Goodway Technologies shares tips for performing preventative maintenance
Stamford, Conn. – February 15, 2021 – While many facilities are focusing on the proper precautions for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and maintaining a healthy and safe work environment, Goodway Technologies is sharing a reminder to be proactive to reducing the risk of a harmful bacteria that continues to impact facilities—Legionella. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health departments in the United States reported 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in 2018. In 2021, the U.S. has already seen outbreaks in a hospital, senior living center and an apartment complex.
“It is understandable, and necessary, that facility managers are putting cleaning and sanitation as a top priority as the pandemic continues, but there are concerns that other maintenance task are being deferred that could cause harm,” says Tim Kane, president and CEO of Goodway Technologies. “The potential for an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease could increase if facilities aren’t taking the appropriate steps to perform routine maintenance tasks.”
While there are several potential sources for Legionella, one of the most likely candidates is an infected cooling tower. Poorly maintained cooling towers are an ideal place for Legionella to flourish, due to accumulated algae, mold or bacteria mixing with the tower’s warm water. This creates a perfect environment for a possible outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.
Goodway Technologies recommends the following preventative maintenance steps to reduce the risk of Legionella developing in a facility.
- Inspect Towers Monthly. Look for sediment, scale and slime, which can lead to buildup and help legionella grow and thrive.
- Clean Tower Basin Surfaces. Clean the basin when sediment is visible. Cooling tower vacuums make it easier to remove contaminants without shutting down or draining your system.
- Clean the Fill. The tower fill is the perfect environment for bacterial growth, especially Legionella. A cooling tower fill cleaner will remove lime scale and debris.
- Treat Circulating Water. Dose biocides at recommended levels and consider monthly testing for LE bacteria to stay on top of any possible outbreaks.
- Drain, Clean, and Disinfect Annually. At least once a year, take the time to drain your system and perform a thorough cleaning and disinfection before turning it back on. Consider similar maintenance if your system has been offline for a long period of time.
In addition to lowering the risk for Legionella growth, caring for the cooling tower can also save money in energy and equipment costs. Chillers, heat exchangers, and pumps will remain cleaner and last longer. Putting together a maintenance plan and developing proper procedures is no longer optional. Taking these steps now can minimize the risks of an outbreak in a facility.
Visit Goodway’s website to learn more about its cooling tower systems and accessories or call 1-800-333-7467 for more information.
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About Goodway Technologies
Founded in 1966, Goodway Technologies has been delivering better maintenance solutions for more than 50 years. Goodway Technologies provides innovative maintenance solutions for a wide variety of industries including commercial HVAC, food and beverage processing, power generation and manufacturing. Over the decades, Goodway has worked with our customers to create better solutions for tube cleaning systems, industrial vacuums, cooling tower maintenance systems, dry steam solutions, descaling systems, coil cleaning products and practically everything else for the care and maintenance of HVAC systems. Further information is available at www.goodway.com. Goodway is recognized as an ISO 9001:2015 certified company.
