How Often is Duct Cleaning Required?

Duct cleaning is not only the best practice but also the law. So, whether you’re responsible for commercial kitchens, health clubs, or hospital duct cleaning, you must maintain a cleaning schedule and keep your ducts free from mould, dust, and other indoor pollutants. We’ll explain why it’s essential to keep your ducts clean and provide you with a cleaning schedule that will ensure your ducts are compliant with TR19 regulations.

Why should you clean your ducts?

Regardless of the use of the commercial property in your charge, you need to ensure it is well maintained, clean, and compliant with all UK legislation and regulations regarding health and safety. For example, in hospitals, food establishments, schools, and other commercial properties, you must clean your ducts regularly to:

  • Prevent a build-up of dust, grease, and mould, affecting your system and becoming a significant fire risk.
  • Preserve air quality within your building to protect both staff/students/patients and customers/visitors.
  • Maintain your facility’s interior; dirty ducts cause artificial damage to interiors and mean you have to spend money on redecoration and renovation work.

How often do you need to clean your ducts?

As an absolute minimum, ducts in commercial buildings must be cleaned at least once every twelve months. Failure to do so results in your insurance becoming invalidated, as well as a possible fine and prosecution. However, the TR19 guidance stipulates that you must clean your ducts in accordance with how they are used. The breakdown is as follows:

Low use.

Ducts within properties deemed as low use [between 2-6 hours every day] must be cleaned at least once every twelve months. An example could be a residential care home.

Moderate use.

Ducts within properties deemed as moderate use [between 6-12 hours every day] must be cleaned at least once every six months. An example could be an office block.

Heavy use.

Ducts within properties deemed as heavy use [between 12-16 hours every day] must be cleaned at least once every three months. An example could be a hospital.

How do you determine your usage?

That’s a good question. The TR19 guidelines present the hours listed above as a general guide. Still, it might not be enough to help you estimate how often your ducts need to be cleaned, particularly if you manage a multi-use facility. The examples we’ve provided can be used as a rough guide, but every property is different. That being said, cleaning hospital ducts, as well as those within commercial kitchen facilities, is something that needs to be done at least once every three months. If you’re not sure which category your building falls under, it’s best to call a commercial duct cleaning company to visit your property and advise on the condition of your ducts.

Dirty ductwork

Remember, it’s your responsibility to ensure your ducts are regularly cleaned and well maintained so they are compliant with the industry guidelines as stipulated within TR19. If you have any questions or would like some advice regarding duct cleaning, please get in touch.