12 Jul When to Book a Duct Cleaning Specialist

If you’re a facilities manager or charged with maintaining a commercial property, duct cleaning is an essential building service that must be carried out at regular intervals. Keeping air ducts clean is vital to ensuring the health and safety of everyone who enters and uses the building. That said, duct cleaning is sometimes overlooked, and air ducts are often clogged with dust, bacteria, and other indoor pollutants. In this post, we take a look at why you need to keep your air ducts clean and advise when it’s time to call in a cleaning specialist to help you.

Why do I need to keep my ducts clean?

Keeping your ducts clean is vital for the air quality in your building, but it’s also a legal requirement. The Health and Safety at Work Act stipulates that it’s the employers’ responsibility is to provide a healthy indoor atmosphere for their staff and customers. Duct cleaning falls under this legislation and a regulation known as TR19 from the Building Engineering Services Association.

How often should I clean my ducts?

The answer depends on the requirement of your insurance provider, which is based upon usage levels. Insurers take into consideration the following points when establishing duct cleaning regulations: Level of usage – classified as light, moderate, or heavy. Types and quantity of food being prepared [if applicable]. Your air duct system’s vulnerability to ignition. The number of occupants in the vicinity of the ducts. For ducts deemed ‘light usage,’ cleaning your ducts once a year is appropriate. For ‘moderate usage’, cleaning is recommended every six months, whereas your ducts should be cleaned every three months for’ heavy usage’. For more information, check out our recent post.

When should I call a duct cleaning specialist?

To ensure your building is compliant with TR19 regulations, you should seek the help of a duct cleaning specialist. A specialist will ascertain your level of usage under TR19 guidelines and will carry out the necessary duct cleaning and maintenance services to ensure your property’s ducts are compliant with the terms of your building insurance. Working with a duct cleaning specialist, you can guarantee that your ducts are:

• Clean, regularly maintained, and fit for purpose, ensuring consistent and clean airflow throughout your property.
• Compliant with strict industry standards, reducing the risk of insurance invalidation and potential prosecution.
• Not responsible for ruining the interior of your property, which reduces the need for capital outlay on expensive redecoration and repair bills.

Understand your legal responsibility.

We’ve alluded to this throughout, but it’s vital that you understand and acknowledge your legal responsibility when it comes to duct cleaning at your commercial property. Should you neglect the maintenance of your mechanical ventilation systems, you could be liable to a fine and or prosecution under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work Act, as well as the Occupiers Liability Act. To ensure your building’s legal compliance with the associated regulations and to manage the air circulation within your property, it’s a good idea to recruit the services of a duct cleaning specialist to assist with the management of your commercial building. If you’re concerned about your air ducts and need some advice, give our friendly team a call or send us a message.