At Swiftclean, we are proud to be a leading provider of duct access door installation services. Our access door services are designed to make cleaning and maintenance easier.
In any commercial or residential ductwork system, it is important that access points be provided to facilitate inspections, cleaning, and other maintenance activities.
An access door is a small, metal, quick-release door that’s fitted to give access to a contractor to a ventilation duct system. Access door sizes are standard across the industry and are either circular or square/ rectangular in design. Where a standardised access door does not fit a duct design, then a removable panel made from sheet metal can be installed; this is not always ideal, but this critically enables access for maintenance.
For flat surfaced ducts the engineer selects an appropriately sized door (as large as possible), marks the position, and accurately cuts a hole in the ductwork. They then fit the access door frame to it by folding the tabs over by hand and crimping them to the ductwork itself, this is to ensure an airtight seal. The door can then be put into place within the frame, and using the cam levers, locked into place. Seals (intumescent where fire-rated) on the access door help to create a seal to avoid any unwanted pressure loss, as well as in fire-rated cases expanding in the event of a fire to restrict the spread of fire and smoke.
With circular duct access doors, the process is slightly different, where the door and retaining frame are held in place by threaded locking devices sandwiching and sealing the duct between the inner frame and door.
In some cases, a chain may be added between the access door and frame; this is particularly important when access doors are fitted to the underside of ducting at a high level, as it avoids the risk of injury should the door fall for any reason.
When it comes to commercial ductwork systems, having correctly sized access panels is essential to the cleaning and maintenance of the systems. As such, designers and contractors alike must be aware of the recommended sizes and given the appropriate considerations and approvals before deviating from them.
Contractors should make sure that panels are installed at the levels recommended by the guidelines stated in TR19® Grease or Air, the industry specifications. This will help ensure that the ductwork is accessible for regular inspection, cleaning, and maintenance.
TR19® Air, issued by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), is now the standard by which ventilation ductwork should be inspected, tested, and cleaned. It includes a requirement for the ductwork cleanliness quality to be classified according to its use as high, medium, or low. This will usually depend on the type of facility that it serves and the degree of air quality that is needed. The cleanliness quality classification comes from BS EN 15780 (2011).
According to TR19® Grease, access doors should be fitted at a minimum distance of two metres apart to enable hand cleaning, whilst also preserving the integrity of the duct. Access doors can be further apart in general ventilation systems, guidance on this can be found in TR19® Air.
However, if an engineer enters the duct, there must be a minimum of two access doors – one for access and one for egress – which also helps with ventilation when in the ductwork. An engineer must only enter the ducting after having had the correct confined space training and in accordance with the risk assessment, where possible this should be avoided and alternative cleaning methods considered, such as mechanical brushing.
In many cases, when the maintenance contractor attends the site to maintain or clean ductwork, the access may not be fully sufficient for the process. Sometimes, access has only been installed for inspection (small-sized access door sizes, spread thinly), which would not facilitate a full system clean.
Designers/specifiers and contractors must pay particular attention to the location of access panels when designing ventilation systems. They should clearly state the type of panels required, the sizes and the locations in the specification.
Designers must also consider the weight that the ducting can take. This is especially true when dealing with large ductwork which may require man access to the interior of the duct. The responsibility of designing and fitting the bracketry will often fall to the ductwork contractor.
In conclusion, when it comes to access panels, designers/specifiers and contractors should pay extra attention to ensure they are meeting the requirements stated in TR19® Grease and Air.
Proper consideration of these requirements will result in the installation of access panels of the correct sizes in the right locations, providing the right accessibility for inspection, testing, cleaning, and maintenance, and ultimately saving time and money.
An access door is a small, quick-release door providing entry for maintenance activities in ventilation duct systems. It ensures easy inspection, cleaning, and maintenance. Access door sizes are standardised, either circular or square, and are crucial for compliance with industry standards like TR19® Grease or Air.
For flat surfaces, engineers cut a hole, attach the access door frame, and secure it with cam levers for an airtight seal. Circular duct doors are held by threaded locking devices. Seals, including fire-rated intumescent ones, prevent pressure loss and restrict fire spread. Chains may be added for safety, especially in high-level installations.
TR19®, established by BESA, sets the standard for inspecting, testing, and cleaning ventilation ductwork. Compliance ensures proper cleanliness classification, placement, and spacing of access doors, facilitating regular inspection, cleaning, and maintenance in line with industry specifications.
We are ready to hear from you if you wish to find out more about our duct access door installation services. For further information on our first-class access door services, give us a call on 0800 243 741 or complete the form on our website.
