A few months ago, it was reported that the world was ‘healing’ after government lockdown restrictions during the pandemic drastically altered the way we live our lives. We travelled less, stayed in more, and despite the severity of the virus and the panic it began to cause across the globe, there was a silver lining as we saw the magical effects of reduced CO2 and pollution worldwide.
However, CO2 is on the rise again, but its presence could help dramatically when it comes to fighting the virus and identifying the level of risk. As well as CO2 from the air we exhale, CO2 in the kitchen can play a part in the transmission of COVID-19, and is also an indicator of the levels of ventilation in a kitchen. Often the transmission of COVID-19 is most prevalent in spaces where there is high CO2 concentration levels, highlighting the ever-increasing need for good ventilation.
It’s been shown that the control of COVID-19 infection can be implemented with CO2 monitors on site. CO2 levels in a kitchen or any enclosed space indoors may be used to represent a COVID-19 transmission risk. Higher CO2 levels indoors means there is a much higher chance of transmission if there is an infected person present.
This shows just how important proper ventilation in a commercial setting is. Poorly ventilated kitchens have a much higher risk of excessively high CO2 levels, which the virus could thrive in. Higher levels of CO2 indicate inadequate ventilation, meaning that airborne particles aren’t being removed effectively from that area, resulting in a need for increased ventilation. If COVID-19 is present, then particles are remaining in the area rather than being removed by ventilation.
Here at Quintex, we understand just how important CO2 monitoring is to provide safe commercial kitchen environments, especially in recent times, and Cheetah plays an important role.
The Cheetah system is our demand controlled kitchen (DCKV) extraction system. It saves energy by controlling the extract and air supply fans in line with demand. Noise in a commercial kitchen is greatly reduced from the use of Cheetah, along with better controlled working temperatures.
Carbon dioxide sensors, if fitted, will also improve the working environment by ramping up the extract fans when excess carbon dioxide is detected, hence bringing the level back to a pre-determined range. As we all need to be cautious of COVID-19, commercial kitchens staff can feel much safer with the right ventilation.
Save more energy and reduce CO2 levels with Cheetah – you can find out more over on our website as well as download our Cheetah brochure. For more information, you can give the Quintex team a call on 0118 973 9310 or email us at sales@quintex.co.uk.