Technical Corner: Do you have an effective HVAC Hygiene program in place?

Posted on April 15, 2013 by crttipster

Tgenl4-1-00AHU30Insul
Most end users seldom look inside their HVAC air handler. Why?

In some cases the unit is out of the way, and hard to get to. However, in many cases the user is just plain afraid to open up the access door to look in. One home owner even told me that he was afraid he would damage something if he opened the door, or see lots of moving equipment he might get entangled in.

The facts are there is only one moving part within the air handler that might pose a threat and that is the fan and fan belt. Over the past decades though, few units have exposed fans, as even these are enclosed and out of the way. Like any equipment though, shut off the unit before opening.

Looking into the air handler on occasion is a good idea. In this case, what you don’t see can effect you.

First, keep in mind that all of the air you breathe in passes through the air handler unit, whether you are at home or at work in a building. HVAC air handlers, big and small in size, have mold fungus and bacteria actively living, and dying, within them. These microorganisms thrive in the damp and dark interior environment of an air handler, amplifying and growing to occupy an increasing amount of space.

Bacteria and fungus grows on top of interior insulation, and within the insulation where it is difficult if not impossible to remove. Water from the condensation on coils provides vital moisture for growth, resulting in a biological “soup” of all kinds of bacteria. Often, growth gets so bad it partially plugs up drain lines or plugs them up entirely. At that point, water overflows.

Fungus and bacteria grow on and within cooling coils as well. Some of the spores and fungus are physically removed by passing air and travel into occupied room areas where they can be breathed in. Furthermore, bacteria and fungus are the primary source of odors coming out of the air handler.

So, could a program to keep the insides of your air handler clean be beneficial? Yes, it definitely would be helpful. I have yet to find one person who states he would rather breath in air passed over bacteria and fungus than not.

CRT’s easy, work-free program can achieve interior air handler cleanliness without maintenance attention. See our website at http://www.cleanac.com or check out our sustainability solutions to keep your unit running for years to come at http://www.pancrete.com

lynn1Lynn Burkhart is the founder and president of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. located in Shelby, North Carolina. More information about the company, and its products, can be found at http://www.cleanac.com and by calling (800) 766-9057.

Filed under: Product Spotlight | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Technical Corner: “Economic Changes and Business”

Posted on January 21, 2013 by crttipster

lynn1
Changes in overall economics in the US and abroad also change the way purchasers (including you and I) look at product purchases. Over the past decades, purchases were made more in terms of getting something new rather than to repair older equipment. But today repair rather than replacement is the becoming more common among all companies. More home owners are looking to keep their cars running longer rather than put out the substantial funds for a new car. Business owners, especially when looking at HVAC air handler replacement, are attempting to save their equipment rather than purchase new.

Operational efficiencies are also being paid more attention to as companies seek ever more ways to reduce both their operational expenditures and new purchases. Several larger companies for example are looking at obtaining higher performance air conditioning filters.

Paying attention to coil cleaning – ASHRAE states dirty coils can increase building energy costs by as much as 40% – is being given attention by many firms as well. There are many cost-cutting techniques that are actively being looked for by property management firms and building owners.

We offer workable technical solutions to many of these demands, from keeping coils clean for years without maintenance attention to just stopping the building owner from having to purchase expensive new air handlers at a cost of $100,000 or more.

See our web site for more information, or ask one of our representatives how they can help reduce expenses.

Lynn Burkhart is the founder and president of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. a research, development and manufacturing firm based in Shelby, North Carolina.  CRT is an IFMA CSP, EnergyStar Partner and manufacturer of independently-certified Green products for HVAC maintenance. Since 1986, CRT has been creating leading edge HVAC maintenance products that have become industry standards, used in thousands of commercial buildings world-wide. CRT employees are members of BOMA, ASHRAE, ASHE and the American Chemical Society. www.cleanac.com (800) 766-9057.

Filed under: Product Spotlight | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Social Media Trends: Outside the Box

Posted on January 14, 2013 by crttipster

chasitySocial Media is constantly changing, growing and evolving. Being new to this role for our company, I always think to myself, am I doing this right, is there something I could be doing different, is this working for me? So sometimes it comes down to just thinking outside the box.

It may come as a surprise to some, but there are tons of forums where people discuss any number of topics, ideas and products. When researching ideas for our social content, I regularly look at some of these, searching any number of key terms or phrases. But recently I conducted a search just focused on our product names.

I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. People were mentioning our products, asking questions to other forum members about our products, and even customers from our past were recommending our products. To me this was pretty awesome, and it also provided new forums where I could now answer questions and comment on all sort of threads where our products were being mentioned.

Allowing members to ask questions and get answers from someone directly involved in the manufacturing of our products was a big hit. Members of the forums were excited that someone from our company had finally jumped into forums.

In social media, I believe there are no wrong or rights. Each person has a different plan and outlook on how they want to succeed with social media. Sometimes just thinking outside of your usual routine may be that one extra step you need to make a plan work.

