Over time, everything in your home gets dirty and improving your house’s air quality never hurts. Duct cleaning forms one component of HVAC cleaning. Research suggests that regularly cleaning HVAC system components such as heat exchangers, fans, and cooling coils may improve its efficiency. That may lead to a longer operating life and some savings in maintenance and energy costs.
A professional and experienced air duct cleaning service knows how to utilize negative air pressure systems, seal problematic grills and areas. This ensures your air ducts are totally clean without becoming messy during the process of cleaning. Professional cleaners also know how to cause minimal disturbance to your homestead.
How Does Duct Cleaning Work?
Does air duct cleaning work? It does. However, it must be performed by qualified professionals and correctly. At times, duct cleaning can be a messy and costly process. For it to be done right, all the duct system components must be removed and cleaned. Cleaning contractors use truck-mounted or portable vacuum collection devices that suck debris and dust out of the ductwork. All loose debris gets pulled into the HEPA vacuum without being dropped into your house when done properly.
When is Duct Cleaning Necessary?
If your house has been recently remodeled – particularly if there was lead paint removal, asbestos abatement, or significant dust – you may need to have the ductwork cleaned. If you find evidence of birds nesting or animal infestation in your HVAC system or ducts, the entire unit may need cleaning once you have removed the birds or animals.
The HVAC and ducts system need cleaning if you find visible mold growth inside your ductwork. If noticeable dust, debris, animal hair, strange odors, or other types of contaminants are getting into the home through the ducts even after cleaning and vacuuming the registers, then your ducts may need cleaning.
What can Cause the Mess?
Things might not always go according to well-laid plans, and sometimes despite our best cleaning intentions, more dust escapes the system and makes its way into the living space. Sometimes, it’s our fault because air ducts cleaning is not a DIY job.
It makes lots of sense that when we use powerful gear to blow and suck dirt to move it from the inside of air ducts to a containment off-site, some escape. You might also have airborne dust residual debris in your house. A cheap, bent, or ill-fitting furnace filter could the cause of the mess. It can allow dust to bypass the filter and re-enter the supply vents easily.
An inadequately trained technician can easily damage your entire ducts system, potentially increasing your energy costs. It could also force you to undertake costly and difficult replacements or repairs which were unnecessary in the first place.
Conclusion
Both the NADCA and EPA have guidelines and standards for air ducts cleaning. Although the EPA doesn’t certify or recommend specific air duct cleaners, it does provide a post-cleaning checklist that helps you know what to expect from a duct cleaning service provider or an HVAC contractor.
