Hotel Linen and Garbage Chute Installations

Due to the nature of hotels' services, the hospitality industry is one of the leading generators of waste with immensely high levels of resource consumption. The statistics are not surprising since hotels need to constantly clean rooms and amenities immediately after a guest checks out. However, the combination of waste and resource consumption has a massive impact on the environment.

As such, businesses in the hospital industry must have an effective waste management system that primarily focuses on proper waste disposal, reducing waste, reusing, and recycling valuable materials. Commercial hotels, in general, tend to produce waste and dispose of large amounts of water for regular cleaning and maintenance.

Importance of Waste Management

Proper waste management systems and equipment for hotels are now more critical than ever due to the increasing amount of waste collected every year. In addition, sorting out the recyclable materials can generate additional income for the business.

Not much thought was given to the growing waste disposal problem in the past. Still, today's commercial green initiatives and sustainable technologies have necessitated proper waste disposal. There are many ways of streamlining waste management in the hospitality industry.

• Refillable dispensers for soaps, shampoos, and conditioners
• Washable cloth products and dishware instead
• Utilize water filters instead of repeatedly purchasing plastic bottles
• Reducing and reusing packaging materials
• Limiting the use of paper products
• Changing to LED lights

Aside from choosing efficiency over artificial processes and products, an effective way of modernizing waste management is using traditional disposal equipment, such as garbage and laundry chute systems paired with fire-rated laundry and garbage doors for additional safety. While everyone knows what chutes are for, it would also be worth knowing how it's installed and what kind of items can go down a typical garbage chute.

What is a Garbage Chute?

Gone are the days when the hotel staff need to drag garbage bins or bags outside the hotel for proper disposal. The outdated waste disposal method is highly inefficient and unsanitary. Nowadays, hotels rely on different types of chutes to rationalize their garbage.

Typical garbage or laundry chute system is a long, vertical cylinder that passes down each floor of the building and has door openings on each floor or depending on the hotel's layout. Newer garbage chute systems now feature a tri-sorter system, which could effectively sort organic waste from recyclable ones and send either through a shift motorized metal plate.

The tri-sorter system is a remarkable innovation from which hotels can significantly benefit. But if you need more details about different types of chutes, you can always do some research with the following words in mind:

• Garbage chute system price
• Chutes international
• Chutes manufacturing
• US chutes

However, the residents or staff must first indicate where the waste should drop down to activate the system. Since the garbage chutes for high-rise buildings have openings on multiple floors, the new system can also inform the guest if someone is using the tube or is available for use and out of service.

What Can Go Down a Garbage Chute?

Not all types of waste can get down a garbage chute, but there are specific instructions on using the device to avoid blockage and ensure continuous operation. These includes:

• Ensure that all the items you intend to put in the garbage chute are securely tied. Do not put loose trash in the garbage chute. Single cans and packaging can block the garbage chute mechanism, cause backups, and even shut down the system or damage the compactor.
• Use smaller garbage bags. The smaller the sack you put your trash in, the quicker and easier it will make its way to the bottom of the chute. If you somehow manage to force a large bag into the intake door, it could still get stuck in the trash chute and cause garbage to build up, resulting in some very foul smells. Opt to use 13-gallon bags and a smaller garbage can to avoid this.
• Take the trash out nightly instead of allowing it to build up for a week or several days.
• Break your trash down as much as you can. Flatten your juice or milk cartons and crush your k-cups.

