 Most
people are aware that indoor air pollution is a growing concern.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is
as much as 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.
Unacceptable levels of contaminants produce chronic illnesses
or reactions commonly referred to as "sickbuilding syndrome."
Source Removal is the only approved technique by OSHA and the
EPA for the cleaning of heating and air conditioning duct systems.
Visual inspection by a trained professional can easily identify
most residential problems.
Indoor Air Technologies is trained to help create a healthy living
environment by offering the finest quality duct cleaning procedures.
Duct cleaning refers to cleaning the heating and cooling system
components of forced air systems.
 If
air ducts are dirty, the dirt is circulated throughout the home
and into the air you breathe. If the proper
filter is not used, the contaminated air is recirculated over
and over again. In addition, some duct systems may contain mold
and microorganisms. Duct cleaning and high efficiency filtration
can remove these hazards from the air you breathe.
Here are some questions to keep in mind when considering duct cleaning:
Is Duct Cleaning Necessary?
It is impossible to generalize about whether or not air duct cleaning
in your home would be beneficial. Unlike other parts of your home,
you don’t have to have your ducts cleaned at specific intervals.
Rather, you should clean them whenever they get dirty and full of
air-polluting debris. If no one in your household suffers from allergies
or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if, after a visual inspection
of the inside of the ducts, you see no indication that your air
ducts are contaminated with large deposits of dust or mold (no musty
odor or visible mold growth), having your air ducts cleaned at this
time may not be necessary.
How Much Of My Duct System Will Be Cleaned?
Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts, registers, grilles and diffusers. Heat exchangers, cooling coils, condensate drain lines (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing may also require cleaning in severe cases, but are not included in a standard duct cleaning.
How Should I Select a Duct Cleaning Service
Provider?
Do not hire duct cleaners who make sweeping claims about the health
benefits of duct cleaning -- such claims are unsubstantiated.
Do not hire duct cleaners who recommend duct cleaning as a routine
part of your heating and cooling system maintenance. You should
also be wary of duct cleaners who claim to be certified by EPA.
EPA neither establishes duct cleaning standards nor certifies,
endorses, or approves duct cleaning companies.
Check references to be sure other customers were satisfied and
did not experience any problems with their heating and cooling
system after cleaning.
Interview potential service providers to ensure:
1) They are experienced in duct cleaning and have worked on systems
like yours;
2) They will use procedures to protect you, your pets, and your
home from contamination
What Should I Expect From a Duct Cleaning
Service Provider?
Different duct cleaning methods are possible. Typically, a duct
cleaning services professional will employ specialized tools to
remove debris from ducts, then will use a high-powered vacuum cleaner
to suck out the dirt. Some duct cleaning services will want to apply
chemical treatments to the ducts in order to destroy microbiological
contaminants, or to cover the inside surfaces of the air ducts and
equipment housings to manage mold growth and/or inhibit the discharge
of dirt particles or fibers from ducts.
How Will I Know That My Ducts Are Really
Clean Once the Job is Done?
A thorough visual inspection is the best way to verify the cleanliness
of your heating and cooling system. See the image below? Your ducts
should look like the duct to the right.
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