Maintenance Tips For Hand Dryers

In this fourth of an eight-part Manufacturer Roundtable, Facility Cleaning Decisions took the compilation of questions we received from readers and asked hand dryer manufacturers to weigh in. Here are their responses:

What type of maintenance is required with hand dryers?

The type of maintenance required will depend on the hand dryer selected.  For some hand dryers, maintenance requires no more than wiping the hand dryer with water and a soft towel, which can be done as part of the standard restroom cleaning regime. Other hand dryers do require additional maintenance, such as regular cleaning of filters, vacuuming inside the hand dryer and emptying of water collection units.  Before purchasing a hand dryer, facility executives are recommended to check a hand dryer’s User Guide to ensure the maintenance requirements suit their environment.
– Rob Green, Senior Reliability Engineer, Dyson in Chicago, Illinois

Beyond maintaining the hand dryer itself, walls and floors surrounding the dryers must also be protected, cleaned and maintained.
– Jeff Gayer, Vice President of Product Development, Impact Products in Toledo, Ohio

Basic cleaning is suggested in accordance with normal restroom cleaning and sanitation practices. Also, depending on the volume of people who use the restroom, clean or replace the filter every three to six months (if a filter is used).
– Andrew M. Hansen, New Business Development Manager, Palmer Fixture in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Hand dryers will provide minimal maintenance requirements.  Routine inspection is recommended once every 12 months for light to medium duty restroom traffic. Hand dryers incorporating air filtration (either coarse particulate or HEPA filters) should have filters inspected or replaced at this same frequency. Inspection every 6 months is recommended for hand dryers in restrooms with heavy traffic.
– Dan Storto, President, World Dryer Corporation in Berkeley, Illinois

Most dryers require a very minimal amount of maintenance.  However, some dryers do require daily maintenance to prevent bacterial build up.  Dryers that utilize filters require additional maintenance to change the filter.
– Jim Fisher, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, American Dryer, Inc. in Livonia, Michigan