Periodic cleaning of air ducts: Essential for our hygiene, health and comfort

Periodic cleaning of air ducts is essential for the hygiene, health and comfort of employees and residents. This work is therefore a standard part of the result-oriented property maintenance of the consortium Servicepartners Midden-Holland B.V., in which De Vries en Verburg Bouw, Roza Groep and Unica Building Services have joined forces. In accordance with the multi-year maintenance plan, the consortium recently inspected and thoroughly cleaned the air ducts of care center Gouwestein and the adjacent residential complex Gouwestaete in Gouda, in collaboration with regular partner Conpro Condensor Protection. The heat exchangers in Gouwestaete were also replaced, so that all residents and caregivers once again benefit from a healthy and comfortable indoor climate and ample fresh air.

Servicepartners Midden-Holland B.V. signed a results agreement in 2015 with Zorgprtners Midden-Holland for the integral maintenance of care center Gouwestein and residential complex Gouwestaete, among others. "In this agreement, result-oriented property maintenance has been agreed for eight years, based on a 25-year cooperation agreement," says Nico de Heij, contract manager at Unica Building Services. "The starting point here is performance requirements with respect to, for example, room temperatures, light intensities and air quality. Periodic cleaning of the air ducts is essential in this context. In order to be able to perform this work properly and in a tailored manner, we ask Conpro Condensor Protection to carry out a comprehensive inspection as early as one year before the work begins."

Comprehensive inspection

This inspection invariably begins with an aesthetic inspection of the intake grilles in particular, says Jens Groenendijk, account manager at Conpro Condenser Protection. "Do they show signs of contamination? Grilles are also dismantled in several places so that we can also look into the air ducts. In care center Gouwestein, an endoscope inspection was also carried out, using a camera to visualize even hard-to-reach places. Based on this, we made the recommendation to clean both the supply ducts, return ducts and outside air intake ducts."

Cleaning with brush technology

Using compressed air and rotary brushes, Conpro Condenser Protection cleaned a total of about 2,345 meters of supply duct, 1,880 meters of return duct and 260 meters of intake duct, says Groenendijk. "The eight exhaust fans on the roof were also cleaned. In the care center's kitchen, a chemical-technical cleaning of two exhaust hoods and about 20 meters of exhaust ductwork was performed, using a soaking and scraping technique. In addition, we chemically cleaned an air handling unit in the technical room. As an additional task, we replaced all the WTW units in residential complex Gouwestaete."

Replacement of the WTW units.

Initially, this replacement assignment lay with Unica Building Services, says De Heij. "By having the replacement carried out simultaneously with the cleaning work and by a single party, inconvenience to the residents was kept to a minimum. Another big advantage was that the old WTW units could act as a kind of vacuum cleaners. They effectively picked up all loose dirt from the air ducts, after which they were immediately replaced with a new and clean unit. The short turnaround time, with little to no inconvenience, resulted in a satisfied client and residents." He continues: "Everyone involved deserves a big compliment for this. Especially the guys in the field, because we can think it up just as nicely on paper, it's those guys who have to do it. In care center Gouwestein and residential complex Gouwestaete, they succeeded perfectly."