According to [...]]]> Energy Savings Gained through HVAC System Cleaning

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in large buildings or healthcare facilities can account for up to half the energy usage in these buildings! Complete cleaning of these systems, including the ductwork, vents, blowers, coils and other components, is an important aspect of keeping them running at peak efficiency.

According to NADCA, heating and cooling systems tend to be poorly maintained. At PREVENT this has been our experience as well. Our technicians spend a lot of time above facility ceilings and are often surprised at the amount of dirt and debris, as well as clogged grills, etc. It shouldn’t be surprising that these systems, which are experiencing heavy daily usage, become dirty and highly-contaminated with dust and sometimes infectious particulates (particularly in hospitals, MOBS and SNFs).

The National Air Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA) recently published the results of a research project with the Larson Building Systems Laboratory at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The main purpose of the study was, “to correlate the substantial energy savings that can be obtained through complete cleaning of fouled heating and cooling systems.” As one of the world’s most technologically advanced facilities for researching heating and cooling systems, the participation of the lab was pivotal.

Key findings of the NADCA study indicated that even lightly-fouled systems can produce substantial energy savings. The findings are based on a complete cleaning of duct work, coils, grilles and other air-side system components, as well as, filter changes. Based on this initial research, a lightly-contaminated system provides, on average, an 11% savings on energy costs used for heating and air conditioning. In a larger building, those savings add up to 5.5% on your energy bill.

If you haven’t thoroughly cleaned your duct systems in several years, which is quite common as a result of the recent economic conditions, you may experience 2-3 times those savings or 11-22% energy bill reductions. Those savings will continue to add up and provide a better environment for your tenants, customers or patients with improved air quality.

Consider having your HVAC system cleaned or evaluated to reduce your facility’s energy bill.

Complete Status Report: NADCA Energy Research Project

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Doors in any type of commercial facility take tremendous abuse from everyday use.  In addition, the constant battering, propping open, slamming and jamming of the doors takes a toll on the door and frame integrity itself. The result is the most common deficiency among fire doors, “the failure to close [...]]]> #1 Reason for Fire Door Failure

Doors in any type of commercial facility take tremendous abuse from everyday use.  In addition, the constant battering, propping open, slamming and jamming of the doors takes a toll on the door and frame integrity itself. The result is the most common deficiency among fire doors, “the failure to close in an actual fire”, states the NFPA. This issue is one of the most severe, as the doors when not properly closed, do not hold back flames or smoke and allow for the fire and smoke to spread more quickly. The most common reasons fire doors are not able to close are:

1. Lack of maintenance
2. Damage to the door itself or closing mechanism
3. Misaligned tracks
4. Doorway blockage
5. Inoperative latches
6. Faulty seals
7. Improperly adjusted closing devices

Code Compliance

Although the code in NFPA 80 requires fire door inspections ANNUALLY, it also requires that fire doors be kept in proper operating condition at all times and any noted defects be repaired or replaced without delay. In order to protect the safety and security of your building occupants and emergency responders, it’s important that you take precautionary measures in between inspections to make sure that your doors operate properly in the event of an actual fire.

Maintenance Tips

Prevent door blockage by regularly checking hallways and doorways and clearing out any items that may be blocking the door from completely closing. Doors should not be held open by any non-approved device or stoppers. Operate swinging doors that are normally held open at frequent intervals to test automatic closing devices. Maintain and make available to AHJ, state and local regulatory agencies all records of fire door maintenance and repair. Do not paint fusible links or other heat activated devices and remove paint from any moveable parts.

By taking these precautions in between your annual inspections, you can ensure reliable protection or fire door performance for your building’s occupants and emergency personnel.

For more information on fire door inspections, repairs, or recertification, visit the PREVENT website.

Lately, we’ve been hearing from our customers that the local Fire Marshals are enforcing NFPA 80 and NFPA 105 requirements for Fire Door maintenance in commercial properties (offices, apartment buildings, etc.) and educational institutions (heard from a large Northern CA university). We have received news from [...]]]>

Fire Doors in commercial buildings must be inspected annually.

