?
A haven for dust and grime, all manner of nasties are attracted to your ductwork including a variety of airborne bacteria and mould. This can contribute to sick building syndrome, as well as attracting vermin and posing a serious fire risk.
Bio-aerosols, Germs and Bacteria
With millions of fungi and pollen spores floating in the air all around us, it comes as little surprise that ducts provide the perfect sanctuary to settle and grow. Out and about these would cause us little issue, but as they are sucked into ventilation systems, they join a multitude of different bacteria, some potentially harmful, settling within the layers of dust that stick to the insides of your ductwork. Carried into our air supply, these same fungi spores can cause asthma attacks, wheeziness, itchy or watery eyes, breathlessness and a blocked nose, as well as the possibility of ear and lung infections.
As well as minor viruses such as the common cold, your ducts may also play host to bacteria such as pneumonia, legionella and kiebsiella, causing fever, weakness and flu like symptoms, or even death. In more sensitive environments, such as hospitals and care homes this can be a particularly dangerous hazard, with superbugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C difficile) a disaster in the making.
This is backed up by studies by the Environmental Protection Agency, which have found that the air inside buildings can be as much as 70 times more polluted than the air outside. And by following a regular ductwork cleaning regime, many of these dangers can be kept in check.
Vermin
Attracted to warm, as well as the relatively peaceful and undisturbed atmosphere within ductwork, rats and mice can be a problem that can quickly get out of hand. Especially as they breed almost continuously throughout the year. And cockroaches find the same places a haven for nesting.
Rats and mice are reported to spread over 35 diseases worldwide, including salmonella, toxoplasmosis, Weil’s disease, encephalitis and worms. These diseases can be spread to us through their faeces , urine and saliva, as well as through direct bites, or via ticks, mites or fleas who have fed on a rodent. Cockroaches are a similar public health risk, spreading food poisoning, dysentery and diarrhoea.
Regular ductwork cleaning will ensure there is less potential for nesting sites, and regular interruptions make a less attractive place for vermin to stay.
Sick Building Syndrome
While the precise causes of sick building syndrome remain a mystery, it has been established that heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units are a contributing factor, circulating contaminants around buildings - especially if there is uneven or inadequate ventilation around the building environment. And if there are environmental changes affecting the air intake, for instance increased number of occupants, furniture moves, and internal structural updates, these can all play a role.
Common contaminants implicated in sick building syndrome include volatile organic compounds such as solvents, printed material, paints and the like, dust and fibres, bio-aerosols such as bacteria, fungi, moulds and the like, as well as trapped vehicle and industrial exhaust fumes, carbon dioxide, cleaning agents, pesticides and building materials.
While an inadequate HVAC system as a whole may be a contributing factor to sick building syndrome, regular ductwork cleaning will reduce many of these contaminants.
Fire
The grease and grime within your air ducts, especially in the case of those within a commercial kitchen, can cause another disaster with potentially fatal consequences. Just one small spark could cause a fire that could easily spread through your ducts and throughout your premises.
Regular ductwork cleaning will ensure that your ducts are as clear as possible, meeting your legal obligations, as well as making sure that your insurance is valid.
Ductwork Cleaning - Your Legal Obligation
It is for these reasons of health and safety that regular ductwork cleaning is, in fact, a legal requirement. Meeting these legal requirements can be made easy, however, by using a professional ductwork cleaning company, that can help you to understand exactly when your ductwork cleaning needs doing, and arranging a cleaning schedule.
As well as being a legal obligation, keeping your ductwork cleaning up to date can also help with your overall workplace productivity, helping you to maintain a healthy and happy workforce.
Ductwork Cleaning with Ingot Services
Ingot Services are your professional ductwork cleaning company with over 25 years of experience in the industry. We have clients throughout the UK and from the whole range of industries - from Michelin star restaurants to pubs and cafes, from local authorities to schools and hospitals.
We are fully qualified, HVCA registered, and we are also members of the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme and a Safe Contractor Registered firm, giving you the assurance that our ductwork cleaning work meets your legal obligations. And with our price guarantee, you can be sure that our quote won’t be beaten and we promise to hold that quoted price for three years.
To find out more about ductwork cleaning from Ingot Services, or to book a no obligation quote call today on 0800 731 7892.
