Nothing’s more important than the air you breathe!
There are a variety of scientific studies indicating that COVID-19 may spread through airborne transmission.
On July 8th, the WHO confirmed “emerging evidence” of airborne transmission of the virus, following the publication of a letter signed by 239 scientists indicating as such. This study was supported by an international group of clinicians, infectious-disease physicians, epidemiologists, engineers, aerosol scientists, and others.
While some may still have doubts about these findings, our feeling at Frank Gay is that it’s better to be safe than sorry. So the question therefore becomes, what do we about it?
Despite guidelines being updated regularly, there are 3 common recommendations from leading agencies like the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). These include:
- Increase ventilation rates
- Extend operating time of HVAC equipment
- Limit air recirculation
Ventilation
Diseases consist of small particles that can live in the air for some period of time. Ventilation can help by either supplying clean air to a room or by removing contaminated air to the outdoors. Some ways of doing this include the use of high efficiency particle (HEPA) filters and ultraviolet germicidal (UVGI) lighting — both of which Frank Gay has years of experience installing.
ASHRAE Standard 170-2008, Ventilation of Health-Care Facilities, covers HVAC requirements including ventilation rates, filtration, and pressure relationships among rooms. At Frank Gay, we will ensure we follow these guidelines when installing new equipment.
Operating Time
The problem with many firms’ approach to IAQ is that they don’t realize installing UV lighting and HEPA filters can drastically increase maintenance costs if not done correctly. If a property manager responds by running their HVAC equipment less often, that can spell disaster for the health of a building. In fact, it leads to poor ventilation and filtration.
However there are ways to reduce this cost: first with preventive maintenance and second with HVAC upgrades. HVAC upgrades may include a new fan motor to overcome a higher static pressure drop when installing high efficiency filters. You may also consider lower cost outdoor air supply like indirect energy recovery ventilators or dedicated outdoor air systems.
Air Recirculation
ASHRAE Standard 62 governs the proper amount of air recirculation in HVAC equipment. This standard requires acceptable ventilation rates to keep people healthy. As part of our preventive maintenance, we ensure your equipment meets these standards. We will check your filters, actuators, dehumification coils, air handling systems, and outdoor air systems to ensure proper ventilation compliant with ASHRAE guidelines.
