Furnace & Duct Cleaning

Why should you get your air ducts cleaned? Because they get dirty!

In addition to normal accumulations of dust and dirt found in all homes through regular use, there are several other factors that can increase the need for air duct cleaning:

  • Pets
  • Occupants with allergies or asthma
  • Cigarette or cigar smoke
  • Water contamination or damage to the home / HVAC system
  • Home renovation or remodeling projects
  • You are dusting more often then you would like.

Some occupants are more sensitive to these contaminants than others. Allergy and asthma sufferers, as well as young children and the elderly tend to be more susceptible to the types of poor indoor air quality that air duct cleaning can help to address.

There's a Reason They Are Called Airborne Viruses

Cold & flu viruses, fungus, mold and bacteria, live in your home and building's heating ducts. Every time the fan kicks on, you breath them and they could be making you, your family or your employees sick. Fortunately, there's an easy solution. Properly cleaning and sanitizing your entire heating system and air ducts.

Inspect Your Air Ducts

You can tell if your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system needs cleaning by one of two ways.

First, with a screwdriver, remove a floor or wall register.

Then,
  1.  Use a small mirror and flashlight, or
  2.  Use a digital camera to take a picture inside the duct.

What You Need to Know About Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning is a misnomer. In actuality, the entire HVAC system should be cleaned. Failure to clean all components of the system can result in re-contamination of the entire system, thus minimizing the benefits of cleaning.

Just as you wouldn't only clean half of your living room floor, you also would not want to clean only part of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. NADCA recommends cleaning the entire HVAC system, including the following components:

  • Air ducts
  • Coils
  • Drain pan
  • Registers
  • Grills
  • Air plenum
  • Blower motor and assembly
  • Heat exchanger
  • Air Filter
  • Air Cleaner

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. Examples of agitation devices include brushes, air whips, and compressed air nozzles or "skipper balls." Agitation can also be achieved through hand-brushing or contact vacuuming.

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.