Maybe you have social media success stories that worked for you, and that you would like to share. Feel free to leave comments or stories you have in the section below.

Chasity Strickland, Social Media Specialist and Marketing Assistant of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc., a research, development and manufacturing firm based in Shelby, North Carolina. CRT is an IFMA CSP, an EnergyStar Partner and manufacturer of independently-certified Green products for HVAC maintenance. Since 1986, CRT has been creating leading edge HVAC maintenance products that have become industry standards, used in thousands of commercial buildings world-wide. CRT employees are members of BOMA, ASHRAE, ASHE and the American Chemical Society. www.cleanac.com

Filed under: Product Spotlight | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Technical Corner: Tips for Cleaning Dirty Air Conditioner Coils

Posted on June 11, 2012 by crttipster

It is difficult to clean HVAC coils effectively due in part to coil design.  For multiple row coils, the copper tubing is staggered, and this prevents a stream of water from entering into the coils too deeply.  Usually the water velocity penetrates only the first few inches of a coil to loosen deposits.

Fouled coils lead to increased pressure drop across the coils. When pressure drop increases, more fan horsepower is required. This in turn draws more power, resulting in greater current consumption.

Pressure drop measurements across the coil when it is new are a valuable base line for performance.  Differential pressure that increases by more than one and a half to two times for sure indicates problems with coil cleanliness.

Cleaning coils also plays an important part in air quality.

Here are some rules to follow in cleaning coils:

1)Hot water always works better than cold water when it comes to cleaning.

2)Foaming cleaners, such as our product Instant Powder Keg, are generally better than non-foaming cleaners to remove biofilm and other deposits.

3)Certain areas of the coil may have more deposition than other areas.  A gentle flush of water through the coil may identify areas that are particularly fouled.

4)Cleaning from the bottom of the coil to the top is recommended. Multiple cleanings of the coil may be necessary due to heavy deposition.

5)After completion of cleaning, again run the hose through the coil to see if water now flows freely through areas previously found to be restricted.

6)Coil cleaners may be either acid, neutral, or alkaline in nature.  Many manufacturers call neutral pH or alkaline pH cleaners “non-acid” cleaners. Both acid and alkaline cleaners will attack coil fins, causing pitting and other corrosion. To reduce this problem, coils must be copiously rinsed with water to neutralize any chemical residual left on them.

7)Sanitize the coils using an iodine-based anti-microbial.

8)Apply a molecular coating to the coils, such as our product First Strike Micro Coat, to reduce future build up.

Properly cleaning coils as part of a preventative HVAC maintenance program can save a building owner thousands of dollars.

Lynn Burkhart is the founder and president of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. located in Shelby, North Carolina. More information about the company, and its products, can be found at http://www.cleanac.com and by calling (800) 766-9057.

Filed under: Evaporator and Condenser Coils, Product Spotlight, Technical Corner | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Product Spotlight: The Unseen, Often Ignored HVAC Problem that is Draining Your Wallet

Posted on May 22, 2012 by crttipster

During normal operation of an HVAC system, particles and contaminates enter through the air and build up on the coils. According to the Energy Star Maintenance Checklist, link.

“Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.” Constant cleaning of coils by personnel is expensive and time-consuming, and often results in a trade off. Either more money must be spent on preventive maintenance, or more will be spent on energy costs and replacement. For this reason, having dirty HVAC coils is seen as unavoidable.

For treatment, there are numerous coil cleaners including non-acidic, non-caustic and foaming. While all clean coils at different levels of effectiveness, they are only momentarily effective. Once the system starts back up, buildup begins until the next cleaning. For this reason, an effective plan includes applying a preventive product that deters contaminate accumulation.

At CRT, we have developed the following products to protect HVAC systems from unnecessary buildup. By using our Micro Coat Product Line, both condensate and evaporator coils can remain clean and buildup free, prolonging the time between cleanings and saving both time and money.

First Strike Micro Coat
First Strike Micro Coat is an independently GREEN certified coating designed to protect against unnecessary labor and costs. First Strike Micro Coat reduces recurrent deposit buildup on HVAC evaporator coils by providing a clear molecular layer, or micro coating, of protection. Once cleaned, evaporator coils remain clean up to one year or more.

Coil Shield
Coil Shield is a coating designed to protect condenser coils from corrosion. In high salt and industrial areas, corrosive elements are pulled into HVAC condensers. This causes the system to run inefficiently, and eventually leads to condenser replacement. Coil Shield provides a clear molecular layer, or micro coating, of protection that lasts up to one year or more.

Jonathan Dunagin, Marketing Director of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. located in Shelby, North Carolina. More information about the company, and its products, can be found at http://www.cleanac.com and by calling (800) 766-9057.

Filed under: Pans, Basins and Metal Surfaces, Product Spotlight | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »

  • Tipster’s Archives

  • CRT Facebook

%d bloggers like this: