Do you regularly consider the air you breathe? It’s well-known that clean air makes people healthier whether they are living, working, or otherwise occupying a particular building and that substandard air can be unsafe. A building’s ventilation system keeps the air quality high and pumps healthy, clean air in while removing stale and unhealthy air. But it’s lesser-known how often ventilation cleaning needs to be performed to keep safe input and output of fresh air. Since industrialisation, pollution has been more widespread.
Workers are now usually confined in offices and industrial spaces for long hours in their day. In addition, a vast majority of the population now live in large metropolitan cities with a cocktail of pollution, chemicals, and other substances in the air that is not adequate to breathe. Most people are generally aware of the dangerously high levels of pollution present. But there are more insidious effects even from stale or stagnant air that can cause equal levels of severe health issues both long and short term—long-term range from life-threatening and life-shortening diseases such as breathing and heart conditions.
Short-term effects may include recurrent coughs and colds, dizziness, and the impairment of general cognitive functioning – poor air quality won’t let you think straight! A subpar ventilation system can even cause sick building syndrome, which means no one is safe working within its walls. In an ideal world, everyone would be able to access unlimited fresh air, and there would be ample nature-filled areas in cities that are pollution-free. But this is not something attainable in most urban areas, and most people can’t leave the big cities. That makes the need for businesses, venues, and homes to have a ventilation system that works.
The Role of a Ventilation System
A well-functioning ventilation system replaces stagnant air with fresh and circulated air instead, stopping people from inhaling high CO2-laden air that may also contain other chemicals, odours, and toxic pollutants lurking in the building. It’s also a common misconception that pollution is only outside and stays there, but the unfortunate reality is that indoor air often has a far higher level of pollutants than outdoor air, making the need for a working ventilation system even greater. An additional bonus in COVID times is that this process removes virus droplets hanging in the air, lowering the possibility of cross-contamination.
It’s not as simple as having a ventilation system; however, a dirty or unmaintained system can pose health risks too. Pollutants can get into the air through and from the system itself if it’s dirty, so cleaning the ventilation system is an essential aspect of building cleanliness that needs more care. Contaminants that pose a risk can include rodent droppings (and assorted nesting debris), mildew, mould, dust, various bacteria, and fungal growth that can linger in one area and contaminate the entire system.
Then, add to that issue any toxic paint on the walls of the building or even wall and floor building materials that can leach into the system, and it’s easy to see how low functioning ventilation can contribute to the poisonous soup employees breathe. In a nutshell, a clean ventilation system will do its job correctly; a dirty one will not and will introduce additional health risks.
Won’t a Fan and Open Window Do?
You may wonder, won’t a fan and an open window work enough to have clean air in our space? Unless you have windows open all year round, your venue, office, or area is small, and you’re somewhere in the country with lovely clean air, the answer is no. A fan will only push the air around but won’t clean it, and if you are in an urban, built-up, or polluted area, it’s just another work health hazard pouring other new and exciting pollutants through it. This approach will also not be sustainable in inclement and cold weather when snow or rain and chill make it uncomfortable, so it’s still necessary to have an operational ventilation system do the air circulation and filtration job.
Ventilation System Cleaning to Properly Function
Adequate ventilation ensures clean air is brought in and removes the old, stagnant air. Still, without regular cleaning, ventilation contaminants build up and diminish air quality, resulting once again in unhealthy air, and you’re back to square one. It can be a vicious cycle that can wreak havoc in a building. The only way to overcome it is to regularly have a thorough inspection and clean.
According to government legislation, a building’s ventilation system needs to be professionally cleaned every twelve months as a minimum requirement. However, we recommend having an entire system clean every three to six months to maintain a toxin-free system. This additional cleaning schedule will ensure the health and well-being of all via the circulation of clean air. In addition, a healthy workforce results in fewer sick days and time off, which ultimately makes good business sense.
As ventilation system cleaning is a complicated job, you will need the assistance of a professional cleaner so nothing is missed and there is no possibility of a small section of the system being left to pollute the rest. A professional can also carry out necessary inspections, organise pest removal, and use specialised treatments for mould and mildew to stop them from reoccurring. So while it may seem like an investment to have a specialist cleaner clean regularly, the business will benefit in many other ways.
Need Help with Your Ventilation System Cleaning?
Cleanliness and legal compliance are both essential for healthy building ventilation. Cleaning the system should be a business priority regularly to keep all building users safe, and this is best handled by a professional as ventilation cleaning can be tricky. To help maintain high breathing and air quality, contact Grease Gone Commercial Cleaning London. We take a customised approach to each ventilation clean we do – call us for a quote or to receive more information on our services.
