When it comes to indoor air quality affecting your business or facility, sometimes perception can be worse than reality. Ever go to a nice restaurant and see a dusty ceiling air supply vent and think, “This place is dirty?” Even if the food was great, the dishes were clean and the glassware was spotless, we are conditioned to be afraid of anything that remotely looks like dust or mold coming out of an air vent. It is not without reason. From a health standpoint, we cannot be 100% certain of the effects of dirty vents and ducts on our indoor air quality and therefore, our health. If you are a business owner, building owner or a facility manager, you need to consider the cleanliness and maintenance of your vents and ducts. In this two part post, we will explore common perceptions and realities surrounding the issues of cleaning the vents and ducts in your commercial facility.

 

Do My Ducts Need to Be Cleaned?

It is important to understand that proper maintenance is necessary to remove biological contaminants from your HVAC system, since they can cause illness and reduce efficiency. One of the most important and often overlooked ways to accomplish this is through routine cleaning of ducts as well as vents in an HVAC system. The key to success is knowing what to do and choosing the best HVAC cleaning service company that has the qualifications and training necessary to perform vent and duct cleanings efficiently and flawlessly. The right duct cleaning contractor will give you an honest assessment of your ductwork and a fair price to properly clean it.

 

Perception is Often Reality

In the above example I ask the question: “Is a restaurant with dirty air vents, actually dirty?” The truth about how good or bad the indoor air quality is in a restaurant with dirty vents is not an easy or straightforward determination to make; however, your customer’s perception trumps all that actual data anyway. To put it simply: If your vents and ducts are dirty to the point that they are making people sick, it is truly bad for business. If your customers or tenants even suspect that they may be getting sick from your vents and ducts, it is just as bad for business. It is naive to assume that people that frequent your facility will not take notice of visible dirt, dust and mold surrounding the intakes and vents of your HVAC system. These could be customers that may choose not to return to your business, tenants that may complain to OSHA or employees that may refuse to come to work. The moral of the story: Keeping your vents and ducts clean as part of your regular maintenance schedule is one more way to keep your customer’s confidence in your facility running high.

 

Need Help Today?

If your ducts and vents are in need of cleaning and you would like a free estimate, or if you have any questions about the process of cleaning your vents and ducts, please do not hesitate to contact us at 604-266-5006.