TOTW – Remove bird droppings from your HVAC system, or risk dangerous health consequences

It’s finally springtime. The sun is shining and flowers are blooming, but a hidden danger lies in the most common of inconveniences: bird droppings. Though they may seem like minor annoyances, bird feces, nests, and feathers can harbor nasty diseases, some of which can be deadly. I’ll show you where to check for buildup, and why it matters that you keep your whole HVAC system clean.

An article at pureaircontrols.com laid out some of the bird debris-related diseases that can easily spread through a dirty HVAC system:

• Histoplasmosis – a deadly respiratory disease from fungus in dried bird droppings
• Candidiasis – a nasty infection, spread by pigeons
• Cryptococcosis – another pigeon-related disease that damages the heart and the central nervous system
• St. Louis Encephalitis – a nervous system inflammation that can lead to paralysis, coma, or death
• Salmonellosis – common food poisoning that’s easily spread by dust in bird droppings
• and more…

As you can see, an unwanted bird infestation can be a serious problem. Fortunately, if you simply maintain a sanitary HVAC condition, you cut your risk of contamination way down. The same article laid out a few places to check for bird debris and droppings:

• Fresh air intakes
• Filter banks
• Fan assemblies
• Evaporator coils
• Coil drain pans
• AHU insulation

Like most things in a building, the best way to stay on top of these problems is to check these locations as part of your routine inspections process. Check regularly and clean when necessary, and you can avoid more than a mess, you can prevent a health crisis.

If you’re already using LogCheck in your organization, send me an email to support@logcheck.com and I’d be happy to help configure your digital logbook to check for these issues. And if you don’t already use LogCheck, click the button below to sign up for a free live trial so you can experience LogCheck in action, yourself.

Header image by Flickr User ZeroOne. License
(H/T to Pure Air Controls)