To Our Valued Customer:
First, I would like to thank you for being a loyal customer of Integrated Facility Services. Second and most important, we at IFS hope that you, your family, and your employees are safe and healthy during these difficult times.
We are reaching out to all our customers to make them aware that buildings that have been shut down or used less frequently during this pandemic have the potential for water quality degradation from stagnation, an issue separate from the COVID-19 crisis.
Stagnant or standing water can cause conditions that increase the risk for growth and spread of Legionella and other biofilm-associated bacteria. It also can lead to low or undetectable levels of disinfectant, such as chlorine, in the water system. Unlike the coronavirus, you cannot simply quarantine the system for a few days to make it safe. The longer that systems are idle, the more likely that these issues can occur.
We all want to get back to work, but to assure the occupants of your building that it is safe to return, we recommend that we flush your entire building. We have established a comprehensive water management program following recommendations of the CDC as well as relevant ASHRAE standards. This includes flushing of all appliances like ice machines, dishwashers and water coolers while wearing the appropriate protective equipment. We can also inspect mechanical equipment such as cooling towers, boilers, pumps, backflow preventers and hot water systems.
After flushing we can take water samples for analysis to a qualified independent testing laboratory for results. If test results indicate the need for disinfection, we can chlorinate your water systems and have it back online in a matter of days.
Afterwards, we can develop a water quality safety plan that will protect the long-term security of your employees and visitors for the foreseeable future. We recommend this service for all our customers.
In addition to a water treatment plan it is equally important to change all the air filters. If we control your building by automation, we can perform a fresh air purge. If your building is not automated, we can perform this fresh air purge manually or assist in adding an automation system to your building. You may also want to consider having every RTU and AHU cleaned before the building reopens. We work with many environmental remediation companies that are highly experienced with these processes.
Lastly, IFS can help with upgrades to your current fixtures such as handsfree faucets, sensor drinking fountains and handsfree automatic flushing systems for toilets and urinals. We are here to help re-open buildings safely and quickly to meet your needs.
Thank you again for being a loyal IFS customer and please feel free to reach out to us anytime.
Sincerely,
Christina Schafer
Service Manager
Integrated Facility Services
