Dirty Acoustical Ceiling Before and After Restoration
How Ceilings Get Dirty The problems of having a dirty acoustical ceiling are many and varied. How ceiling’s get dirty is universal and unavoidable. Over time, airborne dirt, grease, smoke, nicotine and bacteria collect on the surface of your ceiling tiles. Eventually, these contaminates form a film that reaches from the surface deep into the pores of a ceiling tile, changing the color and deteriorating the tile’s function. Exposure to ultra violet rays also causes tiles to yellow. Leaks and moisture build up can stain tiles as well as lead to mold.
Good and Bad Solutions Dirty acoustical ceilings present a variety of problems
and there are right and wrong ways to go about fixing
them. Good solutions restore, renew, or increase the
attributes of ceiling tiles. Bad solutions are “band-aid” fixes that permanently alter the make up of the tile,
damage its material, reduce key functions, are ineffective
and or cost prohibitive. Below, we detail the major
issues and address the most common bad solutions as
well as present best-case practices to insure the longevity
of your ceiling.
As of May 2010, the state-
wide public smoking ban will go into effect in Michigan. Establishments
that used to allow smoking on
premisis will no longer be allowed to
do so. Ceilings contaminated with nicotine stains need to be cleansed
in order to eliminate the dangers of second hand smoke.
Detrimental Effects of Dirty Ceilings Include:
Bacteria and Mold:Acoustic Ceiling tiles have been proven to become breeding grounds for microbes, fungi, and bacteria as they age and grow dirty. Two main types of fungi found in dirty celings include Rhizopus and Paecilomyces. Both are well documented allergens and classified by OSHA as causative agents for allergic reactions in people at low airborne concentrations. These fungi are known to cause coughing, fatigue, chest tightness, headaches, skin inflamation, and legions. Proper treatment of this issue should include all of the folowing:
Periodically sanitize your ceiling tiles with our exclusive
cleaning process.
Our cleaning and restoration
services qualify as a “green” initia-tive. Unlike costly replacement, our services help keep old ceiling tiles
from being discarded into landfills
and even qualify for LEED credits.
Our treatments have extremely low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) and are safe for public use.
Replace tiles with new ones when absolutely necessary
Begin a regimen of regular periodic cleaning of duct work
and ventilation systems
Monitor and regulate relative humidity control to prevent
bacteria and fungi from reinfesting your tiles.
Rhizopus & Paecilomyces
Reduced Indoor Air Quality and Sick Buildling Syndrome:The proliferation of modern air conditioning and central heating is revealing that buildings are less exposed to sources of fresh air. As dirt, grease, nicotine and mold build up in ceiling tiles near vents and air returns these pollutants are introduced to the air we breathe. Science has determined that these contaminants contribute to occupants of a building (i.e. your customers and employees) experencing acute health effects by spending time on the premise. This situation is known as Sick Building Syndrome.SBS is directly linked to the indoor air quality of a building. SBS and IAQ are becoming bigger problems for schools, offices, and governmental buildings. The only solutions is to remove the contaminants at the source.
Independent lab testing of celing tiles before an after
cleaning service found a better than 90 percent
reduction in microbial concentraions.
Regular cleaning purges tiles of odors and left over carcinogens.
Light Reflectance:The Light Reflectance reading of a ceiling tile declines in direct relation to the accumulation of dust, pollution, finger-marks, etc. Adequate lighting is very important to worker health and productivity. Eyestrain is the number one office health hazard reported by workers worldwide. It is a proven fact that brighter retail stores have higher sales volumes. A higher light reflectance value saves on energy costs because lower watt bulbs can be used to light the same size space.
Painting ceiling tiles may increase light reflectance, but at the expense of other important tile qualities.
Ceiling Restoration increase the LR values, allowing for the same space to be lit with lower wattage bulbs. This means year over year savings on your energy bills, without sacrificng the noise reduction or burn rating of your ceiling. There’s no need to swap old tiles for new ones with a higher LR value when restoration costs 50% less.
In addition, periodic cleaning of ceiling tiles, t-bars, light lenses, and walls will keep these values high.
Relamp existing fixtures periodically, and improve direct and indirect lighting sources wherever possibe to maximize the benefits of your ceiling.
Noise Reduction Coefficient: On average, a new ceiling will absorb 60 percent of the reflected sound when used in an enclosed space such as an office. A 1996 study published by the American Society of Interior Designers found that 70 percent of office workers believe they would be more productive if noise levels were reduced.
Avoid coating or painting with unapproved materials that may reduce ceiling NRC.
While replacing your tile with newer tiles that have a higher NRC is an option, it’s cost prohibitive.
Restoration is the most affordable option to improve the NRC of your ceiling. It can increase the noise absorption factor over the tiles OEM specificications.
Periodic cleaning with approved cleaner will preserve the acoustic value of your existing ceiling by preventing buildup and damage that can reduce its effectivenes.
Fire Burn Rating:One of the most important qualities of a ceiling tile is its Burn Rating. Tiles are manufactured to meet the criteria of specific building codes. Ceilings encrusted with contaminants have their burn ratings degraded. Improper ceiling maintenance techniques can permanently reduce this burn rating leaving the building in violation and its occupants in unnecessary danger.
Avoid coating or painting with unapproved materials that may reduce ceiling’s fire resistance or bond the tiles to the grid.
Only our exclusive restoration process can safely increase the fire resistance of your ceiling without the need for full replacement of the tiles.
Proper cleaning and maintenance wil insure that your ceiling is free of grease and other films that can create an undesirable fire hazard and vents are free of obstruction.