Lately, we’ve been hearing from our customers that the local Fire Marshals are enforcing NFPA 80 and NFPA 105 requirements for Fire Door maintenance in commercial properties (offices, apartment buildings, etc.) and educational institutions (heard from a large Northern CA university). We have received news from several of these new customers that they have been cited for non-compliant fire doors by the fire marshal in Alameda, Contra Costa, and some areas of Orange and Los Angeles Counties here in California.

This may be a good time to take action on any life safety requirements you have been putting off.

For your reference, here is a list of requirements for life safety services for commercial buildings that fire marshals could potentially cite you for:

• NFPA 80 and NFPA 105 require annual fire door inspections and related reports to the those inspections. Fire doors must also be consistently kept in “proper working condition” to protect building occupants and hold back smoke and flames in the event of a fire.
• Fire Dampers must be inspected every 4 years to ensure functionality and related reports to these inspections must be provided upon request.
• Firewalls within the building must be maintained on a regular basis and any holes or breaks in these barriers must be firestopped with the appropriate UL materials and systems.

Most recently, it seems that the fire marshals are mostly citing fire doors. NFPA requirements for fire doors have no really been enforced in past years, but it looks like this year fire doors may be a hot topic for fire marshals.

For more information on NFPA requirements for fire doors, visit our fire door webpage.

As you have probably heard already, [...]]]> Working in facilities management, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details of keeping up with inspections and building maintenance. However, every once in a while we hear about something happen that serves as a reminder of the real reason life safety codes are put into place.

As you have probably heard already, a fire broke out in a hospital in Eastern India last week and took the lives of over 90 patients. Through investigations, authorities discovered that the required life safety systems were not installed or put into place when the building was constructed. Fire and smoke spread from the basement of the hospital through air ducts and into patient rooms leaving little time for anyone inside to escape.

As you know, maintaining your life safety systems isn’t important just to pass your inspection, but also is a matter of life and death for the occupants of your facility in a fire. Making sure that your fire dampers are functioning, your fire doors automatically close and latch, your fire walls are probably firestopped, and checking all of these systems on a regular basis will not only help you pass your inspections, but will also save lives.

For more information on life safety codes or life safety services, click here.
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Recently, an independent third party surveyor recently determined that when trades or in-house staff installs firestop systems, [...]]]> Fire walls and fire doors are one of the most important components of a passive fire protection system and are required to be maintained regularly by IBC and NFPA 101. But when it comes to firestopping, industry experience counts.

Recently, an independent third party surveyor recently determined that when trades or in-house staff installs firestop systems, it is done correctly only 32% of the time. However, when a specialty contractor installs firestop systems using the proper UL systems, it is done correctly over 86% of the time. Using a specialty firestop contractor for your firestopping projects increases your chances of passing inspection by 54%.

When choosing a contractor, there are several things you should look for:

• Ensure they are licensed to do work in California in the trade they are proposing work.
• Check their experience in your facility type (ex. Healthcare, Commercial, etc.)
• Ask if they perform the work themselves and make sure they do not subcontract the work out.
• Make sure they have liability insurance to cover the work they are doing.
• Ensure their staff consists of a trained and professional workforce.

Establishing a Firestop Maintenance Program with a specialty contractor is a great way to stay on top of the penetrations in your firewalls and help you maintain your compliance with life safety codes. In this type of program, the contractor comes out regularly to install firestop, sealing any penetrations in your fire walls. This ensures that your fire walls maintain compliance at all times, so you won’t have to worry about firestopping when it comes time for your inspections.

Click here to learn more about PREVENT’s Firestop Maintenance Program.

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In conversations with our Field Sales Reps the subject of tight hospital budgets keeps comes up often and is of major concern to many of you. Dealing with budget constraints makes staying in compliance with [...]]]> Take the “Firedrill” out of Staying in Compliance – Avoid the “one-side of the wall” firestop mistakes

In conversations with our Field Sales Reps the subject of tight hospital budgets keeps comes up often and is of major concern to many of you. Dealing with budget constraints makes staying in compliance with the firestop safety codes much more difficult.

