Preventing illness due to polluted air
Preventing absence through illness due to polluted air
Make sure your HVAC system is cleaned on time
– by Jaco Heinen, 3 August 2016
Health and wellbeing are extremely important to ship owners and their personnel, who are no longer satisfied with poorly air-conditioned cabins. People expect proper temperature and humidity levels as well as a good air quality. While the use of filters can help keep the air clean, the ducts become polluted over time. This is unacceptable at a time when we are increasingly focused on (healthy) daily living conditions.
How does air become polluted?
To save energy, air is recycled many times in accommodations. The disadvantage is that the same air passes through the same distribution system up to 100 times. As a result, dirt and other micro-biological substances remain in HVAC systems and allow germs to develop into complete colonies. Although this won’t be noticeable in the early stages, over time it will lead to health complaints and an increase in absence through illness.
How can we ensure air remains clean?
In addition to regular inspections and replacement of the air filters, the HVAC system should be regularly cleaned. This is a relatively simple task for specialised companies. The cleaning activities involve the thorough cleaning of the air handling units, inlets and recirculation ducts, followed by disinfection. Once cleaned the system will be as good as new! An additional benefit is that cleaning can result in energy savings of up to 30 per cent! Moreover, the air ducts are reconditioned to prepare them for many more years of intensive use.
“Cleaning can result in energy savings of up to 30 per cent!”
How do I know when the HVAC system needs cleaning?
Normally we advise our clients to clean air ducts at least once every five years. By performing visual inspections, Dust Deposit Tests (DDT) or bacterial research we can determine whether the HVAC system needs to be thoroughly cleaned at an earlier or later date.
Jaco Heinen | Service & Maintenance Manager
Jaco Heinen has been working at Heinen & Hopman for over eight years. He became the Service & Maintenance manager four years ago and manages the service contracts for maritime HVAC installations worldwide.