Tips for Safely Restarting Your HVAC System During the Pandemic
While many non-essential businesses remain closed across the country, nearly every state has announced plans for reopening these businesses. Many states and areas have agreed to relax stay-at-home orders as soon as the number of new virus cases has gone down for several days in a row. Different areas are using different standards for reopening non-essential businesses, so it’s important to be aware of the threats in your area when restarting your business.
Going back to work often means restarting your HVAC system, so your employees can do their jobs comfortably in their space. We’ll talk about how to best restart your HVAC system, so you can get back to business with more peace of mind.
Restarting the HVAC System
It’s best to plan out every stage of the reopening process, including how soon you plan on reopening, who needs to be there, and how many people you plan on letting back into the space. Identify key personnel that will facilitate the reopening. Notify these individuals of their responsibilities to get everyone the same page. Identify and talk through potential safety issues before letting your employees back onto the site.
When restarting your HVAC system, give it some time to get back online. Ideally, your system will have been running throughout the shutdown, but if not, you may encounter some issues when restarting. Watch out for leaks, drafts, and excess condensation. We recommend contacting us to have an expert perform maintenance or a one-time tune-up to make sure the system is safe for use.
Review your contractual agreements and identify safety protocols when bringing maintenance crews and equipment suppliers onto the site. Limit points of contact for air filters and other essential items for your HVAC system to prevent the spread of disease. Make sure you have made all the necessary repairs before letting your team back into the building.
Open the windows a few hours before reoccupying the space to get rid of any airborne particles that may still be lingering in the air.
You should also open the outside air intake dampers to their maximum position, 100% preferred, for at least four hours before bringing your workers back into the space.
You may also consider investing in air purification products proven to kill the Coronavirus. Our experts can help you improve the air quality inside your property – which, especially during the current pandemic, is critical. Air circulation can contribute to the spread of the coronavirus but with an adequate air purification system in place, the opportunity for transmission can be significantly reduced.
HVAC Safety Tips for Going Back to Work
When bringing your employees back to work, talk to them about their safety concerns. Make sure you address these concerns thoroughly before reopening the space.
If someone is older or has a pre-existing medical condition that may make them more susceptible to the virus, you may need to take special precautions, such as confining them to a separate space to limit their exposure to possible contaminants. Ask your tenants or workers to speak up if they have issues that may affect their health and safety in the space. Your team should also stay home if they are sick or may be infected with the virus to reduce the chances of transmission.
You may need to outfit your team with PPE if certain hazards are present in the workplace. Adhere to the latest recommendations from the CDC and OSHA to protect your workers on the job.
Use this information to get your HVAC system back online after the shutdown. Contact the professionals at A-1 Guaranteed to schedule a service appointment in Napa County, CA today.
