Challenges

For many years, the group that manages steam generator maintenance eddy current inspections on radioactive systems within nuclear power plants had used an eddy current vacuum system that was very effective, but expensive to operate and maintain. (Eddy current inspection is a non-destructive testing method used to detect flaws and measure structure thickness.)

The vacuum system required experienced staff for proper set up and operation, additionally, operating the vacuum system created a large amount of radioactive waste and exposure.

The group faced challenges in finding experienced personnel to operate the system during each maintenance outage, and cost was a huge consideration in making a change from a highly effective system.

Shorter maintenance outages that required crews to perform their work in shorter periods, fewer experienced people available to operate the previous vacuum system and cost challenges, all drove the need to explore other vacuum options. Members of the maintenance unit wanted a replacement vacuum that met the same criteria as the previous system, was easier to setup and operate, and was more cost effective with less radiological waste and personnel exposure.

Solution

“I first discovered Atrix while doing a Google search for DOP (Dispersed Oil Particulate) tested vacuums that could possibly work in our application needs,”says a Project Management Professional and Steam Generator Job Sponsor. “CFM flow rate was also critical to replicate a very successfully-used vacuum system. Cost and setup time/maintenance/experience/size of units were key factors as well.”

The Project Management Professional selected the Atrix Omega Supreme Plus HEPA Vacuum, SKU: VACOMEGASCT, due to cost, footprint-size of vacuums, ease of operation and the vacuum’s SafeGuard 360 HEPA filter cartridge. He also quickly realized the Atrix vacuums are much safer to handle in tight work areas, compared to their previous vacuums..

Benefits

“Using Atrix vacuums saves us a minimum of $10,000 or more for each steam generator inspection just in vacuum systems material cost,” he adds. “For each outage, Atrix vacuums save us more than 200-man hours of install and demobilization cost and save us radiological exposures.”

The company purchased an adequate number of vacuums including spare units for a recent steam generator inspection and had their existing system of vacuums on standby ready to be installed if the new vacuums caused any radiological or performance problems. The Atrix vacuums were closely monitored upon entry to ensure they were operating properly and there were no contamination or airborne concerns.

“We successfully went through the steam generation inspection activities with no radiological concerns. The Atrix vacuums tremendously reduced the setup and demobilization process of the former vacuum systems, saving us time, cost and personnel radiological exposure. They were also easier to set up which is necessary due to the challenge of finding experienced technicians who know the proper setup of the other system.”

The company is rolling out the Atrix vacuums across their fleet of nuclear plants for other SG inspections that use an eddy current scrubber system. The Project Management Professional has been impressed that the Atrix vacuums provide the same performance results as a much more expensive vacuum system with no degradation in quality of contamination control.

“These Atrix vacuums are hooked up and run continuously during inspections that can last up to 80 hours continuously. The Atrix team provided the technical operating specs of the vacuums, HEPA filters, and ensured we had all the correct size connections and spare parts needed. We didn’t experience any vacuum failures during our inspection, and we had spares available. Some vacuum filters reached a high radiological dose rate and were changed out to minimize personnel exposure.”.

Steam-Generator-Inspection_-Case-Study

Challenges

Property managers in several buildings that Sychem services were asking about having their HVAC systems vacuumed. “We wanted to provide this service and do it in a way that was safe both for building residents and our staff,” says Sychem Administrative Assistant Neda Nowtash.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sychem needed to use a safe vacuum to perform maintenance on their customers’ HVAC systems. Sychem officials wanted to prevent the potential spread of viruses caused by vacuuming with products that don’t provide TRUE HEPA or ULPA filtration.

Solution

In their quest for a safe vacuum, Sychem employees conducted online research on vacuums. During this research they learned about Omega HEPA and ULPA vacuums on the Atrix website. The Omega vacuums, which are manufactured in the USA, provide safety to the user as the hose connects directly to the filter allowing a completely closed system.

HEPA (H13) High Efficiency Particulate Air and ULPA (H14) Ultra Low Penetrating Air are efficiency standards for vacuum filters. True HEPA filters capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns and ULPA filters capture 99.999% at 0.12 microns. For comparison, a human hair is around 50 microns. Many filters claim to be HEPA or ULPA, but don’t be fooled as these filters haven’t been tested or verified to meet the standards.

