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

Posted on April 15, 2013 by crttipster

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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.

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From the Field: HVAC ROI, RIP?

Posted on July 17, 2012 by crttipster

Building owners have seen a steady increase in the number of vacancies. In turn, facility managers are under increasing pressure to reduce operating costs. However, they are still expected to solve a wide variety of comfort and air quality problems on a very limited budget.

In order to understand a facility manager’s mindset, and to feel their pain, it is important to learn the problems they have experienced trying to manage HVAC maintenance with a shrinking budget. To do so, you must ask many, many questions, probing beyond the initial responses to uncover the real issues.

I am certain every facility manager has various problems, but isolating their distinct issues can be the most nagging. Be prepared to discuss the differences between Reactive, Preventive and Predictive Maintenance with your prospect in financial terms. Return on investment, or R.O.I., is a key term for financial decision makers.

Long-term ROI is not dead, even with a stalled economy. If maintenance products are presented as an investment, be prepared to discuss how the maintenance will extend equipment life, reduce energy costs and improve indoor air quality. Analyze the data you receive from your probing questions, and calculate that into dollars saved. Dollars saved are as good as dollars earned.

When you show this figure to a facility manager, financial decision maker or building owner you will also be showing them that you can speak their language. Showing R.O.I. helps move the facility manager away from an “I will fix it when it breaks” mindset and breathes life into a proactive understanding of HVAC maintenance.

Have you found certain techniques more effective than others when dealing with facility managers? What are your thoughts concerning ROI? I’d love to hear more about them in the comment section below.

Phil Hritzak, Application Specialist 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

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Case In Point: Associate with Associations

Posted on April 24, 2012 by crttipster

In my last blog, Case In Point: How Vendors Strengthen Our Business, I talked about how vendors play an integral part in a business’s success. Associations can also be a valuable, yet often overlooked, resource for strengthening business success. Here is how CRT’s relationship with NADCA National Air Duct Cleaners Association has grown over the years to the benefit of both parties.

When the recession hit a few years ago, budgets for HVAC maintenance, including air duct cleaning, seemed to be one of the “luxuries” many building operators had to cut. Thinking quickly, NADCA made air handler restoration a major focus, which gave members an opportunity to provide a much needed service to their clients. Members were given training, in both classroom and hands on sessions, showing the ease of restoration when compared to replacement.

NADCA members worked together to share sales tips, application tips, success stories and horror stories from these new ventures. Each year at the annual exposition, knowledge in the area of restoration seemed to grow. Groups of members would hang around our booth and share stories about jobs involving our Pancrete products. Just this past March, when NADCA held their annual show in Puerto Rico, members told us about how they have grown their business and saved their clients money by applying Pancrete.

Our relationship with the NADCA organization has also strengthened our relationship with individual members. This has created new and additional opportunities for everyone involved. If you have a story to tell about how being part of an association has effected your business, I’d love to hear about it. Please write your story in the comment section below.

Rachelle Tinley is the assistant executive director 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

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Technical Corner: A Quantum Leap Forward in HVAC Hygiene (Part 4)

Posted on August 17, 2011 by crttipster

The Problem

At its roots, the problems are caused by in-attention. Owners o managers generally do not look at the AC interiors, and most generally when they do look, they do not know what to look for. Furthermore, when service work is let out for bid, most often hygeine and coil cleanliness is given little or no attention. Bidders will not add additional services to the bid unless specifically requested; if they do they will likely not obtain the bid.

When, and not if, coils develop microbial growth on them, the coils become insulated. After coil cleaning is completed, every day that passes thereafter causes biofilms to grow and multiply. As microbial growth intensifies, so too does their insulating effects. People who pay the bills see this as paying more money for energy each month.

It is well known that films of biological material, aka biofilms, have up to 5x more insulating qualities than scale. Furthermore, biofilms are often at or below the levels of human visibility making it difficult to see and schedule cleanings.

Air conditioner interiors represent an inter-disciplinary set of problems. The field of micro-biology, corrosion engineering, thermodynamics and general physics and chemistry all have influences of the operational costs and quality of air provided to occupants.

Whereas years ago stale or moldy smelling air could be addressed by merely opening up a window, today’s buildings do not offer this luxury. And years ago, saving money on HVAC operation was not perhaps as critical as it is today’s economy.

Addressing these issues then is of importance to saving energy, equipment sustainability and overall air quality.

Our next article in this series addresses cost-effective handling of these issues.

Please feel free to leave your comments below.

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

Filed under: Ductwork, Walls and Insulation, Evaporator and Condenser Coils, Pans, Basins and Metal Surfaces, Technical Corner | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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

Posted on August 9, 2011 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.

Please don’t forget to comment, and let us know about your experiences as well.

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: Evaporator and Condenser Coils, Product Spotlight | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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