How Air Ducts Are Cleaned And Why You Should Have A Pro Do It.

The air inside your home needs to be free from harmful bacteria. The best way to maintain this is by making sure that the air ducts are thoroughly clean. With time, a lot of dirt particles accumulate within air ducts, especially on hard surfaces. These can lead to foul odors and poor air quality causing many diseases.

Air ducts need to be cleaned at regular intervals. The most common problem is mold growth which needs to be treated with chemicals as soon as possible. Large dirt particles might also clog the ducts. Therefore, you should check the ducts to see if any mold growth is visible or if they are particularly dusty. If you see signs of dirt or if a family member suddenly develops allergies, get the ducts cleaned immediately. To ensure safe cleaning you should hire professional services. A professional team will be able to assess the condition of the ducts and suggest a cleaning method suitable for the level of contaminants that have accumulated inside the ducts.

What Cleaning Method Is Used For Air Ducts?

It is important to keep the air ducts clean at all times. This makes sure that you are breathing in fresh and clean air when you are at home. If you are wondering how air ducts are cleaned take a look at the following points.

Inspection

Air ducts need to be inspected thoroughly before cleaning. The inspection will determine if any parts need additional servicing or if any wear and tear have occurred. Professional air duct cleaners might drill holes to check the condition of the ducts but they will seal these afterward. The inspection will also help the cleaners know if any cracks might lead to leaks while cleaning.

Vacuum Cleaning

The loose contaminants inside the air ducts need to be cleaned with a powerful vacuum. The vacuum will extract all the dirt particles from the air ducts without allowing them to spread or enter the air. Since these particles are very small they can easily enter the living space and be suspended in the air. But when cleaners use a vacuum, these particles are safely removed. The vacuums used are often large and mounted on a van but handheld vacuums are also used for thorough cleaning.

Cleaning with Brushes

Brushes are used to clean more effectively. The brushes can be motorized or manual and are used to clean larger debris particles from inside the air ducts. Professional cleaners might need to drill holes again to push the brushes in so they can access the inside of the ducts through vents or intakes. The brushes shake loose the contaminants and then clean them out. If holes are drilled, the professionals will cover them up after cleaning.

Cleaning of Debris

Even after the initial cleaning with the vacuuming and the brushes, there might be some particles left in the corners. These areas are not easily accessible. To clean the leftover debris the cleaners will use the vacuum again. The contaminants, after brushing, will be loose and the second round of vacuuming will extract all of the particles.

Cleaning Of Heating Or Cooling System And Covers

The heating or cooling system will have to be cleaned with disinfectants after all dirt particles are removed. This will improve the air quality. As a final step, the covers of the air ducts will also need to be cleaned. After each part is thoroughly cleaned, the professionals will seal up all the air ducts and check if they are functioning properly.

Why Is It Better To Hire Professional Services For Cleaning Air Ducts?

To thoroughly clean air ducts, you need to have expert knowledge. If you do not know how the ducts work or from where you need to access the interior of the ducts, you will not be able to do a good job. This is why you should get a pro to clean the air ducts in your home. Apart from having the necessary skills, there are few more reasons why you should hire professional air duct cleaners. These reasons have been listed below.

Proper Equipment

A professional team will have the right equipment to clean air ducts. Motorized or manual brushes along with heavy-duty vacuums mounted on trucks or vans are essential. You will not find these in your home so you will have to rely on professionals. Such equipment will help to clean the ducts safely and effectively.

Use Of Antimicrobial Products

To clean the heating or cooling system, the use of antimicrobial products is a must. A professional cleaning team will have all the necessary disinfectants and sanitizers. The HVAC system in your home needs to be treated with cleaning agents that reduce any build-up of pathogens. These chemicals are only used on non-porous surfaces of the system and they also prevent odors.

Maintenance Of HVAC System

Professional cleaners are often able to check and clean the entire HVAC system. While cleaning of the air ducts is important, you can ask a pro to take a look at all the other components of the HVAC system, including coils, grills, drain pan, heat exchanger, air plenum, and air filter. These maintenance services which can be done along with the cleaning will make sure that the system is in good condition.

Final Words

While cleaning the air ducts is necessary, it is better to invest in cleaning the entire HVAC system. If you just have the air ducts cleaned, then dirt and debris from other parts may enter and cause clogging. There might be mold build-up on the other parts of the HVAC system that have not been checked. This can later cause a lot of problems including bad health and malfunctioning of the heating or cooling system. So, when you hire professional services, ask them to do a maintenance check for the entire HVAC system. If no other parts seem dirty or require immediate servicing, you can ask the team to proceed with cleaning just the air ducts.

