Frequently Asked Questions About the ÆGIS™ Antimicrobial
Does ÆGIS Antimicrobial give off gases during or after application?Is ÆGIS Antimicrobial permeable to moisture?
How long will the treatment last?
Is there regrowth after treatment?
What should the moisture content of walls be when preparing to apply treatment?
Will ÆGIS Antimicrobial affect the cooling capacity of AC coils?
What preparation is necessary for treating AHU’s and coils?
What is the difference between ÆGIS and other antimicrobials (ex. Milgo, Microban, etc.) out in the market today?
How does the chemical work?
Does the applicators receive any special kind of training
What preparation is necessary prior to applying the treatment?
What does the application process entail?
Is there any safety concerns after application is complete?
How does ÆGIS Antimicrobial react with Oriental Rugs?
How does ÆGIS Antimicrobial react to carpet cleaning agents?
How does ÆGIS antimicrobial react to commercial and residential carpets?
How should a contaminated surface be treated?
Should heating coils be treated with ÆGIS Antimicrobial?
Is there a test method to determine if ÆGIS Antimicrobial is present?
Does ÆGIS Antimicrobial give off gases during or after application?
No. ÆGIS Antimicrobial does not volatilize, dissipate, or leach onto other surfaces. Its chemistry polymerizes where it is applied and forms a permanent bond that essentially lasts the life of the treated surface. Normal cleaning should not remove the treatment, although it can be abraded away.
Is ÆGIS Antimicrobial permeable to moisture?
Yes, moisture that is in or on the treated material/surface passes through the treatment. After curing, the treatment is somewhat hydrophobic (water repellent), but it should not be considered to be a replacement for commercial water repellents.
How long will the treatment last?
Since the cured antimicrobial is non-volatile, insoluble, and non-leaching, in theory the treatment should last for the life of the treated surface. In practice, the life of a treatment depends on a number of factors, not the least of which is surface preparation. If you treat a dirty or unstable surface, when the dirt comes off or the surface is disturbed, the effectiveness of the antimicrobial will decrease. Abrasive or caustic (pH > 10.5) cleaners will also shorten effective life. In our experience, we have always guaranteed effectiveness for three years and have had no failures.
Is there regrowth after treatment?
ÆGIS Antimicrobial, because of its unique chemistry, provides long-term protection against regrowth and future contamination on treated surfaces. Porous surfaces, which are contaminated below the surface, will occasionally experience some growth that breaks through a treated surface.
What should the moisture content of walls be when preparing to apply treatment?
As long as there is not running water on the surface to be treated, ÆGIS Antimicrobial will bond to the surface and provide protection. Preferably, the dryer the surface the better. To complete chemical bonding of ÆGIS Antimicrobial, it is important that the surfaces be dried after treatment.
Will ÆGIS Antimicrobial affect the cooling capacity of AC coils?
Yes. ÆGIS Antimicrobial should actually improve the overall cooling performance of AC coils by minimizing organic fouling of surfaces. ÆGIS Antimicrobial helps minimize the microbial attack and attachment to fin and tube surfaces. An added benefit of ÆGIS Antimicrobial is its ability to act as a permanently bonded soil release agent, making the coils much easier to clean. ÆGIS Antimicrobial, at application strength, has surfactant properties which cause excess treatment to run off. This prevents excess polymer buildup and potential heat transfer efficiency losses.
What preparation is necessary for treating AHU’s and coils?
The surface of the coils must be thoroughly cleaned and any residue from the cleaning agents must be rinsed off. The final rinse should come through the coil without any signs of dirt or foaming from the cleaners. Even new AHU’s or coils should be carefully cleaned to remove any machining lubricants that remain from the fabrication process.
What is the difference between ÆGIS and other antimicrobials (ex. Milgo, Microban, etc.) out in the market today?
Most commercial antimicrobials used for treating building surfaces do a great job getting a quick kill on bacteria and fungi (although some have a limited spectrum of effectiveness). Conventional products penetrate living cells and kill by way of poisoning the organism. They are designed to act quickly and dissipate quickly to avoid adverse effects to humans and animals due to their toxic ingredients. ÆGIS Antimicrobial takes a totally different approach. Like conventional antimicrobials it provides an effective initial microbial kill when it is applied, BUT, unlike the others, ÆGIS Antimicrobial also provides long-term control of growth on treated surfaces. ÆGIS Antimicrobial permanently modifies a surface to make them antimicrobial.
