Cooling coils are heat exchangers that use tubing arranged in a series of loops and fins and their purpose is to transfer heat from one fluid to another (e.g. water to air, refrigerants to air , air to air etc.). Aluminum and copper fins are attached to the coils to increase the exposure surface and the rate of heat transfer. In the 1970s and early 1980s the cooling coils had typically 8 to 12 fins per inch, but due to increasing energy costs and mandated energy efficiency ratings, it is not uncommon seeing coils today manufactured with 16 and 18 fins per inch arranged in complex zigzag patterns. Unfortunately, these high efficiency coils are extremely susceptible to blockage from dust accumulation because once lodged deeply within the fins bacteria and mold may initiate growth, which not only compounds the blockage problems but also gives rise to excessive operating costs, comfort control problems and unhealthy sanitary conditions that are not conducive to good air quality.
The University of Illinois Facilities and Services defined Deferred Maintenance as the upkeep of buildings and equipment postponed from an entity’s normal operating budget cycle due to a lack of funds. Deferring maintenance in the business world makes perfect sense; unfortunately, funds that should be allotted for critical maintenance (such as coil cleaning) often become unavailable for extended periods of time leading insidiously to irreversible equipment damage.
The Facilities Management Department at a university in Florida is intimately familiar with this scenario, but to them, dirty coils were nothing but a pot of gold buried in dust. They found a coil cleaning process so efficient and safe for the environment that in the first year of its implementation alone saved the university over $800,000 of their power bills and were able to provide the students and teachers a healthier learning environment. The estimated payback in less than eight months was 157% return on investment (ROI).
Using superheated steam to clean their heat exchangers (heating and cooling coils) utilizing the Pure-Steam process made it possible to effectively remove dust and associated biofilm lodged deep in the fins. This process known as “Steam Sterilization Cleaning Process” saves labor and materials, cleans deeper and better, kills and removes bacterial and fungal growth without the use of chemicals. The final product affords increased heat transfer efficiency and reduces the energy needed to move the air across the coils.
Because dirty coils are difficult to clean, expensive to operate, unhealthy and can lead to humidity control deficiencies, it makes sense to minimize the amount of dust that can enter the airflow and to clean them before dirt accumulation becomes visible. Pure Air Control Services (PACS), an industry leader in environmental and mechanical cleaning technologies recommends not to defer coil cleaning to the point that dust accumulation is visible. Minimally, heat exchangers should be cleaned once a year using the superheated steam process. For non specialized environments (healthcare facilities, clean rooms, etc.), PACS also recommends using air filters with an equivalent Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV) of 8 and to minimize the amount of air that could infiltrate in the air handler by ensuring that the filters fit snuggly in the holding racks and sealing all cabinet penetrations.
About Pure Air Control Services:
Founded in 1984 by Alan Wozniak, President/CEO in what began as a small mechanical contracting business has grown into an award winning, industry leading indoor air quality (IAQ) service company serving many fortune 500 corporations, school boards, county, city, state and federal governments and consumers across the US. The firm has serviced over 600 million square feet of indoor environments in over 10,000 facilities.
Pure Air’s nationally performed services include: Building Sciences Evaluation; Building Health Check; an AIHA accredited Environmental Microbiology Laboratory; Environmental Project Management; and Duct Cleaning & Mold Remediation Services, among other indoor environmental services. The company’s expanding client roster includes the General Services Administration (GSA); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; and Naval Air Station - King's Bay, Georgia, and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Pure Air a reliable industry leader.
For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.pureaircontrols.com or contact Alan Wozniak at 1-800-422-PURE (7873) ext 802.
