Boutique hotel with 12 rooms – what sanitising rhythm and how do we do it without closing rooms?
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I manage a boutique hotel in Cotroceni, 12 rooms, each with a 9,000 BTU split (Daikin, 5 years old), plus two 18,000 units in the small restaurant. Summer occupancy is 90%. We have had two smell complaints and one about 'heavy air'. How do we organise sanitising without blocking rooms for days?
What is really happening
A hotel split has the toughest regime: different guests setting it to 18 °C, bathroom doors open, 8–12 hours of condensation a day, and new guests who smell it from the door. Building ventilation standards place hotels in the medium-high cleanliness class, with at least annual inspection as the absolute minimum; at 5 years your Daikins probably have a substantial layer on roller and pan. The 'heavy air' in the complaint is usually the combination of high humidity (a dirty evaporator dehumidifies less) and the volatile compounds from biofilm.
- Inspection: assessing condition and symptoms.
- Service check: checks and measurements appropriate to the unit.
- Cleaning: removing deposits.
- Sanitising: suitable treatment of cleaned surfaces.
The actual scope is confirmed before the visit.
- European standard EN 15780 defines cleanliness classes (low, medium, high) for ventilation systems and requires periodic inspections, at least annually. [CEN / BSI, 2011]
- The 'dirty sock' or musty smell from an air conditioner comes from volatile organic compounds produced by microbial biofilm on the evaporator and blower. [Current Microbiology, 2000]
- The relative humidity range with the fewest adverse health effects is roughly 40–60%. [Environmental Health Perspectives / PubM, 1986]
- The blower (cross-flow fan) is the most fungus-contaminated component of a split unit, more than the filter or the front of the evaporator. [Indoor Air, 2023]
What we do on site
- 4-day plan: 3 rooms a day, 11:00–15:00, coordinated with reception and housekeeping; the restaurant on a separate morning.
- Each room: sealed double cover, hose to the bucket, foil on the bed; alkaline detergent, adjustable pressure wash of evaporator, roller, pan and hose; fragrance-free sanitising; filters washed; drying on 'Fan' with the window open 20 minutes – the room is ready for 15:00 check-in.
- Outdoor units (grouped on the technical terrace) washed in place in a single round.
- Sheet per room with photos and date; an 'AC sanitised on [date]' card for the room if you wish.
- See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- Housekeeping: filters weekly in each room, 3 minutes; 'Fan' for 20 minutes at every departure clean.
- Limit the minimum remote temperature to 21–22 °C if the model allows.
What NOT to do
- Do not fix smell complaints with room freshener – the next guests smell the mix.
- Do not leave sanitising for the off-season when the hotel is empty but the units have already smelled all season.
Prevention
High-occupancy hotel: rooms twice per season (May and July), restaurant three times; filters weekly.
When to call us
For rotation planning: 0764 012 943 / WhatsApp; Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00; Cotroceni is central.
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Sources (9)
- knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/ventilation-for-buildings-ductwork-cleanliness-of-ventilat
- www.facilitatemagazine.com/good-practice-legal/explainer/2013/04/04/bs-en-15780-ventilatio
- link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002840010120
- link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002849900435
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6968652/
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3709462/
- onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2023/8984619
- journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0047526
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143940/
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.