The essence of the ventilation system is to maintain a healthy indoor microclimate, regulate cleanliness, humidity and air temperature. In order for the system to function properly throughout its service life, it is necessary to regularly disinfect the ventilation and air conditioning systems. To understand the need for these measures, it is important to know the consequences of pollution in the ventilation system.
Contaminated ventilation: hazards and risks
Air ducts of ventilation systems during operation are gradually covered with a layer of dust and fat deposits. Interacting with condenser moisture, they form strong deposits on the walls inside. Cleaning and disinfection of ventilation should be performed regularly without fail, since these deposits in ventilation pipes are dangerous for both domestic and office premises.
For private premises, offices and other institutions
The main danger that comes from them is the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria, which, in turn, negatively affects people's health. Such plaques are a favorable environment for the intensive multiplication of bacteria and viruses. The air entering the room is not sufficiently cleaned, and this leads to a decrease in immunity, constant headaches, poor health, and general weakness. Air masses circulate very weakly and slowly.
Important! According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the air in rooms with polluted ventilation is 6 times dirtier than outside and 10 times more toxic than it.
In addition, a dusty and dirty ventilation duct network is a good conductor of fire. Dry dust can instantly ignite, from which suffocating and acrid smoke penetrates into an apartment or office through the air duct.
For catering establishments and medical institutions
For medical institutions and catering establishments, there is a high risk of microbial contamination of both equipment and tools. Dust and mud deposits, which penetrate into these premises, constantly spreading through it, nullify all efforts to achieve the required cleanliness and sanitation.
Therefore, the disinfection of ventilation is a mandatory and extremely important procedure, regulated by a whole package of legislative acts, which must be carried out using special equipment and special means.
Disinfection of ventilation systems is mandatory
Disinfection of ventilation systems should be carried out:
- In manufacturing plants.
- In industrial and transport enterprises.
- In medical and educational institutions.
- Shopping and entertainment and business centers.
In other words, at all, without exception, facilities that are equipped with flow and exhaust ventilation systems. Disinfection of ventilation and air conditioning systems is the removal of dirt, grease and any other deposits inside the ventilation pipelines with further disinfection.
Cleaning methods
Even if the duct network is not hidden from view, as is the case in industrial plants, we will not be able to see what is happening inside each pipe. But you can be sure that after 2-3 years of operation, even powerful supply ventilation with a high air speed is covered from the inside with a coating of dirt and dust.
What can we say about the hood, which removes contaminated air masses from a variety of rooms. This leads to the following consequences:
- the mud layer increases the aerodynamic resistance to the flow by increasing the friction of the medium against the walls. The efficiency of the ventilation as a whole decreases, and the electricity consumption of the fans increases;
- vertical shafts of apartment buildings, often clogged with cobwebs and dust balls, become practically impassable for natural exhaust ventilation;
- dust settled inside, and sometimes fat, serve as a place of accumulation of harmful microorganisms and fungi, as well as a focus of their reproduction.
In terms of harm to human health, air conditioning systems that maintain a microclimate in our houses and apartments pose a particular danger. An example of contamination of the indoor unit is shown in the photo:
You can clean your home air conditioner yourself. To do this, it is enough to remove the front panel, disconnect the unit from the mains, and then rinse with any of the special products available on the market in aerosol cans.
The work is simple, but requires patience and accuracy. Another thing is ventilation cleaning with forced induction, it can be done in two most common ways:
- purely mechanical;
- using chemically active detergents.
As a rule, the cleaning procedure is carried out by professionals from specialized firms, since they have experience and all the necessary equipment. But you can do some work with your own hands, for example, remove dirt inside the exhaust shaft of an apartment building. If it has a flat roof, where you can safely go out, and you live on one of the upper floors, then this is quite possible.
You will need a ruff with a sinker on a long rope, such a tool is used to clean chimneys. Having previously removed the exhaust ventilation grill at home and plugging the opening from the shaft, lower the ruff inside the channel to the very end. After that, it remains to go down to the apartment, open the opening and scoop out all the dirt from there.
Advice. The method is suitable if individual channels go to the roof from each apartment. It is not recommended to clean the prefabricated vertical shaft yourself.
Cleaning the ventilation ducts: the main signs
The following signs can indicate that disinfection of ventilation in an apartment building is needed:
- Dust and cobwebs begin to collect around the grill on the ventilation duct.
- A layer of dust accumulates on the floor. Even a day after cleaning.
- It becomes very stuffy in an apartment or other room, which has not happened before.
Cleaning and disinfection of ventilation systems in urban apartments should be performed much more often than residents think about it. It cannot be carried out without permission - this must be done by specialists who have the appropriate documents and licenses for disinfection of ventilation.
Rules and requirements for general cleaning when working with food
Food enterprises also have their own sanitary rules. These are the standards that sanitary and epidemiological workers are guided by when inspecting institutions. Sanitary standards were adopted in the period of the USSR and in the period of modern Russia, only specified in the form of SNiP. The sanitary requirements of retail or manufacturing establishments cover all aspects of food handling, and spring cleaning and requirements for them are only part of the whole complex of actions.
In most institutions, general cleaning of the premises is done at least once a week.
In some cases, a more frequent room cleaning mode can be set. So to the question of how often general cleaning of premises is carried out at trade enterprises, one can answer that these terms are established by internal standards, subject to general standards.
Equipment for disinfection of air ducts of ventilation systems
Ventilation disinfection equipment used today:
- Brushing machines.
