Super Sleuths
Duct Detectives, solves air-quality quandaries
The precision and care needed to work in a hospital environment can’t be overstated.
That’s why Larry Pearson, President of Panoramic Building Performance Solutions in Bradenton, Florida, says he calls Duct Detectives, Inc. when his health care clients face a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) problem.
“At any given moment, 24/7, you’ve got patients, visitors, family, doctors, nurses—so much going on in that environment,” Pearson says. He should know. His consulting/contracting company provides sustainable building improvement solutions for existing properties throughout the Tampa Bay area.
Pearson says he remains a huge fan of hiring Duct Detectives because it is a proven commodity. “Duct Detectives is a rare group that brings it all to every single job,” he says. “They know how to blend in, when to do their work, and they do a fantastic job with remediation. I can’t quantify how valuable it is to have them come into an active hospital and clean the air ducts. You can’t have a lot of dust or particles filling the air. Sometimes, they work right by operating rooms or waiting rooms.
“I don’t know of another company that can execute like they can,” he adds. “They never leave a mess and are always aware of their surroundings. Every one of their employees works with high level of professionalism.”
Chad Cowan, founder and President of Duct Detectives, says every job is different and he appreciates the feedback from clients like Pearson.
“We have the resources and the people,” Cowan says. “If hospitals have issues, we can come in with 20 or 30 people and solve issues quickly. There’s a need for what we do, and we’ve found a way to do it better than anyone else can.”
Duct Detectives is recognized as a trendsetter and industry leader in eliminating pollutants. Besides cleaning ducts, the company also performs unit refurbishment, aerosol-injected sealant projects and dryer vent cleaning across the entire Southeast.
Technology Changes Air Duct Remediation
Duct Detectives had four employees when it was founded in 2006 and grows on average to about 50 employees in the summer and 30 throughout the year. Its reach extends across the Southeast portion of the United States. What’s more, the company boasts the largest number of National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) technicians in the Southeast and assigns a certified NADCA technician for each of its projects.
Florida hospital and Lee Health are counted among its industry partners, as are several other hospitals. Other clients include B & I Construction and Facility Services; Coastal Mechanical Services LLC; Air Mechanical and Service Corp.; DHR Mechanical Services; Energy Air, Inc.; United Mechanical, Inc.; W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor, Inc.; and many more companies.
Recent work includes various buildings at Cape Canaveral and at Tampa International Airport.
Why the high demand?
According to NADCA, indoor air quality is one major concern for building managers when they decide to investigate an existing building’s HVAC system.
Daily use and activities in any building can generate pollutants, such as dander, dust and chemicals. HVAC systems recirculate those contaminants five to seven times a day on average and, over time, pollutants can build up in a system.
“Ours is a traveling business where the employees often spend more time in hotels than with their families,” says Cowan. “We work a lot of off-peak hours and weekends, so we have to treat each other like family because we’re together so much on the road; and we work in tight quarters on a regular basis.”
“Our guys physically enter the ducts to get visuals whenever possible. We try to see every piece of duct,” Cowan adds. “Not all companies do that. When we finish, we give clients before and after photos and a report of all findings.”
Cowan says Duct Detectives was one of the first companies to use a patented aerosol-based product, Aeroseal. It allows air ducts to be sealed from the inside. This process is cheaper and more efficient than traditional methods.
“We have an interesting business model in that we only do commercial work, and we can plan around what’s best for our customers,” Cowan says. “Aeroseal has revolutionized what we do and has made us more cost efficient. In the old days, if your air wasn’t flowing, you may have had to change the entire system. Now, we find the leak or problem through a computer hookup that tells us exactly where and what it is. It’s kind of like fixing a flat on a tire.”
Aeroseal allows Duct Detectives to be less intrusive than other sealing methods that are available. “We can go in at night and seal an HVAC system without having to remove insulation or take apart ceilings or walls. Jobs that may have taken 20 working days can now often be done in five, saving money and enhancing service,” Cowan says.