Schools can take steps to support cleaner indoor air, including HVAC system inspection and cleaning as part of summer maintenance. Many schools are in buildings over 50 years old and operate at just 1 or 2 air changes per hour, which is well below recommended levels.

What’s Up With Ducts

Ducts get dirty. Even with the proper use of filters, the school’s heating and cooling system can get really dirty through normal school day use, just as surfaces in your home get dirty and dusty over time and have to be cleaned. All sorts of contaminants and air pollutants are common in schools, including bacteria, dust, skin cells, mold, and chemicals.

When all those contaminants get pulled into an HVAC system, they travel through the air ducts, and recirculate through the building multiple times a day. Throughout the school year, all that recirculation can cause a major build-up of contaminants in the ductwork and other system components.

What Can Be Done

For many school districts, part of the answer can include working with NADCA member companies. For decades, NADCA has led the effort to ensure that the systems delivering air into buildings remain clean, efficient, and healthy. NADCA member companies have technicians with advanced training and certification in HVAC system cleaning, and they’re required to follow higher standards, ensuring that contaminants are removed at the source.

Parents can ask their school or district whether HVAC system inspection and cleaning are part of the summer maintenance plan. Improved ventilation, filtration, and HVAC maintenance can help reduce airborne contaminants and support healthier indoor environments.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.