Air hygiene in the vehicle is an important issue. After all, poor hygiene can lead to health problems. This is why the Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Industry (ZDK) and the Association of German Engineers (VDI) published their jointly developed hygiene requirements for vehicle air conditioning systems (Directive VDI/ZDK 6032, passenger cars/trucks). Today, air conditioners are part of the standard equipment in most vehicles. The new directive has therefore created an important hygiene standard for passenger cars and trucks. The aim is to ensure healthy air in the vehicle and to raise awareness about the topic among workshops.
Who hasn't encountered this problem: A smelly air conditioning system is not only unpleasant, but also a real bacterial spreader. And even worse: high microbial contamination can even be assumed in this case. But how does this happen? The reason: During the cooling process, condensation always forms on the lamellae system of the evaporator. This damp environment is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and moulds. If indoor and pollen filters no longer work properly because they haven't been replaced frequently enough, the contamination continues to increase.
Regular cleaning of the A/C system is important for health
If the vehicle air conditioning system is not maintained and cleaned regularly, bacteria and mould can accumulate in the ventilation system. The result: The inhaled air can cause sickness. Regular, ideally annual cleaning and maintenance of the air conditioning system ensures healthy air in the vehicle and is therefore an important protective measure for health. However, it is also important that an "air conditioning service" consists not only of a function and leak test and monitoring of the refrigerant fill level, but also includes filter replacement and complete cleaning of the air conditioning system and its parts.
Also hazards to workshop personnel
It's not just the vehicle occupants are exposed to a health risk, but also the workshop personnel. This is because they also come into contact with contaminated components during maintenance work. This makes it all the more important that workshop personnel are informed about fundamental hygiene measures. The new directive therefore also makes an important contribution to occupational health protection. In addition to this know-how, workshops also need the appropriate technical equipment. To support workshops on this topic, the Academy of German Motor Vehicle Industry (TAK) is planning a specialist training course. This will be presented at Automechanika in September.
AirClean for successful A/C disinfection
Of course, we also offer the right tool for professional disinfection of A/C systems. Our AirClean system is an A/C disinfection spray that can be used to effectively disinfect the A/C system and the vehicle interior. Viruses, bacteria, spores and other germs are reduced. The advantages: AirClean is purely mineral-based, is 100% biodegradable and is therefore non-hazardous for people, animals, the environment and health. At around five minutes, the time required is also minimal. In addition to disinfecting the A/C system with our AirClean, we recommend using our biofunctional filters. These have an additional, natural polyphenol coating that binds free allergens. They also inhibit the growth of bacteria and moulds. This means that a permanent supply of fresh air is always guaranteed.
