FAQ

Firstly let me explain that until the HydroKleen System of cleaning “ductless” air conditioners was officially introduced to the market in 2009…… there was NO “industry standard” which spelt out clearly what constituted a “cleaning service”!

So how does the industry currently clean split systems air conditioners/heat pumps?

The traditional strip and clean method is used by some A/C technicians. This involves removing (in most cases) the head unit, dismantling it and then cleaning it externally.
This process can take up to 3 to 4 hours and is simply “NOT” cost effective nor time efficient at today’s hourly rates for the consumer.

The most commonly used method is for an A/C technician to squirt some alkaline or acidic based chemical onto the coil (evaporator) and hope that it will be flushed away by the condensate when the head unit is switched on. If there is no humidity, there will be no condensate!!

1. How does a typical home air conditioning system work?

A typical system functions as follows: air is drawn from the room through a return grill and passes through an air filter and into a furnace (or air handler).Inside the air handler is the circulating blower and a heat exchange coil commonly called the evaporator. The evaporator is cold and thus removes heat from air that blows across it. In addition to removing heat, water also deposits on the evaporator surfaces. The cooled air returns to the room via outlet grills. The moisture falls into a drain pan under the evaporator and drains through a pipe out of the system.

2. How does the air conditioning system inside a home become a source of microbial contamination?

The air drawn into a system contains dust, much of which is biological spores and other organic particles. Even the best filters capture only part of this material. Much of the rest falls out of the air stream onto the heat transfer surfaces. It combines with the water and the spores germinate and grow rapidly into a Bio Toxic build up.

3. Does microbial contamination in my air conditioning system impact the quality of the air in my home?

Yes. “Contaminated air conditioning systems can become breeding grounds for mould, mildew and other sources of biological contaminants and can then distribute these contaminants throughout the home.” System components can act as direct or indirect sources of particles and/or volatile organic chemicals (VOC’s). Of greatest concern is biological growth and bio-aerosol generation, most of which are potential allergens. Airborne allergens in the home constitute one of the hardest types of allergens to avoid. Unfortunately, heating and air conditioning systems are excellent harbours for moulds, and this system is an efficient distribution system.

4. Can you prevent the growth of these biologicals?

Keep your system clean and treated with a broad spectrum antimicrobial, which not only kills microorganisms (i.e. mould, mildew, fungi and bacteria) in the system but will inhibit their growth for up to 6 months.

5. Can keeping my system clean and free from growth provide other benefits?

If you clean and flush your system regularly it will operate more efficiently, use less power and last longer.

6. Why would a growth free system last longer?

Most corrosion in HVAC systems is caused by sulphuric acid secreted by common bacteria which chemically combines sulphur from the air with hydrogen and oxygen from water.