Posted by Rifat A. on 3/27/2020 to

Coronaviruses belong in a family of viruses that cause illness in humans and animals. From studies, it was seen that COVID-19 is not transmitted through the air. Therefore, humidification and air conditioning do not affect the transmission of the virus and air duct cleaning does not impact its ability to spread.

The main ways to prevent transmission of COVID-19

- Clean air should be supplied indoors at all times

- Contaminated air must be dispelled outdoors

- Outdoor air must be diluted into indoor air

- Proper cleaning procedures must be put in place to filter indoor air

What your ventilation and filtration ac units do?

Currently, there are no filtration or ventilation systems that remove airborne diseases from the air circulated in your home. The best these can do is prevent contamination and bacterial growth, however, they do not function as medical preventions against dangerous diseases and viral infections. But indoor contaminants and bacteria can be released into the atmosphere outside to reduce the chances of contamination between people in the home. Moreover, with regular filtering and HVAC ventilation rejuvenations, you will be able to prevent household members from getting sick due to allergies and mold.

An effective way to prevent indoor air contamination with your HVAC system

To clean the air in a building or premises, setting up the HVAC system to optimize airflow into the building from the outside helps remove any contaminated indoor air. That is, by consulting with an HVAC specialist or repair vendor, change the defaults of your HVAC system to allow it to operate in this mode. By default, depending on the occupancy of the room or area, your HVAC system will adjust itself to either pull more air in from the outside or push more air out. With the modified settings, prioritizing to bring in more air will help in recirculating fresh, uncontaminated air.

Contrary to popular belief, cross-contamination across rooms cannot be prevented through air duct cleaning. That is, even if the virus has managed to attach itself to some small particles floating about in the air being circulated in your home, the filters you have set in place in your ductwork will not stop the virus nor the tiny particle. Therefore, despite your air duct cleaning efforts, you will not be able to prevent contaminated air from blowing around, with small particles holding viruses. Hence, without additional costs to your maintenance, it is not recommended to think of air duct cleaning as a possible solution to the spread of the virus.

Dirty Filters do cause Respiratory problems

Dirty air filters or air ducts do lead to respiratory problems, therefore negligence in this matter is also discouraged. Moreover, if these issues do arise, the people in your home become more vulnerable to COVID-19. With this in mind, remember to follow the standard norms of AC Repair and duct maintenance:

- Replacing air filters regularly prevents mold from building up in your ductwork and allows you to breathe in dust and pollen-free air.

- The more expensive filters have a higher Minimum Efficiency Rating Value, which is a metric used to determine the performance of an air filter in removing harmful particles from the air circulated in your home. Therefore, purchasing the better ones can help protect you and your family

- The air handlers and heat pumps in your home need to be cleaned regularly to prevent mold growth and contamination on the devices themselves. Moreover, without proper maintenance, internal components will often rust or become damaged over time. Therefore, to avoid expensive repairs or HVAC replacements, take special care of these air conditioning units.

Conclusion

Amid the crisis of COVID-19, it’s important to remember the most important fact that the disease is not airborne. Therefore, panic hiring of HVAC services will not help prevent the spread nor contamination. In the case of residential homes or commercial offices, following standard AC maintenance & repair protocols will be enough to prevent infections or breathing problems that arise from other causes.

Check out this related infographic here – Dirty Air Filters Do Cause Respiratory Problems [Infographic]

Dirty Air Filters Do Cause Respiratory Disease