How To Ensure That Your HVAC System Is Free Of Legionnaires Disease

How To Ensure That Your HVAC System Is Free Of Legionnaires Disease

You’ve heard of the recent Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak in New York. The condition spread so quickly that more than 100 people were affected and ten have died. People living in the infected South Bronx building as well as people living six –seven kilometers away were affected with the disease. You are worried as you have a HVAC system in your building as well and you have a weak respiratory system. How do you make sure that building/residence HVAC systems are disinfected and clean?

Let’s find out.

  1. Carry out a visual inspection of your building’s HVAC system. Check for particulate matter in the air vents and ensure that there is musty or dusty odor when the system is switched on.
  2. Make sure that your filters are replaced at least once in two months.
  3. Your HVAC system will have evaporator coils and condenser coils. These are very susceptible to fungus and mold growths. You may not be able to clean the coils at home by yourself. Anti-microbial treatments may be necessary.
  4. Regular maintenance is absolutely necessary. For a combined heating and cooling system, a maintenance check is necessary in the spring and fall. For a cooling system, an annual maintenance before the summer season is fine. Similarly, furnace maintenance can be done once a year before winter rolls in.
  5. Stagnant infected water is a common problem seen around air intake valves and cooling towers. This standing water may be pulled into the system and this cause a spread of aerosolized bacteria all over the building. Make sure you check for standing water around intake areas and air-handlers.
  6. Intake valves and supply ducts do tend to develop leaks after some time. As a result, it is absolutely necessary to check these valves, ducts, and circulatory systems at least once a year.

We hope that these few tips have helped you out. For more information, you can easily write in to us and we will be glad to help you out. Drop us a line through the comments section or email us through the online form. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Also, do follow our blog for more articles on HVAC Systems.