Air Conditioning Ductwork Cleaning – Summer Prep

Summer is Here – But is Your Air Conditioning Ductwork Ready?

As the weather steadily gets warmer across the UK, restaurants, hotels, pubs and leisure businesses of all kinds are in full swing for the summer season. Extra staff are on standby, ice machines have been switched on, and outside dining areas set up – but have you given a thought to arranging air conditioning ductwork cleaning?

If you run a pub, restaurant or other leisure business then your air conditioning is now an expected and essential facility. With air conditioning now commonplace in most workplaces and public buildings, including supermarkets, retail stores, shopping malls, leisure centres and so on, the public now expect restaurants and pubs to be kept at a comfortable temperature no matter how hot it may be outside. In fact, many people will seek out air conditioned environments to escape the heat of their own homes.

But air conditioning does more than just keep your employees and customers cool and comfortable – it also maintains air quality, filtering out impurities of all kinds including excess moisture, dirt, dust, pollen, fungal spores and other microorganisms.

As air is drawn through ductwork, some of these impurities inevitably accumulate on the surface of the ducts, providing a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and mould. Without regular air conditioning ductwork cleaning this build-up can reach dangerous levels, potentially affecting the quality of air being provided to your customers. In mild cases this can affect comfort – especially those with asthma and allergies. But in more extreme cases, dirty ductwork can cause serious infection. Where dust, fibres or other debris accumulate to high levels, it can also pose a significant fire hazard.

All ventilation ductwork is required to be cleaned at least every 2 years to avoid these problems, and needs to be carried out by an approved cleaning contractor. However there are other reasons for ensuring regular air conditioning ductwork cleaning:

Performance – Clogged up ductwork, fans and filters will prevent the air conditioning functioning properly. As well as not giving the cooling effect and air quality you need, you will probably find yourself continually turning up the power to maximum, with a knock-on effect on your electricity bill.

Health – Dirty ducts, filters and fans can be a breeding ground for bacteria and mould of all kinds – so your air conditioning system could end up sending these unwanted particles into your premises for your employees and customers to breathe in.

Odours – As well as keeping air cool and clean, air conditioning has a big role to play in taking away unpleasant odours, particularly food and cooking smells which can be off-putting to customers. Keeping ductwork and filters clean helps to keep your premises smelling fresh, creating an attractive atmosphere for your clientele.

Our Air Conditioning Ductwork Cleaning and Inspection Service

If you've recently taken over a new premises you are immediately responsible for the state of the ductwork, no matter what condition it was left in by the previous owner. We can arrange to inspect your ductwork and let you know how soon a clean is likely to be required.

Inspections are also useful if you are not sure how frequently you need to have ductwork cleaned. Combining air conditioning ductwork cleaning with inspections you can, over time, find out the right frequency of cleaning for your premises.

Ingot Services provide expert cleaning services for industrial ductwork of all kinds including kitchen extracts and air conditioning ductwork. Our cleaning service can be arranged to suit your business, avoiding busy times – and can even be carried out at night if required.

Air Conditioning Ductwork Cleaning – Call us today  on 0800 731 7892 to arrange cleaning for your business premises.

Air Duct Cleaning – Air Conditioning Duct Cleaning – All about Sick Building Syndrome

What is Sick Building Syndrome and What Causes it?

One of the many reasons for regular air duct cleaning in the workplace is that it helps to keep your staff and customers healthy. In particular, taking this precaution is a way to combat sick building syndrome.

This is a genuine condition, recognised by doctors, where people can become ill if they spend a lot of time in a building, usually a place of work. The syndrome usually occurs in buildings with many people working in close proximity and little access to outside air, because of windows being kept closed. It can occur everywhere from office blocks to hospitals. 

Recent studies estimate absenteeism and loss of production cost UK industry around £500 million a year. Public concern over this has risen during the last decade, and there has been increasing education over how to avoid workplace illness. Managers are responsible for healthy indoor air and other factors affecting the health of their employees at work, as stated in Health and Safety at work regulations and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations.

Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome

The most common symptom among people suffering from sick building syndrome is fatigue, which can make it hard to concentrate. Other symptoms include eye problems and nose and throat irritation. Sufferers might also suffer from aches and pains, nausea, dizziness and headaches, as well as dry skin.  

These symptoms could also be caused by other factors, such as viruses. However, if a number of colleagues notice the same problems, then sick building syndrome might be the cause. Official NHS advice is to raise the issue with a health and safety representative, and the employer then has a duty to look into the problem.

The Causes of Sick Building Syndrome

There are believed to be various causes of sick building syndrome, but among them is inadequate ventilation, with not enough outside air coming in. Dirty air conditioning units, contaminated duct work and filters which need replacing are also implicated. The Health and Safety Executive advises employers to carry out a survey of staff and examine the cleanliness of the whole building, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. 

If you discover that there is a build-up of grease and dirt in air conditioning systems, or that filters need replacing, contact an air duct cleaning specialist and arrange for your system to be cleaned. Also check the schedule you have for ventilation duct cleaning is suitable, as you might need to up its frequency. 

How to Prevent Sick Building Syndrome

Sick building syndrome obviously affects individuals in the workplace, but it also affects businesses, with staff taking days off sick and resulting loss of production. It could even lead to people leaving their jobs because of the bad conditions, and make it harder to recruit replacements.

For all these reasons, businesses must work to prevent sick building syndrome, and one of the easiest ways to do this is to schedule regular air duct cleaning. Ingot can help to draw up a schedule that is right for your organisation. Effective ductwork cleaning will help both the workforce and the employer, improving health and helping productivity. Our nationwide service is available in areas including Ipswich and Suffolk, Norwich and Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bristol and London.  

Ingot Services  – Follow the link for more information or call 0800 731 7892.