Local Business uses Breakthrough Duct Sealing Technology to Reduce Ventilation Leakage from 800 CFM to 10 CFM
The UOHI (University of Ottawa Heart Institute) realized they had a problem on their hands when they discovered an isotope they were working on in the hospital’s laboratories had migrated to another part of the building. They decided to use Aeroseal on the vents to eliminate the leaks and ensure that the isotope wouldn’t spread to another part of the hospital. What they didn’t count on was the efficiency of their building improving by a gigantic margin.
In Brief
Building: University of Ottawa
Heart Institute
Engineer: GENIVAR | Constructive People
Duct Specialists: AWS Remediation
Technologies
Goal: Eliminate duct leakage as cause of
building-to-building air contamination
Before Aeroseal: Up to 800 CFM
(cubic feet per minute) of leakage
After Aeroseal: 10 CFM of leakage
The only problem with sealing ducts the traditional method is that it can be messy, costly and disruptive as workers would have had to tear down the walls to access the duct work and, in the case of working in a research hospital, it can be the difference between life and death. Fortunately AWS Remediation Technologies had an Aeroseal machine, Aeroseal being a breakthrough technology that eliminates the need to access the vents via traditional means. It seals the holes from inside the ducts. With Aeroseal, the process took less than a day and regular hospital operations continued uninhibited.
With the vents sealed, to UOHI was able to identify the problem – laboratory equipment leakage. They also discovered that not only had they eliminated the leakage of isotopes but they had improved the efficiency of their ventilation system, which had previously been running at full capacity. The system could now be turned down while maintaining better ventilation. The quality of air was improved. There was a reduction in energy usage and the hospital has plans to use AWS and Aeroseal in other building throughout the hospital.
Quotes:
“Íf duct leakage was the problem, we were facing the possibility of having to actually replace the hospital’s entire duct system – then we heard about Aeroseal. After conducting extensive research on the technology, our health and safety office approved its use. It then took AWS less than a day to effectively seal one of the hospital’s ventilation shafts. The positive impact that sealing the shaft had on the system performance was clear and immediate. We are now looking at using Aeroseal elsewhere throughout the hospital to improve the efficiency of our ventilation system”
-Michele Emond, project manager, University of Ottawa Heart Institute
“A lot of us were surprised to see that even arc-welded stainless steel ductwork is susceptible to significant leakage. Luckily, Aeroseal offered a safe and unobtrusive way to seal the entire ventilation shaft – without disrupting regular hospital operations.”
-Cory MacDonald, project manager, AWS Remediation Technologies
“We understand that in a medical environment, concerns over the health of workers and patients is paramount. We also know that expensive and sensitive equipment cannot, in any way, be affected by the duct sealing process. Now that Aeroseal has been employed at a growing list of prestigious healthcare facilities, its safe use in even the most sensitive facilities is being proven every day.”
-Robert Seals, Aeroseal LLC