We all join the gym with a common goal and that is to take care of our health. Having a complementary towel service at your health club is a nice perk when working out, taking a yoga class, or enjoying a treatment at the spa. A clean towel service also means more laundry for the gym, which if done in house, means more frequent dryer vent cleanings. To keep up with demand for health and cleanliness the fitness facilities need to keep their promise of health by maintaining the dryer vents and air ducts that are vital to indoor air quality.
Why should commercial dryer vents be cleaned more often than regular household dryers?
Due to the high volume of daily laundry, a commercial laundry room in a fitness center will need more frequent dryer vent cleanings. The commercial sized loads of laundry produce commercial sized amounts of lint that can quickly accumulate within the dryers and dryer vents. If not properly maintained, this can become a fire hazard.
Having more members and guests than a normal household, the air ducts should be serviced more often. Did you know that most of the dust and dirt build up in your air ducts is mostly comprised of dead, human skin? If you do not have your air ducts regularly cleaned, dead skin, dust mites, and other unwanted germs can build up in your air ducts and ventilation system.
People join a gym to take care of themselves and to stay healthy, shouldn’t your facility keep up with the demands and interests of your clients? Indoor air quality is so vital to keeping members and guests healthy. The recent world events with the COVID-19 pandemic has made this topic more prevalent than ever.
How often should the air ducts be cleaned?
While a normal household is supposed to have their air ducts cleaned every 2-3 years, indoor air quality experts recommend that in a commercial facility, such as a gym or fitness center, that the air ducts should be cleaned once every year.
What other precautions can be taken to ensure health and safety?
In addition to routine cleanings and sanitizing the air ducts, a UV light can be installed on the air handlers. While it is not mandatory, having a UV light installed will decrease the spread of allergens, dust, germs, bacteria or microbial growth within the air ducts. These toxins can spread through the air and increase the spread of germs or trigger indoor allergies.
The UV light will kill these germs, bacteria, viruses and mold so it cannot spread to members and visitors. This in turn helps keep your facility functioning safely and properly.
When dust, dirt and germs build up in your air ducts, they can cause the system to run inefficiently, which may mean harm to the system and higher energy bills.
Who can perform this task?
When calling on a service provider to clean and sanitize your air ducts, they must have NADCA certification. This is the highest standard in the industry and is nationally recognized.
How much does this cost?
A routine cleaning will usually charge per vent (prices vary based on quantity, size and location of vents). The UV light starts at $400 per light, but prices may vary based on size and quantity. The best answer to this question is to contact your NADCA certified air duct cleaning technician for a free quote. However, can you really put a price tag on health and safety?