Delaying or otherwise not doing the necessary upgrades and maintenance of firestop systems may create the sudden need for major project work to be done immediately prior to a scheduled Joint Commission inspection.  This can create some significant expense outlays, and be made even worse by overtime and other expenses associate with that type of last minute exercise. In addition, we know upper management doesn’t like this either – not to mention having to beat the inspection clock also adding to your daily headaches.

We’ve got some ideas that we have gleaned from talking with many of you at tradeshows and local ASHE  meetings as well as day-to-day in your facilities. Here what others are doing and recommend you don’t do.

Implementing a Regular Maintenance Program

We have heard many stories of frenzied “all in one shot” “let’s get it all in compliance today” rushed projects before the inspectors show up “events.”  Not only is this stressful, it is unnecessary. Many facilities are implementing a regular Firestopping Maintenance Program, either monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly — depending upon your budget and needs.  Performing regular preventative maintenance and upgrading your current firestopping systems provides for more assured compliance and more importantly a safer facility. In addition, your Finance Department and upper management will be much happier if the bills are spread out – making it much easier to budget and fund.

Don’t Try and Save with Poor Quality

Many a facility manager have told us they wish they’d brought us in sooner. So they say, resist the temptation to bring it in house or employ contractors of questionable credentials in order to possibly save a few dollars.  This can come back to bite you in the form of failed inspections and lack of facilities compliance with firestopping codes.  Recently, we were at a facility that paid a local contractor to do their firestopping. As the Joint Commission was walking down the hallway, checking all the firestop work everything was looking good until he walked into a patient room. You guessed it, no firestopping at all on the other side of the wall…this was true throughout the facility. Ouch.

Make sure your Firestopping Contractor is licensed in your state and a member of FCIA (Firestop Contractors International Assoc) – FCIA contractors keep abreast of all the latest firestopping construction techniques, materials and thinking. Also, question how much you are saving and measure the quality of your results from an in-house DIY approach.

In our efforts to work with clients on keeping their facilities in compliance on an ongoing basis, PREVENT Life Safety Services has a quarterly or monthly firestopping program that you can sign up for.  This enables you to spread the cost of these necessary safety upgrades over a longer period of time while maintaining the safety of your facility.  Paying a premium for a “Rush- Job” can become a thing of the past.

Give us a call to discuss your budget and the timing of a regular firestopping maintenance program.

In addition to considerations for dealing with with Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs), one of the top concerns expressed by medical professionals managing infection prevention and control at medical facilities is the spread of Aspergillus contamination among critically ill patients. Aspergillus can be found in HVAC [...]]]> Do You Know Where Your MDRO’s Are?

In addition to considerations for dealing with with Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs), one of the top concerns expressed by medical professionals managing infection prevention and control at medical facilities is the spread of Aspergillus contamination among critically ill patients. Aspergillus can be found in HVAC systems and contaminated dust that is disturbed during the maintenance or construction process. Aspergillus has also been found in unfiltered air, carpeting, food and ornamental plants in hospital settings.

These spore reservoirs have been specifically linked to under-maintained HVAC systems, which makes it critically important to establish a regular schedule of air duct cleaning. The HVAC system cleaning needs to be conducted by a highly trained professional expert in medical facility ventilation systems to prevent the spread of these dangerous spores. This is a first line of defense in the on-going war against hospital caused infections. Experienced operators of HVAC cleaning services will be able to manage air duct cleaning activities in the medical facility with the least amount of disruption to patients and staff.

Our company has developed a unique approach to ceiling accessed cleaning that creates a sealed airspace. By using our patented Solution Containment Unit, we are able isolate and filter the contaminated air through HEPA filters before it is released back into the hospital environment. The Solution Containment Unit also allows for minimal impact to facility operations around the workspace, allowing typical activities to resume as normal during the cleaning process.