Do we have an HVAC specialist here?

[jberryhill]

I’m interested in HVAC systems such as you find in apartment buildings in urban areas.

Everyone knows that Legionnaire’s disease was propagated through standing water in HVAC systems, and that once it was understood, countermeasures were taken.

In, say, an urban apartment building, does the air return work the way it does in a single family home?

Is air returned from all of the apartment units, mixed together, and recirculated?

[hlthe2b]

1. I am anything BUT an HVAC specialist. But, I recall that Denver & other cities used shared air

exchange in apartment buildings (at least the older ones) as justification to enact strict anti-smoking ordinances. So...?

[FloridaBlues]

2. Not mixed with others. Only for that area.

[jberryhill]

3. Can you elaborate?

I admire an economy of words, but not sure what you are saying.

If there were, say, something smaller and lighter than even Legionella, could it make its way through the HVAC from one apartment to another?

[FloridaBlues]

7. The negitive air pressure should not circulate into other others in order to keep it contained

Possible to do each room that way but not using the same air content.

[herding cats]

4. Not my industry but I see where you're going with this.

I will say that SARS (original version) was possibly linked to bad plumbing vents in Hong Kong.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/leaky-plumbing-linked-to-sars-spread/



There was another possible link with SARS-CoV-2 and bad plumbing vents this year also in Hong Kong.

https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-spread-building-pipes.html

[ornotna]

5. Apartments should not share AC systems

Each apt. should have separate ducts and evaporators.

[jberryhill]

6. What about forced air heat?

I’m totally ignorant of the subject which, yeah now that I think about it, is probably a good reason for me not to worry about stuff I don’t understand.

[ornotna]

8. The same with heat

Each apt. would be separate. The heating coils would be with the evaporator unit.

[jberryhill]

9. Thank you

I had a silly moment.

[ornotna]

10. No problem

Sign of the times. We're all a little jumpy.

[Bettie]

11. DH (who is an expert in this)

says that older heating systems tend to be common air return systems, but newer ones work more like a single family home, so it really depends on how old the system itself is, rather than how old the building is.

His explanation was more involved, but he doesn't want to sit down and type right now.