- Filtering installations.
- Vacuum machines.
The brushing machine for cleaning ventilation in office and industrial premises is equipped with special shafts with a diameter of 25 to 40 mm
.
Pneumatic machines are capable of cleaning pipelines with a diameter of 100 to 1200 mm. Some models are equipped with additional disinfection accessories.
The flexible shaft is able to get to hard-to-reach places: valves of grids, branch pipes of branches from the main channel. They are most often used to clean air ducts in government-owned apartment buildings.
Vacuum installations. The quality of cleaning with this equipment depends on the selected power of the machine. Large objects require powerful models.
Cleaning surfaces during general cleaning
The floors are cleaned with specialized and highly active detergents containing disinfectants.
Floor treatment can be done with or without treatment exposure. Depending on the internal requirements, one or another cleaning agent is used, in some cases completely environmentally friendly means can be used.
Wall cleaning and washing is carried out in the same way as floor cleaning, despite the less soiled surface. For these purposes, the same disinfectants are used, based on detergents and non-detergents. Cleaning requirements can be formed within the internal regulations in accordance with the standards of sanitary conditions.
Glass cleaning is usually carried out using specialized care products and tools, but steam generator devices are more effective. With their help, you can remove not only all dirt, but also carry out cleaning without streaks.
Requirements for disinfection of premises are established by existing standards and internal regulations for cleaning procedures. Usually, for these purposes, detergents are used, which are used for cleaning at enterprises of the food group in public catering.
Requirements for the uniform of cleaners are established by the norms of sanitary and epidemiological stations. It should be borne in mind that after cleaning, the entire tool must be processed and cleaned. It is processed with steam or special equipment.
Air purification is already the norm in some food businesses. This is usually done with an air conditioner that traps pollution, viruses and bacteria. The same effect can be achieved with an industrial separator vacuum cleaner.
The use of detergents or steam is a dilemma for many businesses, as steam cleaning is not covered in sanitary standards. However, it can be used along with the recommended detergents.
How is ventilation disinfected?
At the next stage, a decision is made on what methods will be used for cleaning: the type of equipment used for cleaning and an antibacterial agent for disinfecting ventilation ducts. Air ducts are cleaned by two main methods:
- Mechanical cleaning. It implies the use of alkaline machines and industrial vacuum cleaners with increased power. This method also includes blowing out the ventilation ducts with compressed air. With its help, most of the dirt is blown out.
- Cleaning using chemicals that are part of specialized ventilation disinfectants approved for use in residential premises, as well as for industrial and public enterprises.
After the completion of the disinfection and cleaning activities, an assessment of the quality of the work performed should be carried out by taking analysis for research for the presence of potentially dangerous bacteria. If necessary, a decision is made on the subsequent cleaning work.
Documents on disinfection of ventilation with a description of cleaning measures are issued when the work was carried out by specialized organizations. It contains a full range of services performed, used special equipment and methods of disinfection. The documentation indicates the results of laboratory tests of the primary analysis and the final one.
The main algorithm for the current cleaning in a health care facility
What are the stages of the current cleaning, which is carried out in a medical institution? There is a special algorithm approved by SanPin.
The sequence will be as follows:
- A janitor strictly in overalls must move away all objects that are movable. This applies primarily to furniture. After it has been pushed away from the walls, you need to thoroughly rinse all surfaces using detergents.
- Wash off chemical residues with clean water.
- Using disinfectant solutions (buy these!) a thorough surface treatment is carried out. At this stage, one should not rush, since the composition used needs a certain time for high-quality and complete destruction of pathogenic microorganisms.
- The next step is to change your aprons and gloves. Further, the cleaner must thoroughly rinse off all residues of disinfectants from the treated surfaces with clean water. After that, they wipe dry.
- The floor is now being washed.
- All premises must be disinfected. For this, ultraviolet light is used.
The current cleaning in the health care facility is completed in accordance with the standards by cleaning the entire inventory. The devices will need to be rinsed and dried, after which they are sent to specially designated rooms for storage. All overalls are taken to the laundry.
Ventilation disinfection
During cleaning, the system fan blades, hatches and grilles must be disinfected.
Disinfection measures should be performed in case of detection of harmful microorganisms. With routine cleaning activities, disinfection as such is not required.
In the process of disinfection of ventilation, special means can be used both separately and in combination - it depends on the specifics of the performance of these works. Disinfection is performed by spraying disinfectant with a soft tube, at the end of which a special nozzle is put on, which facilitates the penetration of the disinfectant into the most inaccessible places.
Do you need a license for disinfection of ventilation by enterprises and companies? Disinfection is a very responsible and important process, therefore, those organizations that have special permission and state licenses for this have the right to perform it.
Who should handle the entrances from the coronavirus
The prevention of coronavirus in the entrances during the epidemic is carried out by organizations serving specific houses - housing cooperatives, management companies, homeowners' associations. Such a duty is assigned to them by Rospotrebnadzor and the Ministry of Construction of Russia.
At the same time, no additional payment is collected from the residents of the houses; the management organizations carry out sanitization at their own expense, possibly reducing the cost of other planned work. In case of urgent need, local authorities are involved in sponsoring housing companies.
During an epidemic, utilities disinfect not only the entrance from the inside, but also the site and the door from the outside Attention! But the residents themselves are not recommended to carry out disinfection, such efforts practically do not bring benefits, but they expose volunteers to an additional risk of infection.
