Air Duct Cleaning for Healthcare Facilities

Hospitals are busy places, which makes it essential to keep them clean and safe for everyone inside. Especially patients with low immunity. They are thoroughly cleaned to minimize the risk of infection and contamination. Despite this, 1.7 million people are infected in hospitals because air duct cleaning has been neglected.

Hospitals have vulnerable patients, so it is vital that the ventilation system is clean and does not spread dust, debris, and germs, which cause hospital-acquired infections. To achieve this, hospitals are required to conduct HVAC system inspections every year, according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). They are also expected to clean their ducts every one to two years.

Here are the reasons why air duct cleaning for healthcare facilities is important.

1. Promotes Better Health

A hospital's air conveyance system pushes air through its ducts. This inevitable exchange of air in and out of the hospital causes a build-up of contaminants in the duct system. Debris like human skin cells, hair, linen, and dust inside ducts provide food sources for bacteria to proliferate. These bacteria can cause several infections.

Air Duct Cleaning for hospitals is therefore vital as it eliminates bacteria and ensures that they do not spread throughout the hospital. Furthermore, it protects susceptible patients from contamination by others. 

2. Improves Indoor Air Quality and Airflow

Hospitals are places where many sick and injured people are gathered. In this environment, viruses and bacteria are easily airborne. Other factors such as the smell of waste products or washrooms, also affect hospitals' air quality. This can cause more infections or discomfort in patients.

Clean and well-maintained ductwork contributes greatly to clean and quality air. This can lower a patients' risk of infection as well as worker absenteeism and improves productivity. However, a NADCA-certified HVAC technician should follow a strict procedure while cleaning to ensure that contaminants do not escape during the cleaning process. 

3. Improves Cleanliness Throughout the Hospital

Keeping hospitals clean is important now more than ever. Studies show that micro-droplets of water suspended in washrooms while flushing toilets and urinals can transmit the COVID-19 virus. This virus is easily transmitted via HVAC systems. It is therefore essential to maintain the air quality in hospitals through air duct cleaning. This improves overall hygiene and reduces the risk of infection.

In addition, hospitals are usually located in urban or suburban areas with high pollution rates. Contaminated air can easily find its way into the hospital and has numerous side effects like asthma. Pollutants and contaminants lining the ducts also lead to other health issues. Regular air duct cleaning improves the hospital's cleanliness and reduces the risk of dirt-related diseases.

4. Reduces Allergic Reactions

"If you are sensitive to what's found in dust, it's to your best advantage to minimize exposure to it." Says allergist Anthony Montanaro on OHSU News. 

Many things, such as dust, pollen, or fur, trigger allergic reactions. The reactions range from mild to life-threatening. For patients, even the tiniest of reactions is hazardous. 

When HVAC blows air through contaminated ducts, you end up with airborne dust and dust mites. Regular cleaning of air ducts in hospitals eliminates such allergens thereby reducing risk for patients. 

5. Maintains Comfortable Temperature

Medical equipment in hospitals and healthcare facilities are sensitive to temperature and humidity levels. They need perfect air control to function properly.

A dirty and clogged duct prevents cool and fresh air from circulating in the hospital, causing medical equipment failure.

During winter, patients and staff have to keep the hospital's windows closed to preserve heat and regulate temperatures. This increases the risk of cross-contamination between patients as there is a limited supply of fresh air and more dependence on ventilation systems to recycle clean air.

Therefore, a clean duct is essential during such times as it serves as the only way of regulating heat, temperature and providing fresh air. 

6. Reduces Operation and Repair Costs 

Various contaminants including fungus, bacteria, viruses, and dust accumulate in a hospitals' air ductwork and HVAC equipment. Moving air blows these contaminants into patients' rooms and other critical areas of the hospital, such as operating rooms.

Dirt, dust, and linen fibers choke a hospital's HVAC system. A dirty HVAC system corrodes mechanical components and is costly to repair and replace. It also decreases energy efficiency because more energy is used for heating and cooling.

Proper cleaning of an air duct system greatly reduces the accumulation of dirt in hospital equipment consequently reducing operational costs and repairs.

7. Removes Unpleasant Odors and Smells

Dirty air ducts are capable of harboring odors and circulating unpleasant smells in the entire hospital. Such smells are mostly attributed to bacteria, mold, vermin, or food preparation. Bad odor can cause discomfort and triggers allergic reactions in patients.

Thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the air duct system is very effective at combating bad odor.

8. Reduces Mold and Mildew Throughout the Hospital

Moisture in ducts leads to mold and mildew. They are members of the fungi family and reproduce in large quantities if not addressed. 

Mold spores, along with bacteria and other contaminants, contribute to deadly hospital-acquired infections (HAI), referred to as nosocomial infections. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 1.7 million nosocomial infections occur each year, with nearly 99,000 associated deaths. Moreover, mold has a musty smell that causes respiratory problems if not eradicated from the ductwork system. 

Regular air duct cleaning for hospitals removes mold and any form of fungi that causes infections. However, mold remediation in HVAC systems can be challenging since the spores spread easily throughout the hospital. It is therefore recommended that hospitals use air duct cleaning specialists to clean ducts.

Choose a Specialist 

At HVAC Cleaning Technologies, we provide a thorough hospital air duct cleaning while coordinating with very little disruption to hospital patients or staff. We are situated in Cumming, Georgia and can reach any neighboring town.

For more information, contact us, and we will be more than willing to assist.