Modern-day lifestyles show that most people spend between 60% and 90% of our daily lives inside much of which is in a work environment. As a result, high-functioning, commercial air filtration systems have soared in popularity worldwide, especially as the global air quality continues to decline. In warmer climates, air conditioning is a requirement for residential homes.
Most states in the United States have laws that require certain provisions be met to ensure the quality of the air inside industrial buildings in order to protect the health and well-being of their employees. But as the popularity of these heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) type systems rise commercially, so does the recognition of public health problems associated with microbial pollutants created by these air filtration systems. You may have heard of something called “sick-building syndrome” in the media, and this is a problem directly linked to microbial growth in your HVAC system.
Microbial growth in your HVAC system can not only reduce energy efficiency, but it can also contaminate the air in your building which can lead to unsafe air for your occupants to breathe in. This is risk is particularly prevalent in hot and humid areas, but it truly can occur in buildings anywhere. Inside a typical HVAC system, it is often cold, dark, and wet – a perfect environment for mold and other microbial organisms to grow.
How you clean and maintain your evaporator coils, and even the filter you use can affect the spread of bacteria, viruses, mildew, and mold in your HVAC system. Here are some tips to help eliminate or prevent microbial growth in your industrial air filtration system.
Clean Your Coils, Clean Your System
It is essential to schedule and perform routine preventative maintenance for your HVAC system. When it comes to dealing with microbial growth, it is much easier to prevent it than it is to deal with it once it exists. This type of microbial growth greatly reduces the air quality, especially when it grows downstream of the filters. Any of this particulate matter that grows downstream of a filter is released back into the air flow and becomes part of what you and your occupants breathe in on a daily basis. This is a recipe for sick people and legal liability.
Cleaning your coils is also essential for keeping the system operating at peak performance. The heat transfer across your cooling coils is critical for energy efficiency. When microbial growth occurs, you end up with a very hazardous material known as biofilm. Biofilm is tough to clean and requires very special processes to eliminate it, such as UV light baths and proprietary probiotic surfactant cleaning solutions.
One of the easiest steps to preventing microbial growth and biofilm buildup is simple: clean coils regularly and replace your filters at the first sign of inefficiency. It is suggested that you clean your coils at least once a year, but for optimal function we suggest cleaning them every three months. One easy method is to hire a steam cleaning service as it effectively uses heat to kill growth on the evaporator coils.
Another important factor to remember is the drain pan under the coils. Condensation and runoff collect under the unit and need to be drained out of the system. If there is any standing water or residue, it needs to be treated immediately. HVAC pan tablets can be applied based on the tonnage of the unit to prevent algae or other organisms from growing in this area. Without proper treatment, the drain pan can become clogged—potentially leading to spillage that can damage your system and cause microbial growth to spread.
Another good way to kill mold and other contaminants (and prevent them from returning) is to install ultraviolet lights over the coils in your HVAC system. UVC light kills bacteria, viruses, mildew, mold, and other harmful organisms. If mold, mildew, biofilm or other microbial growth does occur despite your best efforts, seek out a service that can provide a probiotic surfactant cleaning solution.
Don’t Let Your Filters Provide Food for Bacteria
We have discussed in depth the importance of maintaining your coils in the cooling part of your HVAC system, but that is only one half of the cleanliness battle. The other half of the battle centers around the quality and maintenance of your air filters at all stages of the filtration process. It is a common misconception that you can simply clean your filters and pop them back into place and have everything run hunky dory.
While some filter manufacturers tout products that can be cleaned, it has been found that most cleaning simply reintroduces the trapped particle matter back into the air flow. Therefore, it is always advised to change your filters rather than attempt to clean them. Changing your filters on a regular basis is important for maintaining high air quality, but when microbial growth is an issue, you also need to consider the type of filters you use.
Many common disposable filters end up becoming food for mold and bacteria because of the materials they’re made with. For example, cotton-blend filters in cardboard frames are very common. Unfortunately, both the filter material and the frames provide sources of food, which can enable rapid microbial growth. Because of this it is advised to seek out commercial air filters that are made of a non-shedding media and have a housing that is sturdy and made of plastic to help prevent the buildup of microbial growth.
If you are looking for a more permanent solution, look for frames made of galvanized stainless steel, with synthetic filter media placed inside. This helps prevent growth because microbial organisms cannot feed on these materials. These frame systems should have filters with zero gaps in them which helps eliminate air bypass and improve air quality.
Best of all, this approach can also deliver savings on materials and labor, compared to traditional disposable filters. There may not be one right answer for everyone, but it is strongly advised you speak with your air filtration expert in order to assess your needs and get the filter that is right for you and your building.
