Plant rooms are often where the Air Handling Units, also known as AHU’s, are located.
The AHU comprises 4 main components, these are 1. Supply Air Fan/s, 2. Cooling/Heating Coil, 3. Filter Bank & 4. Fresh Air Supply. The conditioned air is supplied to the space via the Supply Air Fan and then this spent air is returned to the AHU via a designated Return Air path/duct. The air then mixes with a designed quantity of Fresh Air in the AHU Return Air Plenum before passing through the Filter Bank. Once the air has been filtered it moves on through the cooling/heating coils before being once again distributed by the Supply Air Fan and hence the Conditioning Cycle continues.
The air being fed into the AHU can contain Mould Spores which can be so small they pass through the filtering system and find their way onto the cooling/heating coils which are often a multiple coil arrangement.
The Mould Spores attach to the coils and multiply, thereby reducing the air flow, increasing Static Pressure and increasing Energy consumption. These Micro-organisms periodically release new spores which make their way into the Fan Chamber and via the Supply Air Fan the contaminated air travels through the Supply Air ductwork and finally through the Grilles and Diffusers to be the air that we all breathe.
The cleaning of this system combination is generally not included in the Scope of Works undertaken by your Mechanical Service Contractor. This falls into the “Specialised Services” area and as such requires a “Specialised Services Contractor”. This is where AM Coil should be your preferred contractor.
AM Coil uses dedicated cleaning agents, high pressure water/air blasting, wet and dry vacuuming and in some extreme instances the use of ultra-sonic equipment.
The resultant benefits, bring improved AHU efficiency thereby lowering Energy costs, as well as a safer and higher quality of air for all of us to breathe which can’t have a cost placed against it.