Cleaning the air conditioning system of a family house
We often encounter questions from clients, what service does the ventilation system with recuperation require in the future?
Quite often you will get an evasive answer from the installation company, because there are not many houses where the cleaning has already taken place. We have already "serviced" a few hundred family houses that ventilate with recuperation, so we can share our experience and advice.
Total service requires:
1) Cleaning/replacement of filters in the unit (+possible pre-filtration, e.g. on the suction of the ground exchanger)
2) Cleaning the unit and recuperator
3) Cleaning pipes and outlets
Correct design of the recovery system is the key to success:
Everything should start with a quality proposal that thinks ahead on all these points. That is accessibility of the unit and all pre-filter devices. Convenient access to pipes in several places. A plastic pipe system with an outer diameter of 90 or 75 mm seems ideal to us. The reason is simple. From the distribution box to the outlet, the pipeline is in one piece without joints, so it is easy to clean in all ways. The penetrations to the outlets and the size of the outlets should be at least 125 mm. The service hole in the distribution box should also have the same size. The least suitable type of pipe for cleaning (both mechanical and chemical) is the SONO type pipe, if it cannot be dismantled. Similarly, we recommend that access to all silencers be readily available.
You can find more about the issue of correct design in our presentations at professional conferences here:
Seminar 2022:
How to prepare the recuperation system for service - practical experience
Conference 2023:
Air conditioning cleaning interval of a family house:
1) Cleaning/replacement of filters in the unit (+possible pre-filtration - e.g. on the suction of the ground exchanger)
The interval depends on the surrounding environment and the cleanliness of the interior. We recommend checking the filters at short intervals after starting the unit for the first time, it is quite possible that there is more dust than normal on the construction site around it. So we recommend the first check after a month. Based on the condition of the filters, you can then easily estimate when and in which seasons the filters get clogged the most. Based on this experience, you will determine the replacement interval yourself.
(filters for all units sold by us can be found in our e-shop , at great prices)
ATTENTION: Do not start the unit until all construction work is completed and the house is perfectly clean!
2) Cleaning the unit and recuperator
Better leave the service of these parts to a service organization. The recommended interval is about 6 years. It is possible to monitor the cleanliness of the condensate drain tube or the condition of the fan blades in some units without disassembling the unit, for example through a hole when pulling out the filters. However, do not attempt to disassemble the unit yourself. Sensors and other electronics in the unit are susceptible to damage.
PHOTO FROM OUR SERVICES: LEFT-CLEANING THE RECOVERY UNIT, IN THE MIDDLE-SOMETIMES IT IS BEST TO DISASSEMBLY EVERYTHING AROUND THE UNIT, RIGHT-STATE OF THE EXHAUST FAN BLADES OF THE RECOVERY UNIT AFTER 11 YEARS OF OPERATION
3) Cleaning pipes and outlets
The basic sign of dirt in the drainage pipe is a gray border around the air inlet at the outlet. This does not necessarily mean that the pipeline must be in a state of emergency, but it is better to monitor the system. If you are not shutting down the unit, it is important to keep the drain line clean due to pressure loss and the possibility of damaging the unit. From a hygienic point of view, slight contamination of this pipe is not objectionable, as the air flow is directed from the interior to the outside.
On the other hand, the supply pipe must always be kept clean. This is mainly related to the care of the filters in the unit.
In our experience, it is a good idea to clean the pipes every six years.
PHOTO FROM OUR SERVICES: LEFT-CENTRAL DRAIN PIPE, MIDDLE-AFTER MECHANICAL CLEANING, RIGHT-CHEMICAL SPRAY CLEANING
Tips and tricks to keep your system clean:
1) Kitchen: It tends to be the dirtiest drainage area for one reason. Users forget to start the circulation hood, which removes fat particles from the air. It then sticks to the pipe and catches all the dust particles. In addition, in most houses, the kitchen is connected to the living room, where the biggest source of dust particles is the fireplace.
USE A HOOD IF YOU FRY!
2) Opening windows in summer. It is beautiful outside, the children are running here and there through the French windows and the air conditioning is still running. It is not surprising then that the exhaust outlets take air not only from a clean interior, but also suck in air full of pollen and other particles directly from the windows.
WHILE THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN, REDUCE THE POWER OF THE UNIT TO A MINIMUM OR TURN IT OFF COMPLETELY FOR THESE MOMENTS!
3) CHANGE THE FILTERS ON TIME! A unit that fights with "concreted" filters can be irreversibly damaged. Its value or the price of its repair is significantly higher than a few hundred for a new filter.
4) Filtration directly on the drainage outlets has proven quite effective for us. However, it is necessary to check these filters regularly. This will save you money on pipe cleaning. You can also buy a carbon filter for the kitchen at our online store.
5) When installing the ground exchanger, don't forget to run a high-quality service cable and drainage!
Do not use KG pipe.
PHOTO FROM OUR SERVICES: GROUND EXCHANGER PERMEABILITY TEST
You can order air conditioning cleaning here .
Updated on 10/25/2023
