Area · San Felipe

Air duct cleaning in San Felipe, Panama

San Felipe is very small and protected as a historic ensemble. Here is what changes in a heritage building before a single access panel is opened.

By Limpieza de Ductos PanamáReviewed October 21, 20263 min readShare

Short answer

Duct cleaning in San Felipe is the camera inspection and cleaning of the inside of the air conditioning ducts of offices, hotels and restored houses in the Casco Antiguo. It is coordinated with whoever manages each property, and Patrimonio Histórico is consulted when the work could touch a facade, roof or structure, cleaning only where the camera justifies it.

San Felipe: 0.3 km² of heritage with rules of its own

San Felipe covers barely 0.3 km², the peninsula the city moved to in 1673 from Panamá Viejo, where boutique hotels, restaurants, offices and homes in restored buildings now share the streets. The 2023 census counted 1,258 residents there, against 6,928 in 2000.

For ducts, what matters is not size but status. The Casco Antiguo is a Historic Monumental Ensemble, and in many old buildings the air conditioning arrived after the original construction, with routes that are hard to see. That is why the first question is whether the work touches the structure, before asking how much dust there is.

Sourced facts about San Felipe

The 2023 census counted 1,258 residents in San Felipe, which covers 0.3 km². In 2000 there were 6,928. (INEC, 2023 Census, Table 10)
Law 91 of 1976 gave the Casco Antiguo the category of Historic Monumental Ensemble, and the National Directorate of Historic Heritage must approve beforehand any conservation work on historic monuments. (Resolution 042-08 of the DNPH, Official Gazette 26046)
Climatiza describes the Casco Antiguo with boutique hotels, restaurants, offices and homes, and with ducts that run through small technical spaces. (Climatiza, duct cleaning in the Casco Antiguo)

Types of place in San Felipe and what is checked first

Type of place	What is checked first
Offices in restored houses	The access panels that already exist and the duct route, before proposing any new opening in walls or ceilings.
Small hotels in historic buildings	Corridors and common areas, where the route is easier to see, then the rooms depending on occupancy.
Restaurants with an interior kitchen	The point where the dining room air separates from the kitchen air, in a venue with little technical space.
Homes in restored buildings	Grilles and equipment of each unit, with prior notice to whoever manages the building.

How the work is coordinated in San Felipe

First, what will be touched is asked. When an intervention affects a monument, the law requires prior approval from Historic Heritage. The camera inspection goes in through existing access panels and, if something new had to be opened, the management is consulted before deciding.
Narrow streets, equipment by hand. In a historic quarter the streets tend to be narrow and parking limited. It is agreed beforehand where to unload and how much equipment fits through the building entrance.
The report goes to whoever manages the property. The photos of the inside of the ducts go to the management, which shares them with the owner or the body responsible for the building.

Sectors served in San Felipe

Offices and corporate towersIn an office building each floor has its own rhythm, and the one who decides is usually the property manager.

Hotels and hostelsA hotel has rooms, corridors and ballrooms on different systems, and all of them run while guests are in the building.

On this site

All areasThe 54 areas, grouped by district
Camera inspectionThe real condition before deciding
All sectorsWhat changes in each type of place

Climatiza and Radar Panamá

Duct cleaning in San Felipe, a Climatiza service (in Spanish)Climatiza
Air duct cleaning: when and how to checkRadar Panamá

Frequently asked questions

Do you clean ducts in San Felipe?

Yes. San Felipe is among the areas that can be served, and the service is provided by Limpieza de Ductos Panamá, a Climatiza service. Schedule and access are agreed with the management or person in charge of each property.

Is permission from Historic Heritage needed to inspect ducts in the Casco Antiguo?

It depends on what will be touched. The camera inspection uses the access panels that already exist, but if the work required opening walls, floors or roofs of a monument, the management consults Historic Heritage first. This is clarified when the visit is arranged.

Are the ducts of an old house different from those of a new building?

Often they are. In many old buildings the air conditioning was installed after they were built, and the ducts run through tight spaces along routes that are hard to see. The camera shows the real route before deciding how much to clean.

What happens if a restriction appears during the work?

The intervention stops at that point and the property management is informed. Since the Casco is a Monumental Ensemble, any doubt about the structure is settled with the person in charge and, where it applies, with Historic Heritage before continuing.

Keep exploring

All areasThe 54 areas, grouped by district.Open →Offices and corporate towersIn an office building each floor has its own rhythm, and the one who decides is usually the property manager.Open →Hotels and hostelsA hotel has rooms, corridors and ballrooms on different systems, and all of them run while guests are in the building.Open →Camera inspectionThe real condition before deciding.Open →

Related toolDuct inspection plannerEstimate the level of attention your system needs based on use and warning signs.Open planner →

Request an inspection

Are you in San Felipe?

Tell us what type of place it is and which part of San Felipe it is in. A camera inspection shows the inside of the ducts before anything is decided.