Just a quick post on this one. Ran across it today, but the mans death occurred last year.

In an online article on the GetReading.co.uk website there’s a story about a man who, authorities say died from Legionnaires disease contracted in his home. Seems as though the man died from Legionnaires disease caused by Legionnela bacteria that occurred when limescale deposits in his residential water system allowed water to stand and bacteria growth to form.

Legionella has long been an issue in the HVAC trade. Any place that moisture can build up can cause bacteria to grow and legionella is one of those. However, it tends to be more discussed in industrial/commercial HVAC systems and rarely (if ever) discussed as being caused by residential hot water heater system.

Now, the details are a bit sketchy, but it’s scary. The findings of an inquest identified that limescale deposits in the water system (heater, shower heads etc) allowed water to “pool” when the fixtures weren’t in use. This pooling allowed bacteria to grow and that’s how it infected this man.

You can read the article here.

If this is true (and the facts seem to support it), it makes maintaining your hot water system and eliminating lime scale buildup even more crucial.

What are your thoughts? Ever hear of this before?

The restaurant walk-in cooler is a workhorse that can limp along for years without much complaining. But regular maintenance makes it far more reliable, keeping inventory safe and reducing energy costs. With observation and corrective action, walk-in coolers can serve your restaurant clients long and well.

The following issues signal it’s time for them to call a service technician.

Ice Buildup
Over time, ice can build up on the cooling coils. A properly functioning evaporator regularly defrosts, melting the ice and draining it away. But on older units the ice may not melt completely. When a coil becomes covered in ice, heat transfer plummets, and the compressor has to work harder and longer. If ice buildup is excessive the compressor runs constantly, but the unit still can’t maintain temperature.

Trapped Moisture

During a properly functioning cooling cycle, ice will form in your freezer, then melt and drain away. Sometimes a blockage prevents the water from draining. Trapped water can seep into cracks, then refreeze and expand, causing structural damage. Stalactites and stalagmites of ice in a freezer are a signal for swift action to avoid costly damage.

Inadequate Ventilation
The condenser coil removes heat from the refrigeration system. When the condenser is located in an enclosed or cramped space, it may not have sufficient air flow to efficiently remove heat. This leads to a higher temperature around the compressor, requiring it to work harder.

A condenser needs a well ventilated area to do its job. If it has to be kept in an enclosed space, use a fan to move additional air through the area to aid cooling. Directing exhaust directly outside also reduces ambient heat.

Check condenser coils regularly for dust and debris – these insulate the coil, reducing the heat transfer and airflow, causing the compressor to run harder and longer.

Leaks and Overcrowding
Inspect the refrigerator shell regularly for leaks which can lead to excess moisture in the system. Make sure doors seal properly to keep out moisture and warm air. Watch for frost buildup on doors, which can keep them from closing, or possibly freeze them shut. Also avoid overcrowding, which leads to poor air circulation. If the contents of the fridge block evaporator fans, the unit won’t perform at peak levels.

Regular maintenance solves problems before they become destructive, and it keeps energy bills from skyrocketing.

Find a helpful Walk-In Cooler/Freezer Diagnostic Protocol on the Contracting Business website and if you have any other tips, let us know in the comments.

Arguably the most effective step in maintaining a residential AC unit is cleaning the outdoor condenser unit. It prolongs the life of the equipment and gives residents more bang from their cooling buck. But ineffective cleaning can actually cause problems, packing dirt and debris into the unit, and damaging those all-important fins.

Remember these tips for effective AC condenser coil cleaning:

• Clean coils from the inside as well as the outside. Directing water into the unit can actually pack debris deeper into the coils. It’s important to first direct your water spray against the direction of air flow through the coil. This pushes the dirt back out the way it came in. Then hot the outside with a rinse off.
• Beware of pressure washers. You can make a real mess of fins with a pressure washer. The fins on many coils bend at about 140 psi – most pressure washers push out a minimum of 600 psi and some go into the thousands. More isn’t always better.

SpeedClean’s Condenser Needle makes it easy to clean a condenser unit the right way. Its narrow, low profile and high-grade aluminum wand fits easily through small or slanted openings at the top of the condenser grate. Most of the time you won’t even need to remove the grate and fan unit! The unique 90-degree spray pattern effectively blasts dirt directly out of the unit without damaging the fins, and it minimizes the risk of electrical trips and shorts. You can easily clean a 5 to 10 ton unit in as little as 5 minutes.

The Condenser Needle is lightweight and portable. It attaches quickly to any standard water hose, giving you up to 3 gallons a minute of effective, directed cleaning power. It comes with everything you need to get started – 36” wand with connector, spray gun garden hose connector with flow back control, adjustable chemical injection hose (for optional use of SpeedyFoam® biodegradable coil cleaning solution) and instructions.

The Condenser Needle is also ideal for rooftop condenser units and refrigerated vehicle units, where portability is essential.

How many AC condensers do you clean every summer? Have any tips to share?

BucketDescaler makes eliminating limescale from tankless heaters a breeze.

Ever have a tough job with limescale? Tankless heaters getting clogged up. I want your story and you could win a new Bucket Descaler limescale remover system. Just submit a comment with your story and the best one wins! Decision will be made in the next few weeks so start posting!

PLEASE NOTE: this contest is no longer active.