Furthermore, some items cannot pass through the chute cylinder, and contaminated waste requires special handling before throwing down the chute. These are:

• Never dispose of Christmas trees, garlands, and wreaths down the garbage chute. They lean sap on the chute's inside and are extremely tough to clean off. The tree sap can also stick to any garbage thrown after, which could cause a blockage.
• It is not advisable to throw cleaning disinfectants and liquid soaps down the garbage chutes. These chemicals leave residue inside the tube, getting into the compactor's gears. They are also flammable, and a mixture of ammonia and chlorine could release fatal fumes.
• Do not discard Christmas lights via the garbage chute. Even if you wrap them up tightly, they might still end up unraveling and winding up around other bits of debris and potentially clog up the compactor.
• If you need to dispose of a cardboard or pizza box, they should be broken down flat and adequately disposed of in a recycling chute sorter.
• Hangers and similar protruding objects can quickly get stuck and cause blockages and backups.
• Never toss burning cigarettes, cigars, or other flammable items down the trash chute as they could cause a fire to break out in the system.
• Cat litter and dirty diapers should be wrapped up in a secured trash bag as tightly as possible.
• When it comes to consumable waste, properly secure food or leftover food before dropping them down the chute. The same goes for toilet waste.

Installation Process

Linen and garbage chutes primarily offer practicality and ease of operation for the hotel staff and guests. While manufacturers build them with precision and standard quality, a chute expert still needs to install them to ensure they function as expected. Here is a step by step chute installation process:

1. CHUTE SECTIONS

• Distribute chute sections to the appropriate floors before labeling all parts.
• Start the installation process on the first floor near the dismissal level.
• Center floor frame over slab opening.
• Lower the intake section down through the floor frame and slab opening. Ensure that all four (4) clips are correctly engaged on the floor frame.
• Insert beaded section into intake section. Ensure that bead is firmly seated against the top of the intake section.
• Ensure that the face of the intake door is square and plumb to the Control Line (provided by the general contractor) of the proposed face wall.
• Proceed up to the next floor above and repeat the same four steps, inserting the bottom of the next intake section into the top of the beaded area below.
• Repeat the above steps until the topmost intake section is installed.
• Install the wash down section, if required, by inserting the beaded end into the top of the last intake section, keeping the 'wash down unit' to the front of the chute, in line with the intake doors.
• Add beaded vent sections, a bead down, to the top of the wash down part until the vent risers penetrate the top of the roof slab. Vent sections (only) may be screwed together at joints with self-tapping sheet metal screws.

2. CHUTE DISCHARGE

• Ensure that the height of the discharge door to the finished floor level is per approved shop drawing to avoid subsequent problems with the installation of carts or compactors.
• Align clips on discharge with hooks on the bottom of the chute section in the discharge room.
• Install the four (4) bolts, nuts & washers provided and tighten securely.
• Ensure that discharge is held open by the 165°F fusible link attachment.
• For linen hopper-type discharge doors, installation is the same as above, except that additional pedestal support should be bolted to the bottom of the discharge hopper, adjusted to hopper height, and lagged to the floor.
• Install floor retainer flange to the ceiling of the discharge room, around the chute.
• Fire caulk the perimeter of the floor retainer flange around the chute and ceiling.

After completing the installation, ensure that all packing covering the intake doors is still intact to prevent damage to the door during wall construction. Also, inspect sprinklers and wash down units to ensure they are ready for connection by others. The automatic sprinkler heads, furnished with the chute, should be installed and piped (by others) under NFPA standards.

TAKEAWAY

Hotel linen and trash chutes can significantly promote proper waste disposal and speed up the cleaning process on multiple floors. By implementing a quick and efficient way of disposing of garbage, the chutes can create a safer and cleaner environment. 

To further enhance the functionality and safety of your hotel's waste management system, it is crucial to use quality products that you can rely on. One such product is the BA-F2DL 2-Hour Fire-Rated Laundry Chute Access Doors for Walls. These access doors are specifically designed to provide convenient access to laundry chutes while ensuring fire safety. 

At Best Access Doors, we exclusively deliver top-notch access panels from leading brands to our partners in the construction industry. Whether you need an access door for future maintenance or any other access panel solution, you can count on us for reliable products and excellent customer service. 

To order the BA-F2DL Laundry Chute Access Doors or any other access panels, please call us now at (800) 483-0823. Our team will be happy to assist you and ensure that you get the right products for your specific requirements.