Proper Duct Cleaning Involves More Than Just Cleaning the Ducts

Proper Duct Cleaning Involves More Than Just Cleaning The Ducts

We hear many questions about furnace duct cleaning. Our children have allergies and get colds. How can we determine if the ducts need to be cleaned? How can I compare the various duct cleaning companies?

Some families can benefit alot by having the furnace ducts cleaned and other families will notice no significant difference.

Only your physician can tell you what is causing your children’s problems. If poor indoor air quality, molds, etc. are suspected, then duct cleaning may help.

Duct cleaning can also improve the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioner. Proper duct cleaning is more than just cleaning the ducts. It also involves cleaning the furnace blower, heat exchangers, cooling coils and condensate pan. With these elements clean, air flows more efficiently throughout the entire system.

All ducts are going to accumulate some dust over time. This generally is not a problem that always requires cleaning unless your family experiences health problems. A duct cleaning company can inspect the furnace ducts to show you how dirty they are. This is often done with a video camera in the ducts, or by visually checking the air vents and any related heating components directly.

If mold is present anywhere in the entire duct system, then you should absolutely have them cleaned. It is sometimes difficult to determine if ducts contain dust or mold because they look very similar. To be certain, a lab can check it for you. This usually involves touching a piece of tape on an inside duct surface or taking a swab and sending it to the lab to be analyzed. The testing often costs about $100.

There are several methods to clean ductwork. The best method is using an extremely powerful vacuum outdoors in a truck. A long hose is run to the furnace area and attached to the ducts. From the air vents, mechanical brushes, air jet brushes or air snakes knock the dust loose inside the ducts while the entire system is under suction.

Another excellent method uses a smaller vacuum unit located inside your house near the furnace. It should have a HEPA exhaust filter so the dust from the ducts does not get into the room air. A third method uses a rotating brush attached to a vacuum nozzle. The brush and nozzle are run through the ducts. The result of this type of cleaning is questionable at best. If someone showed up at my house to clean the ducts and all they had was a regular vacuum cleaner and a spinning brush, I’d send them packing. Use a truck-mount system for best results, or, if your HVAC system is not accessible by truck, your second-best option is a portable vacuum system. But you should always choose a company that uses high-pressure compressed air either way.

It is very important that you don’t just shop for price for your duct cleaning. There are actual huge differences in the quality of the work performed. A poor duct cleaning job can actually be worse than none at all because it stirs up the dust in the ducts. Look for companies who use truck-mounted equipment and compressed air. The assortment of air tools they have at their disposal are what we now call “industry standard”.

Also make sure that your duct cleaning contractor will be cleaning the fan, the air filters, any and all coils, and all system compartments. Some companies always include this in their work while others may have an additional charge. If any duct cleaning company tells you that you don’t really need these items cleaned then do yourself a favor and call someone else. If one component is left uncleaned, it may recontaminate the entire system.

If you’re looking for a quality duct cleaning job for your home, call City Duct Cleaning Inc. today!

(416) 293-1800

Related Information:

Residential Duct Cleaning
Cleaning the Dryer Exhaust and Ducts In Your Condo

Also Read : Smoke Damage in Air Duct Systems