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Thursday, 20 September 2012
News for September 2012
We have been kept very busy over the summer months deep cleaning kitchens and grease extract systems. However it all hasn't been work, company MD Alan Maynard attended the CBI regional dinner last week at RAF Duxford as the guest of BT's East of England Director Dave Hughes. A good time was had by all!
We are also pleased to continue supporting Ipswich Rugby Club who made an excellent start to the season by beating Braintree RFC 32 - 3 at home. Alan has also taken on the role as match reporter; for full report click here.
We are still looking to take on more people as we continue to expand, if you are interested please contact the office on 0800 731 7892.
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Was Inadequate Ductwork Cleaning Behind Local Restaurant Fire?
In any commercial kitchen, general deep cleaning, including ductwork cleaning, can be a great help in minimising the risk of fire.
The grease and grime associated with cooking is simple to clean from visible surfaces, but over time it can build up in corners, nooks and crevices, as well as in your ductwork, allowing dirt, dust and harmful bacteria to accumulate. Without regular kitchen and ductwork cleaning this could be a health and safety risk for your workforce and your customers for many reasons, including fire.
The devastation that a kitchen fire can cause was brought firmly into focus for the Strada restaurant in grade 1 listed building, Cupola House, Bury St Edmunds recently. While the exact cause of the blaze has not yet been confirmed, and it could easily be nothing to do with ductwork or cleaning, it did initiate in the kitchens and from there quickly spread to the roof and throughout the five storey building.
The irretrievable damage to the restaurant, the iconic building, and the continuing cost to the surrounding businesses is a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining best practice when it comes to keeping a regular routine in kitchen and ductwork cleaning to moderate the risk of fire.
Also significant to a good kitchen and ductwork cleaning practice is choosing a properly qualified kitchen and ductwork cleaning company, recognised by the HVCA. This is a legal requirement and, equally important to your business continuity, they will also provide the correct paperwork to ensure that your insurance requirements are met, meaning that in the event of a fire, you are best placed to be covered for recovering from the fire, including business interruption, and liability.
Ingot Services - Your Local Ductwork Cleaning Company
Ingot Services, based in Ipswich, have clients throughout the UK, and across the whole spectrum of industries, including Michelin star restaurants, pubs and cafes, as well as local authorities, schools, care homes, offices, and many more. From deep kitchen cleans, including extracts and equipment, as well as ductwork cleaning we offer all of our customers the finest quality service across the range.
And as well as the assurance of knowing that you are dealing with fully qualified HVCA registered professionals with over 25 years of experience, we guarantee that we won’t be beaten on price, plus we promise to hold our quoted price for three years.
Ductwork Cleaning - Call Ingot Services to book a no obligation consultation for your specialist kitchen and ductwork cleaning today on 0800 731 7892.
The grease and grime associated with cooking is simple to clean from visible surfaces, but over time it can build up in corners, nooks and crevices, as well as in your ductwork, allowing dirt, dust and harmful bacteria to accumulate. Without regular kitchen and ductwork cleaning this could be a health and safety risk for your workforce and your customers for many reasons, including fire.
The devastation that a kitchen fire can cause was brought firmly into focus for the Strada restaurant in grade 1 listed building, Cupola House, Bury St Edmunds recently. While the exact cause of the blaze has not yet been confirmed, and it could easily be nothing to do with ductwork or cleaning, it did initiate in the kitchens and from there quickly spread to the roof and throughout the five storey building.
The irretrievable damage to the restaurant, the iconic building, and the continuing cost to the surrounding businesses is a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining best practice when it comes to keeping a regular routine in kitchen and ductwork cleaning to moderate the risk of fire.
Also significant to a good kitchen and ductwork cleaning practice is choosing a properly qualified kitchen and ductwork cleaning company, recognised by the HVCA. This is a legal requirement and, equally important to your business continuity, they will also provide the correct paperwork to ensure that your insurance requirements are met, meaning that in the event of a fire, you are best placed to be covered for recovering from the fire, including business interruption, and liability.
Ingot Services - Your Local Ductwork Cleaning Company
Ingot Services, based in Ipswich, have clients throughout the UK, and across the whole spectrum of industries, including Michelin star restaurants, pubs and cafes, as well as local authorities, schools, care homes, offices, and many more. From deep kitchen cleans, including extracts and equipment, as well as ductwork cleaning we offer all of our customers the finest quality service across the range.