What Does Duct Cleaning Entail?

Indoor air pollution is quickly becoming a huge issue and now has proven negative impacts on the human body. One of the biggest reasons for this deteriorating quality of air inside your house can be dirty, blocked, and/or leaking air ducts in your HVAC system(s). So try to get all the air ducts cleaned immediately to make sure the quality of the air you breathe in your own home does not get worse.

Reasons For Getting Your Ducts Cleaned Immediately

Mold – Mold can exacerbate respiratory issues and allergies in humans and can also multiply quickly, spreading throughout your entire house. It can easily cause condensation in your temperature control systems and cause damage to your ductwork, even more so in areas with a humid climate. Since temperature control systems are not easily accessible, mold can be quite hard to detect. You can, however, know of its presence from the musty odor that it gives off. Mold can wreak havoc in your system and so you must clean your ducts the moment you detect the presence of mold.

Dust – Dust is another element that can seriously damage your AC unit and system. In case you see the flat surfaces coated with dust, you must get your entire ductwork cleaned at once. The problem is, even clean homes can have buildups of dust in the ductwork. Dust, dirt, and all such types of harmful contaminants can find a safe haven in your air duct. So, you need to look for any signs of dust emanating from the vents each time your HVAC system turns on. Call the professionals and get your ducts cleaned and be sure to replace the air filters of your HVAC system at regular intervals to prevent such buildups in the future.

Rodent and/or Insect Infestation – Mice, rats, squirrels, and small insects like cockroaches can easily find their way into the air ducts, leaving behind a huge trail of bacteria. These rodents can also build nests and fill the entire duct systems with their droppings. Their fecal spores can also travel along the ducts and get into the air in your room(s), severely deteriorating its quality. Signs of such infestations are easy to spot and you will find plenty of them. If you ignore such an infestation it can cause severe structural damage.

Recently Built or Renovated – There is a number of severely harmful particulate matter that is present in construction/remodeling dust. Even if a contractor is diligent about a proper clean-up and closes off construction areas, dust and debris will always find a path inside. Once inside your respiratory system, these pieces of particulate matter can really do damage.

Elevating Energy Expenses – Temperature control bills tend to cost the same amount each month. So if there is a sudden hike or fall in your monthly energy costs, in comparison to the same bill(s) from a year ago, make sure you recheck all of your ductwork to see if you need to replace it. In case there are blockages in the ducts, air will not pass through freely or easily, thus drawing more power and driving your energy costs higher. Apart from blockages if the duct system has leaks the system is losing power. So, it is losing efficiency but racking up more energy expenses.

Preparing To Have The Ducts Cleaned

Decluttering Your House – You will need to remove all the clutter to make your duct system easily accessible for the professionals. For example, if your couch is in front of a vent slide it out of the way to provide easy access for the cleaning crew. The less clutter the professions encounter, the faster and less costly the entire cleaning process will be.

Test Out the AC Unit and the Furnace – In case you have any items stored close to the hot water tank, or the furnace, or your AC unit, try to move them out of the way so the cleaners can reach each more efficiently. The cleaning technician will then find it easier to clean out the complete duct system.

Ensure That Your Pets Are Secure – Always make sure that all of your pets are secured properly. All contractors leave doors open while conducting the clean-up. Pets can get into the room(s) and cause problems for the professionals, or they can also get seriously hurt by the equipment brought in by the contractor(s) or even fall down/get stuck in the ducts. Preferably leave them in a different room.

Show All Parts of Your House – Once the contractors get to your place give them a fast yet complete tour of your home. They need to know the location of all of your vents and the other components of the HVAC System. In case you cannot stay at home while the clean-up is happening, provide the contractor with your number so you can be reached, if necessary.

Selecting The Best Suited Duct Cleaning Contractor

Conduct Extensive Research – Make sure that before you select a contractor to get your ducts cleaned you go through the websites of all the contractors that are offering clean-ups. You will find all the services and packages each offers and the reviews of their work left by previous customers. Opt for the one that suits your needs the most.

Licensing and Employees – Only go for a contractor who has all the proper licenses to conduct duct cleanings and only hires employees who have experience and high-quality training in their respective fields.

In Conclusion

The process of duct cleaning is unfortunately often associated with scams like “bait-and-switch” practices, which has made potential customers not want to have their air ducts cleaned. However, you must remember that with clean vents not only do you save on energy costs, but you also breathe air free from contaminants.

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