You depend on your air conditioning to keep your commercial building cool and your employees comfortable. But in some cases, your air conditioning could be costing you by actually making your employees sick.
Recent New York-area outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia that can be fatal, have sparked inquiries about how air conditioning can spread microbes throughout a commercial working environment. As many as 50,000 people getting sick each year from just this one type of bacteria.
An Environment for Contaminants
The sad news is that air conditioning systems can recirculate any contaminants that are in the air, whether those are disease-causing bacteria, allergens or mold spores.
Many surfaces throughout the AC system collect moisture, including cooling coils and drip pans. Cooled air blows right by these areas en route to your employees, and can carry molds and other organisms that cause respiratory issues in some people.
How to Fix the Problem
Once an air conditioning system is contaminated with mold or bacteria, it can be challenging to eradicate the problem.
The first step is to have your air conditioning repair technician perform a cleaning of the system. They will replace filters and wipe down problem areas like the coils that can harbor nasty micro-organisms. A couple of other potential solutions may also improve the health of your workers:
Talk to your HVAC specialist about how to repair and maintain your building's air conditioning system so your employees stay as healthy and hard-working as possible. For more information about AC repair, contact a company like Proctor Mechanical Corp.
Share