Questions about the Garbage Doctor®
Answers to the questions building managers, strata and body corporate committees and residents ask us most. Can't see yours? Call 1300-ODOURS (1300 636 877).
Choosing a system
Which model do we need?
Most buildings need the Garbage Doctor Ozone, or the Duo if you'd like a fragrance in the chute too. The Ozone HD may be recommended for the very tallest chutes, large spread-out bin rooms and long runs of conduit. Bigger isn't better: in a small or medium bin room, the HD's stronger fan makes the ozone level harder to set just right. You are welcome to send us photos or a video of your bin room and chute, and we'll recommend the one that suits your building.
Will the Garbage Doctor suit our building?
The Garbage Doctor can be configured for almost any building. You are welcome to send us photos or a video of your bin room and chute, or we can meet you on site, whichever suits you best. We'll recommend the right model and send you a quote, and our technicians install and set up the machine for your site.
Neutral or scented?
Both work well. Customers love a scented chute, but scent mixed with the smell of rubbish isn't pleasant, so the odour is always neutralised with ozone first. The Duo does both from one system; Scenting adds a fragrance to a Garbage Doctor already there.
Does the Garbage Doctor work for compactors, loading docks and grease traps?
Yes. The conduit can be used to target the ozone to any odour source. Compactors and grease traps can be quite site specific, so we suggest sending us photos or a video of the area first.
Will an air purifier fix our bin room's odour?
A room air purifier on its own can't keep up. One with HEPA or carbon filters treats only the air that passes through the purifier, while the bins keep producing odour day and night and the chute carries the odour up the building. Those filters also load up and need replacing. The 4000 is an air purifier made for bin rooms: a UV ozone generator targets the bins and the chute, where the odour starts, and a second purifier treats the room's air.
Ozone and safety
Is ozone safe in a bin room?
Yes, when a system is installed and set up correctly. Our technicians install and set up every Garbage Doctor machine to ensure correct operation. The conduit releases ozone close to the bins and inside the chute, and we adjust the output so the odours are neutralised and a neutral smell, or a very slight smell of ozone, is left. The limit for occupied areas is 0.1 parts per million in Australia, and our technicians measure the ozone level on site with an ozone monitor.
A good analogy is chlorine in your swimming pool: when used as recommended, chlorine forms an important part of your maintenance strategy.
Will the bin room smell of ozone?
The bin room shouldn't. We set the output so the odour is neutralised and a neutral smell, or a very slight smell of ozone, is left, and our technicians measure the ozone level on site with an ozone monitor.
Will ozone corrode our garbage chute?
Not from the Garbage Doctor. Our systems make ozone with UV lamps, so they produce no nitrogen oxides and no nitric acid. The corrosion some chutes suffer comes from spark-type (corona discharge) generators.
Installation and service
Who installs the Garbage Doctor?
Our licensed technicians, throughout Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Airlie Beach, Tweed and Auckland. They mount the machine on the bin room wall, run the conduit to the bins and into the chute, and set the machine's output for your site.
What does the Garbage Doctor need after installation?
Regular servicing by our technicians, with new lamps when they're due and an electrical test and tag at every visit. The ongoing maintenance is low.
Do we still need chute cleaning?
Yes. Cleaning removes the grime and residue that build up inside the chute. The Garbage Doctor neutralises the odours from the bins at the base of the chute between cleans, 24/7.
Renting, buying and the warranty
Can we lease the Garbage Doctor, or buy one?
This depends on the model. Our ozone systems can be purchased outright or leased. Our scenting machines are only available for rent/lease (due to the higher servicing requirements).
Either way, most of our customers lease the machine. Our fully inclusive rental covers the equipment itself, all consumables, servicing and maintenance.
When the Ozone or Ozone HD is bought outright, the machine includes a 48-month on-site warranty. The Duo and Scenting are available for rent only.
What's the warranty?
Our fully inclusive rental covers the equipment itself, all consumables, servicing and maintenance, for as long as you rent the equipment. Bought outright, the Ozone and Ozone HD have a 48-month on-site warranty.
Do you work in New Zealand?
Yes. Our technicians install and service the Garbage Doctor in Auckland, and New Zealand has its own phone number and email on our Contact page.
Talk to us about your building
Call 1300-ODOURS (1300 636 877), or send us photos of your bin room and chute, and we'll recommend the right system.