Real Estate

Advantages of using robotic duct cleaning technology

By the 1980s, the use of robots was becoming widespread for many diverse applications in industry. They became popular on television and in movies and were given a new task to reduce labor costs and increase precision in the production of many items. This included the use of robotic duct cleaning technology in residential, industrial and commercial office applications.

Around the same time that the robots started working, there was a new awareness of some of the problems posed by building HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems. You may remember the great scare that occurred around what was recently called Legionnaires’ Disease, when so many people fell ill while attending an American Legion conference in Philadelphia in 1976. It was later determined that the bacteria responsible for making so many sick people had been lurking in the building’s air duct system.

If not thoroughly and regularly cleaned of dust and debris, air ducts can harbor a variety of bacteria and fungi that cause problems that, if left untreated, can cause illness in people exposed to the environment inside the building. Some of the symptoms may include tiredness, fever, chills, loss of appetite, and headache, among others. The air duct cleaning industry then found a new job for robotics that was helpful in educating customers. They started using small robots with cameras to travel through the air duct systems and make a video of what was there in those hidden areas. This could be shown to a potential customer as positive proof that there was a real problem at your facility.

But that was just the beginning. Since these machines had become so useful in identifying the problem with HVAC systems, perhaps they could be further adapted to help fix the problem as well. And that’s exactly what happened.

After all, getting into an air duct to clean it was no easy task, especially ducts with a small diameter. Typically pressurized air was used for cleaning, with a fitting at the end of a long hose. But this setup was either kind or unpredictable, especially with all the nooks and crannies, curves and corners that air ducts usually have. It was better than not cleaning them at all, but still left a less than ideal result.

To address this deficiency, a new robot was developed to perform the cleaning. Equipped with bristle brushes, cameras and lights, this little gadget went to work like a mad demon. Run by remote control, with a TV monitor to see where he was going and where he had been, this little guy is amazing.

Using the robot saves large labor costs and makes work faster and easier. With adjustable brushes that move on all sides, it is possible to clean all duct surfaces in one go. And these machines are designed to get into all the corners that, until now, have been practically impossible to do.

There really is no better way to clean air duct systems. And you will certainly breathe better once the job is done. If you want it done fast and you want it done right, using the robotic duct cleaning method is the only way to do it.

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