We are here to answer your questions regarding HVAC, which includes questions about COVID-19 and things that you can be doing to help yourself, your employees, guests and tenants feel safer.
We have been looking to the leadership of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers) for guidance.
ASHRAE have approved only two statements regarding transmission of SARS-CoV2 and the operation of HVAC systems during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Transmission of COVID through the air is sufficiently likely that airborne exposure to the virus should be controlled. Changes to building operations, including the operation of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems, can reduce airborne exposures.
- Ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air. Unconditioned spaces can cause thermal stress to people that may be directly life threatening and that may also lower resistance to infection. In general, disabling of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems is not a recommended measure to reduce the transmission of the virus.
You can read more on ASHRAE’s stance here: https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/resources.
What this means, is that it has been acknowledged that COVID-19 may travel as an aerosol, and that there are things that can be done to your system that can help lower the chances of contracting COVID-19.
The industry is working hard to find solutions as we recognize the devastating consequences of global pandemic viral or bacterial outbreaks and want to be proactive in developing engineering guidelines for minimizing the spread of these biological hazards in building systems.
In my research, I have learned about at least three (3) things that you can do with your HVAC system that can help mitigate not only COVID-19, but viruses in general, as well as bacteria and mold.
We at System Tech Services Inc are doing everything we can to help you feel safer. If we do not know the answer to your question, we will certainly find it for you.
Of course, we also recommend following the CDC guidelines for social distancing and wearing a mask. In case you (somehow, lol) haven’t read it anywhere else, here’s some info on social distancing.
Social distancing is one of the best tools to avoid being exposed to COVID-19. To help slow the spread of the virus, keep these key times in mind for when to use social distancing
- Inside your home if someone is sick
- Outside your home when around people who are not in your household
- If you are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19
If maintaining social distancing will be difficult, wear a cloth face covering when around others, including when you must go out in public. Learn more: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html
We at System Tech Services Inc are doing everything we can to help you feel safer.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or your account representative.
If we do not know the answer to your question, we will certainly find it for you.
COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Face coverings, when worn over the nose and mouth, reduce the spray of respiratory droplets when the person wearing them coughs, sneezes, talks, or shouts. https://bit.ly/3ee8iP4external icon
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this – I hope it helps you!
Stay tuned to find out what the three things that we learned are…
Sincerely,
Colleen
