WHY TUDI CAREERS ABOUT NEWS CUSTOMER LOGIN PITTSBURGH, PA 412-771-4100 Commercial Services Home Services TAMPA, FL 813-635-0100 Commercial Services COVID-19 & Your HVAC System COVID-19 & Your HVAC System Tudi Mechanical System’s (TUDI) core business is “creating environments that are conducive to the long-term health and productivity of our clients and their associates.” With the current pandemic, we have received considerable interest in the role HVAC systems play in the transmission of COVID-19. Regardless if you work in healthcare, commercial, or manufacturing, indoor air quality has become a real consideration for the safety of employees, clients and patrons. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of April 2020, “current evidence suggests, COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact routes. Airborne transmission is different from droplet transmission as it refers to the presence of microbes within droplet nuclei, which are generally considered to be particles <5μm in diameter, and can remain in the air for long periods of time and be transmitted to others over distances greater than 1 m.” Other prominent organizations such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineer (ASHRAE) suggest aerosol transmission is sufficiently likely, however; they acknowledged direct contact mechanisms of virus dissemination are more significant. Regardless, it’s important to understand the movement and concentration of aerosols and how they can be influenced by the HVAC system. Below are some recently asked questions and responses to help understand how your HVAC system may or may not affect the transmission of COVID-19. Most of these recommendations may be accomplished in-house and will differ slightly based on the configuration of your system. Recently Asked Questions: Should we increase the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Value Rating) of our filters or install activated carbon filters? Should we increase the amount of outside air? Should we keep the fan in the "ON" position? Should we turn off our air conditioning so that we don't spread the virus? Can my HVAC system spread the virus? Should we have our ductwork cleaned or fumigated? Is it true the virus does not like warm temperatures? Should we increase the temperature in our space to kill the virus? Does the Relative Humidity matter? Should we add UV (Ultra Violet) lights to treat our evaporator coil? How do I "Mothball" my facility, and "Re-occupy" once the work-remote orders are retracted? What should I do? What is Tudi doing? What is Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI)? In summary, there is limited evidence to suggest a well-maintained HVAC system will aid in the transmission of COVID-19. However, it can be an effective tool to purify air and sanitize surfaces of any facility (see NPBI). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. References: https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/frequently-asked-questions-faq https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/resources https://www.ashrae.org/news/ashraejournal/guidance-for-building-operations-during-the-covid-19-pandemic https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf PITTSBURGH, PA 343 Munson Avenue McKees Rocks, PA 15136 USA Phone: 412-771-4100 Fax: 412-771-7737 TAMPA, FL 5615 East Adamo Drive Tampa, FL 33619 USA Phone: 813-635-0100 Fax: 813-936-4845 STAY UP TO DATE Facebook LinkedIn Youtube EMPLOYEE REMOTE LOGIN EMPLOYEE EMAIL Copyright © 2021 Tudi Mechanical Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Licenses # PA 011749, # FL CMC1250464 Website by Imagebox