Unlike other vacuums of this caliber, there are no secondary or tertiary filters to change, keeping the user safe and eliminating cross contamination. The filter cartridges contain three layers of pleated filter media that is designed to hold large amounts of debris which reduces costs on supplies and labor.

Benefits

“Using the Atrix Omega ULPA Vacuum with the SafeGuard 360 ULPA (H14) Filtration Cartridge enables us to safely perform our maintenance service, including vacuuming HVAC systems as the debris is captured within the ULPA filter cartridge,” says Nowtash.

“The vacuum is very compact, but the feature that’s most appealing to us about the Atrix Omega ULPA Vacuum is the fact that the fan system is inside the vacuum. The air drawn into the machine passes through the ULPA filter cartridge before being expelled, eliminating recirculation of potentially harmful dust and debris.”

Sychem technicians have implemented the Atrix Omega ULPA Vacuum into their maintenance service, using it to clean HVAC systems instead of their regular vacuums. The SafeGuard 360 ULPA (H14) Filter Cartridges are 99.999% efficient at capturing debris measuring 0.12 microns or larger.

The SafeGuard 360 filter cartridges enable safe, simple, and secure filter changeouts. The SafeGuard 360 filter protects indoor air quality and the user because the hose connects directly to the cartridge, providing a completely closed system.

“We’ve been able to provide the vacuuming part of our maintenance service to our customers without having any particles spill out, so it’s safe to use during the pandemic. If we didn’t have the Atrix vacuums with HEPA filters we wouldn’t have done that portion of service,” adds Nowtash. “We’ll be using the Atrix HEPA vacuum for all our maintenance services until the pandemic is over.”

Sychem-HVAC-Case-Study

Challenges

Like well-managed businesses everywhere, Nashville Brighthouse is always looking to reduce expenses without sacrificing quality service. According to Managing Owner Jason Adkins, Nashville Brighthouse was using a competitor’s backpack vacuums. During a management meeting, there was a discussion about a similar product from Atrix that cost less than $200 – a fraction of the cost compared to the vacuums they were using. Also, despite their higher cost, the competitive vacuums’ carbon brushes frequently burned out or had wiring issues that were expensive to repair.

Solution

Since trying one as a test for their trainers to use, and ultimately adopting the Ergo Backpack HEPA Vacuum VACBP1, Nashville Brighthouse now has 25-30 of these lightweight workhorse vacuums. “Our cleaning technicians love the vacuum and they were shocked at how well the Atrix vacuums were manufactured. We haven’t had to replace or repair one vacuum, and it’s a value product,” says Adkins.

Benefits

“The Ergo Backpack costs less than a third as much as the competitive backpack vacuums we had been using, but there’s more to like than just the low cost,” adds Adkins. “The Ergo Backpack is versatile and lightweight. It also has good accessory configuration, and strong enough suction to handle our cleaning applications.”
Adkins is very happy with the Ergo Backpack vacuum. In fact he’s so pleased, his company has phased out all of the competitive backpack vacuums they were using. “The things I’ve been most impressed with are how cost effective and durable these vacuums are. We’re very pleased with the product and we’ll explore other Atrix vacuum options.”

Nashville-Brighthouse-Luxury-Green-Home-Cleaning-Case-Study

Challenges

According to EnviroVent Compliance Director Darren Chadwick, the properties where the company works can contain asbestos and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires EnviroVent to work to “Asbestos Essentials” which requires the use of an H-Vac. EnviroVent needs reliable vacuums to use after cutting/scraping textured decorative coatings.

EnviroVent was using a much bulkier H-Vac that caused problems with storage and meeting requirements to have them tested every six months. Because asbestos is a hazardous waste that cannot be transported through a courier, logistics became a nightmare.

Solution

Chadwick was looking for a light, compact H-Vac unit that was inexpensive to maintain and service. Once he tried the Atrix VACOMEGAUM2F, he was convinced he had found the solution to his H-Vac problems. The Atrix VACOMEGAUM2F 230V Omega Class H14 is certified to IEC/EN 60335-2-69 Annex AA-Class H and is an excellent immediate containment option for hazardous debris applications such as asbestos, lead, silica dust, mold and more.

