Ductwork camera inspection case study

Clean Ducts carried out a full ductwork camera inspection and ventilation survey across a group of high-rise residential buildings in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, on behalf of property and construction consultancy Calford Seaden.

Background

Calford Seaden is a multi-disciplined property and construction consultancy with an 80-year trading history and a staff of around 240. Its services span architecture, engineering, building information modelling, sustainability and the management of complex residential properties, which is where we came in.

We were asked to survey the ventilation systems across a portfolio of buildings in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Some are over fifty years old and rise to 18 storeys, which brings its own set of challenges. The vertical shafts and ducts running through the core of a high-rise help the building to breathe, drawing air in and out. Over time these systems accumulate dust and debris, and left unchecked that build-up becomes a fire risk.

What we did

A complete visual inspection of a labyrinth of internal ductwork is not a small job. It calls for specialist equipment, including a 25-metre fisheye camera, and the experience to know exactly where to deploy it. The work often means installing new access points into the ductwork, and occasionally a degree of human contortion.

Our ventilation hygiene team delivered a full written and video report for each system. The reports did more than flag where cleaning was required. They set out a detailed plan for how that cleaning should be carried out, with internal cleanliness assessed against BESA TR19, the recognised standard for ventilation hygiene.

The quality of those reports is what sets our work apart. When you hold accurate data on the condition of your ducts, you can make the right decisions about maintaining and managing your buildings.

Outcome

Calford Seaden were impressed enough to commission multiple surveys from the outset. We are now one of the firm’s ongoing supply partners for ventilation hygiene work.

If you manage high-rise or complex residential buildings and need to know the true condition of your ventilation ductwork, we can survey it and give you the evidence to act. Request a ventilation survey to get started.