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25 Degrees in Africa / Volume 5, Journal 4 - August/Sept 2010

Volume 5, Journal 4 - August/Sept 2010

25 Degrees in Africa - Enervations

Specialist indoor air quality solutions

Indoor air has been to be found up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air and, according to the American College of Allergies, 50 % of all illnesses are either caused or aggravated by polluted indoor air. In 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution as the greatest risk to human health above all types of environmental problems.

HVAC Systems are excellent breeding grounds for harmful airborne contaminants to gather and then spread throughout a building. When HVAC Systems are contaminated with dust, mould, construction debris, bacteria or insulation fibres the indoor air quality of the facility suffers, putting patients at a higher risk in healthcare facilities and damaging employee productivity for businesses.

When the contaminants are combined with varying temperatures, humidity levels and airflow in the HVAC System, the indoor air environment can dramatically suffer. Not only are there additional health risks with a dirty HVAC System, but a system's operating and efficiency standards are impaired, resulting in higher operating costs for the facility.

“Most people do not realise that their air ducts are virtual breeding grounds for dust, dust mites, bacteria, fungi and thousands of other micro-organisms. These contaminants are blasted into the air you breathe every time the system goes on. This leads to sinus problems, respiratory difficulties and intense allergies,” says Victor Henning, marketing manager at Autumn Star Indoor Air Quality.

Autumn Star Indoor Air Quality is a leader in heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) in South Africa. The company’s specialist indoor air quality and duct cleaning services, which has its headquarters in Gauteng, provides complete HVAC services to any location within the shortest amount of time possible. Autumn Star’s skilled artisans offer expert advice, installation and quality HVAC products.

“Our HVAC services are integrated with our F10 product range, which is a decontamination process that completes our package offering,” explains Henning. “We ensure that buildings we service comply with the OHS Act 85 of 1993. If buildings do not comply with this act, we work with the company to improve the indoor air quality until we are able to issue compliant and occupancy certificates with all the necessary accreditations.”

The F10 product range is used to clean and disinfect equipment, coils, air spaces and ducting surfaces in building systems. These products have already out-performed previous norms when combating sick-building syndromes in hospital theatres and offices (www.healthandhygiene.net).

“Our goal is to make all buildings safe and healthy. We provide expert advice, products and services so that HVAC systems in buildings we service can be regarded as efficient and green,” concludes Henning.

Autumn Star
Tel: +27 379 4857
Fax: +27 866 926 553
Website: www.indoorairquality.co.za