Should I Have My Air Ducts Clean?
Many people are wondering today if having their HVAC ducts cleaned is really beneficial. Research tells us there is no valid way to absolutely prove having air ducts regularly cleaned will help with indoor air quality. However there is evidence that having cooling coils, air handling and motors cleaned will help the efficiency of a HVAC unit. I have gathered some information listed below help you decide if having your home serviced is worth the time and money.
Before Calling a Professional You Should…
Check out the unit before calling a professional
- Use a phone or camera and take flash pictures
- Look for dust clogs, debris or cobwebs
- Mold on inside of ducts
- Rodent droppings
Professional Air Duct Cleaning is Only Necessary if…
- Renovation: The duct vents were not sealed and harmful contaminants made their way into your system.
- Animals: noticeable animal infestation.
- Mold: If mold growth is evident.
- Contaminants: This includes, pet hair, odors, or other contaminants.
- Illness: Someone can have a severe allergy-related illness. If so having ducts cleaned could help.
- Fiber glass ducts: If you have fiberglass ducting, fiberglass gathers more dust than sheet metal.
Types of Air Duct Cleaning Services
The most common equipment used by professionals to clean your air unit is specialized blowers, vacuums, and brushes to clean out the supply, intake, and return ducts. The cleaning should be thorough of the coils, fans, motors, grilles, air handler and registers.
How Professionals Clean Your Ducts
Hand-held vacuuming: This method requires using a brush that is connected to a portable HEPA filtered vacuum. This method is known to be the lest effective way to have your ducts cleaned. It can leave uncleansed sections of dust behind.
Mechanical brush: This method is used by professionals who use truck mounted equipment. It involves using a rotating brush that is fed into the ductwork then brushed along the inside and sucked away. Important to know is this method has been known for causing damage in the ducts. If you have your ducts cleaned this way then be sure to investigate after the job is finished.
Air sweep: This is known to be the best method with the best results. Using a powerful compressed-air hose a truck-mounted vacuum system carries the dust away in a powerful and safe manor.
Avoid Air Duct Scams
There are reputable HVAC cleaning services, but there are also scammers who use scare tactics or cheap gimmicks to trick people into paying for the service. Scare tactics produces fear and often leads to the emptying of checkbooks. Gimmicks can be a cheap special that is either done poorly and quick or a ticket to get in the door and outrageously upcharge for unexpected services.
Here Are Some Tips To Avoid Being Scammed
Full Service: Make sure they do a full cleaning of the heating and cooling unit.
References: Check out there online reviews!!! See what others are saying about them.
Estimates: Ask for a written estimate. Have various HVAC cleaning services provide you estimates so you know what the going rate is. Don’t pay more than you should.
Before Work Starts, Ask The Professional For His Certifications
Certifications: They should be certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. They set the standard for HVAC system cleaning. Ask for licenses and insurance before starting the work.
Verify results after cleaning: Ask to be shown the results of the clean. Ask for before and after pictures and or video of the entire unit cleaned. If they don’t provide this service then don’t have them clean your unit!
Conclusion
I hope this information if useful for anyone considering having their HVAC ducts cleaned. At Quality Care Carpet Cleaning we feel it is important for people to always be well informed for what they need. Most often people place a great deal of trust into professional’s hands to make ethical and professional decisions that will truly benefit the customer’s needs. Unfortunately in some cases, this is not always the case. Luckily in today’s world with access to the internet, referrals and other means people can inform and protect others from unnecessary high cost services that seem to be more interested in making a dollar then meeting needs. I hope this blog will help bring light to anyone who may be considering this service or any other service for that matter.