Benefits

“The Atrix product is compact and light. Initially we bought one unit to try and I was so impressed we bought one for each engineer plus a few spares for circulation. We’ve also discontinued using the old heavy H-Vacs,” says Chadwick. “We now have 60 Atrix H-Vacs and it’s very easy to get them tested. Thermac Key Account Manager Rob Willis helps us if our H-Vacs need service, and it only takes two weeks to order and receive new units.”

Chadwick also appreciates that the Atrix H-Vacs are very robust and reliable, and they’re easy to use when collecting dust particles. They also come with a holding strap and utensils for drilling. EnviroVent has saved money because the Atrix H-Vacs are much cheaper for servicing and they are compact, so they use less storage space in EnviroVent vans.

EnviroVent-Case-Study

Challenges

MN Services Repair Technician David Craig believes his company’s cleaners need powerful and reliable backpack vacuums so they can work quickly and efficiently to meet their customers’ needs. Yet despite the need for powerful machines, Craig also knows MN Services cleaners need machines that are compact and lightweight in order to easily negotiate doorways, stairs and other confined areas. Moving objects around while cleaning can be problematic in spaces such as: offices, medical facilities, and other commercial buildings. A low-profile vacuum like the Ergo Pro Backpack allows for easy range of motion.

Solution

Three years ago MN Services began using the Atrix Ergo Pro Backpack Vacuum, product SKU: VACBPAI because it’s powerful enough to provide exceptional cleaning, yet easy to handle and store when not in use. Backpack vacuums are estimated to be 10% more efficient than an upright vacuum allowing the technician to provide quicker clean-ups and generate more profit. After 18 months, the company’s overwhelmingly positive experience with this machine led MN Services to begin adding the Atrix Ergo Pro Backpack Vacuum to its inventory.

Benefits

“We need powerful backpack vacuums that are compact and lightweight. Sure, there are other backpack vacuums on the market other than the Ergo and Ergo Pro, but many are heavier and more cumbersome to handle,” says Craig. “As far as maintenance and repair, these are very durable machines that are easy to dismantle and reassemble. I seldom need to replace a vacuum motor. The ergonomic design makes them easy to navigate through office cubicles, and even closets. Having a lightweight vacuum that you can take out to spot clean lobbies, stairs, elevators, and other areas is invaluable.”

According to Craig, MN Services has approximately 300 Ergo and Ergo Pro backpack vacuums – tough machines that can handle repeated hard use by cleaners. He believes the ergonomic design is a huge benefit because the vacuums can be hung on the wall inside janitor’s closets, and the machines’ attractive, streamlined appearance makes a good impression on customers. “Anyone looking for a backpack vacuum should give the Ergo Pro a try. They do a good job and they look good too,” adds Craig.

MN-Services-Case-Study

Challenges

Kevin Hathorne, Technical Director of Terminix was challenged with making his team and customers aware of the benefits of using a vacuum for unwanted pest infestations.

Solution

Kevin chose to work with Atrix and purchase our products because of the quality, value, and presence in the industry. Kevin worked closely with Brian McNealy, Atrix Business Development Manager to find an affordable, quality solution that could suit their customers’ needs as well as the Pest Management Professionals using the product. Kevin Hathorne led the initiative to purchase Atrix Ergo Pro Backpack pest control vacuums for their 54 Terminix branches. The low profile, ergonomic backpack has become an effective and essential tool for the PMP’s.

Benefits

Kevin stated the features of Atrix products were most appealing to him because they are economical, durable and provide ease of use when combatting pest infestations. By using the Atrix vacuum before treatments are applied gravid pests and eggs are vacuumed which decrease the chance of pests repopulating. This method expedites the time it takes to eradicate pests and reduces the amount of call backs which allows PMP’s to be more productive and generate additional revenue. Customers are becoming more environmentally aware and wanting less exposure to chemicals. Vacuuming infestations is ecofriendly, safe and allows for less chemical consumption. Atrix pest control vacuums will increase customer satisfaction and customer retention.

Terminix-Case-Study