What should be done to the HVAC system if it is contaminated by bodily fluids?

When an HVAC system is contaminated by bodily fluids, the appropriate action is to clean the affected components or remove them if cleaning is insufficient. This is crucial because bodily fluids can carry pathogens, and allowing contamination to persist can pose significant health risks to anyone in the building.

Cleaning involves thoroughly disinfecting the parts that have been exposed to contamination to neutralize any harmful organisms. In more severe cases, where cleaning may not adequately restore the system's safety and functionality, removal of the contaminated components may be necessary to ensure that the system is safe to use.

Simply reporting the contamination to authorities does not address the immediate health risks or remediation process needed for the HVAC system. Replacing the entire system might be an overreaction and could be unnecessarily costly if cleaning and removing specific components is a viable option. Covering and sealing the system does not solve the problem and may actually trap contaminants, potentially leading to further spread of pathogens when the system is eventually used again.

Therefore, the best course of action is to focus on cleaning or removing the affected components to safeguard health and restore safe operation of the HVAC system.