The air duct system is largely hidden, and it’s hard to access many areas in the ductwork. This is unfortunate because there will be contaminants lurking in the ducts that lower the indoor air quality (IAQ). These contaminants may include dirt, dust, dust mites, mold spores, vermin droppings, and more. The air ducts deliver treated air to every room in the home, and this air is laced with the contaminants in the ductwork. In this article, we will look at the importance of professional air duct cleaning for your home.
The Case Against a DIY Approach
Many people develop DIY skills and a self-reliant mindset towards time and money. This is a laudable goal, but there are some aspects of home maintenance that are better left to professionals. This is because pros have training, skills, experience, and specialized tools to identify and fix problems quickly. When it comes to HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning, this is especially true and it’s easy for an amateur to make expensive mistakes.
It is easy to vacuum the vents and reach a short way into the ductwork to clean. But, it’s impossible to clean deeper where most of the contaminants are located and this is not an effective strategy. Some people hire a “handyman” to clean their air ducts to “save money,” and this is a bad move. Basic cleaning and spraying some cleaner into the ducts typically takes the amateur less than an hour, and it doesn’t work.
As we will show later, a professional air duct cleaning will take longer and it will be more thorough. After this level of duct cleaning, most people are surprised at the freshness of their air, and the entire HVAC system performs more efficiently.
The Frequency of Duct Cleaning
Professional air duct cleaners recommend cleaning every 3-5 years. In certain cases, the frequency should be 2-3 years due to high levels of pollution and other factors. Cleaning is less expensive than you might imagine, and the improvements to IAQ are impressive. During professional duct cleaning, the technician may find and offer a temporary fix for cracks, misaligned sections, and breaks where treated air can escape. These are also vectors for vermin and other contaminants to enter the ductwork.
Professional Air Duct Cleaning Equipment
Professionals air duct cleaners have access to cleaning equipment that most people will not possess. These can range from smaller hand held tools up to heavy-duty cleaning equipment that may be kept in a truck! There are inspection tools that could be a long periscope up to and including a camera that can be fed into the ductwork. This is connected to a screen to give the technician an accurate picture of the ductwork. The cameras are useful for finding clogs, breaks, and areas where there is a heavy accumulation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants.
The basic cleaning tools used by professionals include vacuums, brushes, agitation devices, and more. Theoretically, it is possible to clean the air vents with a soft brush and a vacuum but this is not recommended. When the vents and ductwork are cleaned incorrectly, it may cause the debris and contaminants to flow into your home. The only reliable way to deal with these materials is to remove them entirely, and this is hard to do when you only have basic tools.
3 Professional Air Duct Cleaning Stages Explained
There are many specific steps that need to be taken to thoroughly clean the air ducts. These can be broken down into three broad stages: pre-inspection, air duct cleaning, and a final inspection. Let’s take a look at these three stages in more detail:
1. Pre-Inspection
The air duct cleaning technician will arrive at the home at a mutually convenient time. They will then carry out an inspection of your air duct system to ascertain the scale of the cleaning task. The access points to the duct work will be checked to assess the condition, and the technician will take a look inside. A decision is then made on the cleaning techniques that will suit the HVAC ductwork in your home. A camera may be inserted into the ductwork to get a complete picture of the scale of cleaning and the condition of the ducts. When the technician has a plan of action, they will explain the process to you, and it’s time to start cleaning.
2. Air Duct Cleaning
The professional air duct cleaning process typically takes 3-5 hours, and it involves a technique known as negative pressure. A large heavy-duty vacuum will be used to draw out the dirt and debris into a collection unit. This vacuum unit is large, and it may even be mounted inside a truck. The HVAC technician will start by putting down drop cloths to protect the floors and flooring, and they should be wearing overshoes too.
The vents are covered with an adhesive pad that seals that part of the ductwork system. The vacuum is then turned on, and the technician will start cleaning. They will visit each vent, remove the pad and agitate the ductwork with tools to move tough sections of debris. They will then reseal that vent and repeat the process at the next vent. This process is repeated twice to clean the supply and return vents.
The debris is moved to the collection unit to prevent the spread of bacteria, dirt, pollen, and other nasty contaminants throughout the home. This is a methodical process, but it’s thorough, and the results are worth the effort.
3. The Final Inspection
When the cleaning is completed, the technician will carry out a second inspection to ensure that the cleaning has been effective. If there are any cracks or breaks in the duct work, they can be temporarily repaired. But, it’s a good idea to arrange a more permanent fix or replace the ductwork if it’s in poor shape. The technician will remove the equipment and the drop cloths, and they are done.
If you need essential air duct cleaning, contact your local HVAC specialist today.