Sick Building Syndrome
In a commercial environment, it is extremely important for air delivery systems to be clean and efficient, delivering pure, clean air to everyone in the building. Studies have proven that indoor air can be several times more polluted than outdoor air. Poor air quality caused by issues with the building’s HVAC systems is frequently cited as a major contributor to sick building syndrome: a medical condition in which multiple occupants of the same building suffer from health problems, linked directly back to time spent within the building. Sick building syndrome can be caused by several things, including contaminants and poor building ventilation.
Value to its occupants
This means that duct cleaning and air purification services can be of tremendous value to a business and its staff, helping to improve workplace efficiency through the overall health of the workforce.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has increased the awareness of improving indoor air quality. It has brought into focus the spread of virus, bacteria and other pathogens in living and working spaces and the risk they pose for employees, workers, residents and consumers. In this situation, we cannot stress enough the importance of cleaning the ducts of air conditioning systems.
Duct Cleaning & Standards
Duct cleaning helps eliminate bacteria and particulate debris which form inside ducts over a period of time. Regular duct cleaning ensures that the occupants breathe clean and pollution-free air. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) and many other global associations recommends that the complete HVAC system should be cleaned to prevent re-contamination.
NADCA ACR 13 Standards The NADCA Standard for Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration of HVAC Systems is the internationally recognized industry standard for HVAC cleaning and restoration.
NADCA ACR 13 standards has five sections namely –
- Inspection
- Work Plans
- Engineering Controls
- Cleaning And Restoration Procedures
- Cleanliness, Verification And Documentation.
NADCA ACR 13 Standard provides practical, reliable and Industry-backed information for-
- Assessing new and existing HVAC systems.
- Evaluating & verifying the cleanliness of HVAC system components.
- Guiding the cleaning and restoration of HVAC systems to a specific level of cleanliness.
- Helps determine the need to clean.
- Helps you to have a clear scope of work.
- Provides protocols to protect the safety of building occupants & prevents cross contamination.
- Helps you understand proper cleaning procedures.
- Provide quantifiable methods for verifying cleanliness.
Determining need to clean
It is recommended that HVAC systems be cleaned when one or more of the following conditions exist in the HVAC system.
- Contaminated with an accumulation of particulate;
- Performance is compromised due to contamination build-up;
- Has been determined to be source of unacceptable odors;
- Discharging visible dirt or debris into the conditioned space;
- Has been contaminated as a result of fire, smoke or their byproducts;
- Has become contaminated with construction dust and/or other debris;
- Mold contamination conditions have reached Condition 2 or 3;
- Deterioration of fiber glass duct liner, duct board or other porous components.
New dynamics of IAQ
With the advent of the HVAC system, new IAQ dynamics was born and these lungs of the building had to be cleaned in a safe secure manner. Industry professional got together and formed an association and the first standards of HVAC Duct Cleaning were created.
The need for cleaning may arise when the HVAC system operation has resulted in the build-up of particulate and debris which may adversely impact the indoor environment and performance of the system. In such cases, the HVAC system will require cleaning activities beyond those performed in normal HVAC mechanical maintenance and servicing.
Standards safety seal at EPSCO India (Environmental Protection Service Company India Pvt. Ltd.)
EPSCO India is a certified member of NADCA. Thus, strict guidelines and standards set by NADCA are followed by us for all our services. Its Air System Cleaning Specialist (ASCS), certified by NADCA, renders efficient service every single time regardless of the complexity of the project. Its service technicians have immense knowledge of the tools and tackles.
EPSCO INDIA proudly adheres to and has evolved as a company by getting itself certified and regularly audited as per ISO 9000/14000/45000. These are tools to assist business and government to ensure the quality and processes of services, and to manage the impact of their activities on the environment. Having a documented quality procedure gives EPSCO INDIA a strong advantage over its competitors. For example, it guides to build quality and standardization of service and avoid costly after-the-fact inspections, warranty costs, and rework and legal liabilities. Our services are always carried out by professionals, with the right tools and training for the job as it is vital to ensure that HVAC systems are cleaned to a professional standard. We conduct IAQ audits of commercial and office buildings to discover levels of VOC, CO2, mold, bacteria, PM2.5, PM10 and other polluting components in the air and build a report highlighting solutions to reduce them to appropriate levels by adopting most appropriate solutions.
HVAC duct cleaning services from EPSCO INDIA carries in-house capabilities, knowledge and expertise as one of India’s largest air duct cleaning and HVAC cleaning company. Made up of professionally trained HVAC specialists, it utilizes advanced technology, industry-leading methods, and effective techniques, creating a customized cleaning plan for its prestigious clients.
Our specialists are trained and certified for all commercial duct cleaning needs, providing comprehensive indoor air quality and HVAC duct cleaning services, with the benefits as below:
Enhances the air quality,
Improves overall air circulation,
Removes unpleasant odors,
- Eliminates built-up contaminants,
- Extends the life of heating and cooling systems.
EPSCO INDIA team makes use of state of- the-art sensors and reporting software to identify pollution levels in the specified building / office premise by conducting walk through audit of the space and by capturing data of pollution causing substances in various part of the building.
We also possess capabilities to handle hazardous containment zones in cleaning process. We are trained and certified as per AHERA (USEPA), Niosh and Nibosh. We have handled large Asbestos, Lead and Mercury abatement jobs.
Our team are also equipped and trained to handle Flood and Fire Restoration jobs. We are equipped to do structural Drying of buildings and smoke damage restoration We are constantly upgrading our knowledge and technology to be the leaders of environmental restoration in region.
The way forward – EPSCO
In future, we intend to get in to soil remediation and water treatment too.
As we are already into IAQ audits and solutions, in line with the same we intend to soon launch an IOT project for indoor environment monitoring 24×7. This will help us provide better and timely solution to environmental restoration. Our key differentiator is that our qualified consultants and HVAC engineers with extensive experience of designing, operating, maintaining and optimizing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, with in-depth knowledge of indoor air quality best practices, testing, monitoring, analysis and improvement. We just not only identify which key parameters are outside of guidelines/best practice limits, but also determine the root cause and develop engineered solutions to rectify these, which significantly improves the IAQ and occupant satisfaction with the indoor environment.
Indoor Air Quality solutions specialize in getting to the root causes of any indoor air quality issue and has the experience to define a detailed and effective scope of work to mitigate any identified problems.
Good indoor air quality is an important component of a healthy indoor environment, which contributes to productivity, comfort, and a sense of health and well-being at the workplace.
Suhel Parker,
CEO – Environmental Protection Service Company (India) Pvt. Ltd.