How does the chemical work?
The active ingredient in ÆGIS Antimicrobial forms a colorless, odorless, positively charged polymer that chemically bonds to the treated surface. You could think of it as a layer of electrically charged swords. When a microorganism comes in contact with the treated surface, the quaternary amine “sword” punctures the cell membrane and the electrical charge “shocks” the cell. Since nothing is transferred to the now dead cell, the antimicrobial doesn’t lose strength and the “sword” is ready for the next cell to contact it. In order for ÆGIS Antimicrobial to continue its effectiveness, normal cleaning of treated surfaces is necessary. Dirt buildup, paint, dead microbes, etc. will cover the treatment prohibiting it from killing microorganisms.
Does the applicators receive any special kind of training?
Yes. ÆGIS Environments prides itself on providing a superior product to all those in need of controlling and prohibiting microbial growth on interior surfaces. Therefore, to ensure proper use of ÆGIS Antimicrobial, each applicator receives four hours of classroom training and four to six hours of on-site training. In addition, they receive a training manual and ongoing access to our technical expertise.
What preparation is necessary prior to applying the treatment?
For best results, surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned and any residue from cleaning agents must be rinsed from the surfaces to be treated. The final rinse should come off without any signs of dirt or foaming from the cleaners.
What does the application process entail?
In the simplest terms, a 2% solution (2.5 ounces to a gallon of water) is made and sprayed on the surface in an even and uniform pattern. How fast the solution is applied is based on how porous the surfaces are. The more porous a surface, the slower application. Apply from the top down; starting with the ceiling and finishing with the floor. Furniture and other items should be moved to another room if possible. Anything that stays in the room and could be damaged by water should be covered. Use pads under any metal legs or slides to avoid rust stains. Opening of windows and the use fans will be used to speed drying.
Is there any safety concerns after application is complete?
The unique properties of ÆGIS Antimicrobial allows permanent bonding of the product to any surface to which it is applied. Furthermore, this product will not give off any gases, leach onto other surfaces, or loose its strength over time. As long as the surface is kept clean with normal cleaning procedures, the surface will continue to fight any microbial growth.
How does ÆGIS Antimicrobial react with Oriental Rugs?
True Oriental and Native American rugs frequently use water-based dyes and these dyes will bleed when exposed to the water based application strength solution of the ÆGIS Antimicrobial. Companies specializing in cleaning these types of fabrics have special methods for applying water-based treatments.
How does ÆGIS Antimicrobial react to carpet cleaning agents?
Cleaning agents that remain in the carpet will act as bonding sites for ÆGIS Antimicrobial and the combined molecule will be removed at the next cleaning. A few residual-cleaning agents can cause a gummy residue to form.
How does ÆGIS antimicrobial react to commercial and residential carpets?
The newer solution dyed carpets are excellent with ÆGIS Antimicrobial. There have been some instances of slight color fade with certain acid dyes. ALL carpets and upholstery should be tested for dye fastness prior to treating.
How should a contaminated surface be treated?
Microbes can be extremely hazardous. Severe contamination with hazardous organisms may require cleaning protocols similar to those for asbestos removal. For normal contamination, solid surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned before treatment. Soft surfaces such as carpets and upholstery should be well vacuumed or professionally cleaned. Insulation can be cleaned and treated if only superficial growth on the surface is present. Insulation that has heavy growth or is damp should be removed and replaced.
Should heating coils be treated with ÆGIS Antimicrobial?
No. Although ÆGIS Antimicrobial would not be harmful when exposed to the heat, treatment is unnecessary. The hot, dry surfaces of coils generally won’t support microbial growth.
Is there a test method to determine if ÆGIS Antimicrobial is present?
Yes. The ÆGIS Microbe Shield Treatment is based on an active ingredient that in most cases can be easily detected. Two methods of detection are available to check for or demonstrate the presence or absence of the treatment.