Keeping a Clean HVAC System: Practical Advice for Powerful Benefits
in Green Buildings & Green Technology, HVAC
In this post we’ll let other people do all of the talking (with some judicious summarizing by us) as we present boiled-down, connect-the-dots versions of three articles by people who talk about the methods and benefits of HVAC system cleaning.
Notice how each writer overlaps with the others by hitting many of the same points, while also going in his/her own direction. This must mean they’re onto something. . .
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BENEFITS OF HVAC SYSTEM CLEANINGContent Caboodle, Undated
CONDENSED VERSION:
- Cleaning removes harmful pollutants from indoor air, making it better for overall health.
- Cleaning lets the system run more efficiently, reducing energy usage and therefore cost. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a dirty HVAC system, especially the coils and filters, can increase overall building energy usage by 30 percent.
- Cleaning the HVAC system, especially the ducts, helps keep the rest of the building cleaner than it would otherwise be.
- A dirty HVAC system is a haven for microbial contamination, which contributes to respiratory illnesses for the buildings occupants.
- Cleaning the HVAC system can establish a baseline for IAQ monitoring.
- The National Air Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA) recommends inspecting and cleaning the handling unit annually and the ductwork at least once every two years.
- The costs of hiring professionals to clean your HVAC system are easily recouped by long-term savings.
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NUMEROUS BENEFITS BLOW THROUGH CLEAN HVAC SYSTEMSby Rick Crickenberger, Former President of NADCA Contracting Profits, October 2003
CONDENSED VERSION:
- Cleaning the HVAC system cuts down on indoor air pollution and thereby promotes the occupants’ health.
- Clean HVAC systems save money by allowing the systems to perform more efficiently, which decreases energy costs. Clean systems also last longer with their well-maintained mechanical components, thus reducing money spent on repairs and replacements.
- A properly trained and certified HVAC professional should inspect the system prior to cleaning in order to determine whether it needs to be cleaned, to look for degradation of key system components, and to gather data that the facility manager can then use for establishing benchmarks for system cleanliness and maintenance practices.
- Using the right cleaning method(s) is crucial. Various factors, such as climate and the type of ductwork, factor into the decision about which method(s) to use (e.g., high-humidity regions have more instances of microbial contamination, which require more aggressive cleaning techniques). Choosing the right cleaning technique has a direct impact on the success of the job.
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CLEAN HVAC SYSTEM COILS SAVE ENERGY Dirty coils force compressors to run longer and work harder than required, increasing energy usage and utility costsBuildings magazine, April 1, 2009
CONDENSED VERSION:
- The EPA, DOE, utilities companies, and other experts all agree: dirty evaporator and condenser coils can significantly increase energy usage and therefore utility bills, perhaps by as much as 30 percent.
- Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) suggests an annual coil cleaning for its commercial customers, saying, “Once the system has been properly charged with refrigerant and has good airflow across the indoor coil, and assuming there is no damage to the duct system, only basic service, such as changing filters and cleaning the outdoor unit annually, should be needed to maintain the system operation at peak performance levels.”
- Cleaning is particularly important at the two places where heat exchange occurs in an HVAC system running in “cool” mode — the condensing unit coils and evaporator coils — since foreign material can build up and act as an insulator that inhibits airflow, thus interfering with heat transfer between coil and air.
- Keeping the system clean heads off the many problems associated with servicing dirty systems, such as misdiagnosis of problems, the conducting of unnecessary repairs, and premature system failure due to overcharging it.
- It isn’t just old systems that need regular cleaning. In fact, the new high-efficiency HVAC systems benefit even more from regular coil inspection and cleaning since they require more heat transfer across larger coils to operate at optimum capacity.
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