And as well as the assurance of knowing that you are dealing with fully qualified HVCA registered professionals with over 25 years of experience, we guarantee that we won’t be beaten on price, plus we promise to hold our quoted price for three years.
Ductwork Cleaning - Call Ingot Services to book a no obligation consultation for your specialist kitchen and ductwork cleaning today on 0800 731 7892.
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Regular Ductwork Cleaning Helps Banish Circulating Workplace Odours
Having your ductwork cleaning done regularly is a legal requirement for health and safety reasons, but regular ductwork cleaning is also important to minimise unpleasant odours in your kitchen, school, care home or office.
Due to the construction and location of ductwork - usually in dark, sometime damp and confined spaces - all manner of bad odours can emanate from them, including dust, mould, drains and dead animals.
How Inadequate Ductwork Cleaning Can Cause Bad Odours
So what sort of odours can make our ductwork unpleasant and how can we tell what they are? Here are a few examples of the causes of odours, how they may smell and what you can do about them.
Dead animal smells - in the unfortunate event that an animal finds its way into your ductwork and dies, it can cause an unpleasant odour that could range from a vaguely offensive stench through to a sickly sweet smell. It may even smell similar to the reek of a sewer. If there is a dead animal in your ducts, an extra clean to your ductwork cleaning schedule will be needed. At the same time, a thorough inspection of your ductwork will help to identify where an animal may have entered the ductwork system and any corrective action that may be needed.
Other animal smells - if there is, or has been, an animal resident in your premises, hair or dander (dead skin cells) could be building up in your ductwork. This can give rise to smells, especially if damp and/or warm air flows through the ducts. Regular ductwork cleaning will help to prevent animal hair or dander building up to a level where odours can occur.
Mould smells - with the build up of dust and debris in your ductwork, mould can start to settle and grow - especially in warm damp conditions. Regular ductwork cleaning should help to keep this issue to a minimum.
Burning smells - these may indicate an issue with the mechanics of your heating, ventilation or air conditioning system. A heating technician should be consulted immediately in this case. Alternatively it can indicate that debris within the ductwork is being exposed to high temperatures and potentially poses a fire risk - an eventuality which is unlikely to arise if ductwork cleaning is carried out regularly. An immediate inspection of the ductwork and, if necessary, ductwork cleaning should be carried out.
Other smells - if you smell drains, oil, paint or other odours with sources from other systems in your premises, you may need to have your ductwork system inspected to ensure that return air vents are not situated too close to these sources.
More Than Just a Bad Smell
It’s not just the fact that the air that is being pumped around your workplace is tainted with a nasty smell, many of these odours, even the less scary sounding ones, have health and safety implications. Mould and bacteria left to multiply in ductwork can cause serious diseases. And when it comes to Carbon Monoxide, or even a burning smell that is ignored, the consequences could be deadly.
It is for these reasons that you are legally obliged to have your ductwork cleaning carried out regularly. It is also a legal requirement that it should be done by a fully qualified company, recognised by the HVCA. Even if the odour that you can smell comes and goes, it is important to have your ductwork cleaning done, to deal with the underlying problem.
Why Choose Ingot Services for Your Ductwork Cleaning
When you choose Ingot Services for your ductwork cleaning you can rest assured that your ductwork will be cleaned thoroughly and that all sources of smell will be wiped away.
Fully HVCA registered, we are also a member of the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme and a Safe Contractor Registered firm, giving you the assurance that our ductwork cleaning work meets your legal obligations. And with over 25 years’ experience we have an enviable reputation for high quality work and exemplary customer service from each of our fully qualified, insured engineers.
Clients throughout the UK and from a full range of industries enjoy working with Ingot Services, so whether you are a local authority, a school or care home, an office, a Michelin Star restaurant or a pub or café we are the experts to carry out your ductwork cleaning quickly, efficiently and legally.
Ductwork Cleaning - Find out more about eradicating smells with ductwork cleaning from Ingot Services or call to book a no obligation consultation today on 0800 731 7892.
