Residential Air Duct Cleaning
Why You Should Get Residential Ducts Cleaned?
The main reason why residential homes should have their Air Ducts Cleaned is because they accumulate dust! This accumulation can be the cause of a multitude of problems, including an increased need for dusting, poor heatig and cooling performance, and musty odors through your home. While normal, repeated cycling of dust i a home can increase the need for air duct cleaning, other factors may push the air duct timetable forward even more , including:
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Pets
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Occupants with allergies or asthma
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Cigarette or cigar smoke
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Water contamination/damage to home or HVAC System
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Home Renovation or remodeling projects
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed poor indoor air quality as America's fourth-largest environmental threat. Some occupants are more sensitive to the contaminants within a residential HVAC system than others, so having a proper air duct cleaning performed to alleviate this issue is important.
How to Inspect your Homes Air Duct Vents?
One of the most popular questions our customers ask when they begin researching the air duct cleaning process is how to determine whether the vents need cleaning. There are very simple ways to do this: using a screwdriver, remove a floor or wall register. With a mirror and flashlight, observe the condition of the ductwork. If you see that the vent contains any visible dust or debris, it is time to get the ducts taken care of. This process can also be done with a digital camera
What You Need To Know About Air Duct Cleaning
Air Duct Cleaning is a lot more complicated than just blowing out the heating and cooling vents in your home. Depending on how reputable of a service you are researching, air duct cleaning can mean several different things. Some firms only clean some vents, up-charging additionally for others. Some only use negative pressure, a vacuuming process. Others yet exclude furnace components. Your air ducts are only part of the overall Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System, which include the following components:
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Return vents
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Supply vents
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Coils
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Drain pan
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Vent registers
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Air Plenum
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Blower Motor and Assembly
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Heat Exchanger
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Air Cleaner
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Air Filter
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The truth of the matter is that many air duct cleaning firms relish working with consumers who aren't aware that air ducts are only but a small part of the overall HVAC system. They lure unsuspecting homeowners into a sales situation where they are up-charging several hundred dollars above their original quote, leaving them with only shoddy work. The best way to protect yourself is to do your research and put your trust in companies that are certified by the National Air Duct Cleaner's Association (NADCA).
As a NADCA member, each homeowner that chooses our service is guaranteed clear communication about the service, before and after. Our certification also means that all cleaners sent to your home will be licensed, bonded, and insured. Lastly, our cleaning will always be performed to the NADCA standard, which covers the entire HVAC system.
The Basics: Proper HVAC Cleaning Process
There are two key components to HVAC cleaning: breaking contaminants loose, and collection of contaminants.
Breaking Contaminants Loose
Properly cleaning HVAC systems requires removing the sources of contamination. Source removal begins with use of one or more agitation devices designed to loosen contaminants from the surfaces within the heating and air-conditioning system. AnbitAir Air Duct Cleaning utilizes RamAir system through every vent in the home to agitate and remove your dirt and debris.
Collection of Contaminants
During cleaning, the entire HVAC system is placed under continuous negative pressure (vacuum) to prevent the spread of contaminants. Continuous negative pressure allows very fine particles to be removed from the system as they become airborne, ensuring that these particles are not released into the living space when the system is turned on after cleaning. This negative pressure also serves to extract the loosened contaminants, which are collected and removed from your home.
Note: Negative pressure alone is not enough to clean your air ducts, so avoid any company that only utilizes pressurized air to clear the vents. A reputable company will use an agitation tool in tandem with pressurized air.
System Access
Because each system is unique, the way the duct cleaners will access them will also be different. Where possible, access to duct interiors should be made through existing openings such as supply diffusers, return grills, duct end caps, and existing service openings. However, if the system dictates, we may need to create an access panel ourselves. Creation of these service openings, and their subsequent closure, will be performed and maintained by our expertly trained technicians.
Antimicrobial Chemicals
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the use of sanitizers, deodorizers, and other wet chemicals are not recommended for any HVAC system. Mold, mildew, bacterial growth, and other growths do not thrive on sheet metal (the material your duct work is made up of). They grow on organic material, which will be the dirt and debris within the system.
By trusting your home to us, we can guarantee that we will remove all organic material and prove it to you with a before and after video inspection.
NADCA "How Your Heating and Cooling System Got Dirty Video
For an overview on how your heating and cooling system accumulated dust, view the following video produced by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA):
Cost & Time
At AnbitAir Air Duct Cleaning, we believe is fair and an accountable service. Our pricing is based on Unlimited Vents, Set of systems, Sanitizing both vents and furnace, Blower Motor Cleaning and Outside Condenser.
As for timing, service usually runs between 3-5 man hours, which can vary depending on HVAC system set-up. The technicians can confirm with you the approximate completion time once they are on site.
Post Claning Maintenance
There are a few things that you can do to maintain the cleanliness and efficiency of your HVAC system:
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Get good filters—ask your contractor for a recommendation.
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Clean/change the filters as needed (at least every two months)
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Even with properly air duct cleaning and changing quality filters, the HVAC system will still become dirty over time. have your system inspected every two years to determine whether your system needs to be cleaned again.