Due to the construction and location of ductwork - usually in dark, sometime damp and confined spaces - all manner of bad odours can emanate from them, including dust, mould, drains and dead animals.
How Inadequate Ductwork Cleaning Can Cause Bad Odours
So what sort of odours can make our ductwork unpleasant and how can we tell what they are? Here are a few examples of the causes of odours, how they may smell and what you can do about them.
Dead animal smells - in the unfortunate event that an animal finds its way into your ductwork and dies, it can cause an unpleasant odour that could range from a vaguely offensive stench through to a sickly sweet smell. It may even smell similar to the reek of a sewer. If there is a dead animal in your ducts, an extra clean to your ductwork cleaning schedule will be needed. At the same time, a thorough inspection of your ductwork will help to identify where an animal may have entered the ductwork system and any corrective action that may be needed.
Other animal smells - if there is, or has been, an animal resident in your premises, hair or dander (dead skin cells) could be building up in your ductwork. This can give rise to smells, especially if damp and/or warm air flows through the ducts. Regular ductwork cleaning will help to prevent animal hair or dander building up to a level where odours can occur.
Mould smells - with the build up of dust and debris in your ductwork, mould can start to settle and grow - especially in warm damp conditions. Regular ductwork cleaning should help to keep this issue to a minimum.
Burning smells - these may indicate an issue with the mechanics of your heating, ventilation or air conditioning system. A heating technician should be consulted immediately in this case. Alternatively it can indicate that debris within the ductwork is being exposed to high temperatures and potentially poses a fire risk - an eventuality which is unlikely to arise if ductwork cleaning is carried out regularly. An immediate inspection of the ductwork and, if necessary, ductwork cleaning should be carried out.
Other smells - if you smell drains, oil, paint or other odours with sources from other systems in your premises, you may need to have your ductwork system inspected to ensure that return air vents are not situated too close to these sources.
More Than Just a Bad Smell
It’s not just the fact that the air that is being pumped around your workplace is tainted with a nasty smell, many of these odours, even the less scary sounding ones, have health and safety implications. Mould and bacteria left to multiply in ductwork can cause serious diseases. And when it comes to Carbon Monoxide, or even a burning smell that is ignored, the consequences could be deadly.
It is for these reasons that you are legally obliged to have your ductwork cleaning carried out regularly. It is also a legal requirement that it should be done by a fully qualified company, recognised by the HVCA. Even if the odour that you can smell comes and goes, it is important to have your ductwork cleaning done, to deal with the underlying problem.
Why Choose Ingot Services for Your Ductwork Cleaning
When you choose Ingot Services for your ductwork cleaning you can rest assured that your ductwork will be cleaned thoroughly and that all sources of smell will be wiped away.
Fully HVCA registered, we are also a member of the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme and a Safe Contractor Registered firm, giving you the assurance that our ductwork cleaning work meets your legal obligations. And with over 25 years’ experience we have an enviable reputation for high quality work and exemplary customer service from each of our fully qualified, insured engineers.
Clients throughout the UK and from a full range of industries enjoy working with Ingot Services, so whether you are a local authority, a school or care home, an office, a Michelin Star restaurant or a pub or café we are the experts to carry out your ductwork cleaning quickly, efficiently and legally.
Ductwork Cleaning - Find out more about eradicating smells with ductwork cleaning from Ingot Services or call to book a no obligation consultation today on 0800 731 7892.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Ingot Supports Ipswich Rugby Club
For a number of years now we have supported Ipswich Rugby Club through sponsorship. Our involvement has included deep cleaning their club kitchen, sponsoring specific matches to producing their club e-newsletter In Touch. We are very excited about the First XV's prospects for 2012/2013 season which kicks of on Sunday with a pre-season friendly against the boys from HMS Protector.
www.ipswichrugby.com.
www.ipswichrugby.com.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
At Ingot Services we are only busy deep cleaning commercial kitchens we are also proud to sponsor Suffolk based charity Out and About. Out and About enables disabled children and young people to have fun and enjoy their leisure activity- the ordinary everyday things that all young people want to enjoy. Specifically we support their live skills courses that they run over school holidays.
To find out more about this worthwhile organistion visit http://www.oaa.co.uk/.
To find out more about this worthwhile organistion visit http://www.oaa.co.uk/.
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