A Look At How Duct Cleaning Is Done And When Your Home Needs It
You probably know your HVAC needs to be cleaned regularly so it works properly, so you may wonder if the same is true for the ducts. The ducts accumulate dust and debris too, and they should be cleaned when they need it. Here's when to consider cleaning your ducts and an overview of the process.
When To Consider Duct Cleaning
If you have asthma or allergies and your ducts have never been cleaned, you may want to have them cleaned to improve the air quality in your home. Cleaning removes dust that would get blown out of the registers and into your living space. Cleaning might help your symptoms if dust bothers you. If your home has a stale odor, such as old cigarette smoke that you can't get rid of, then cleaning the ducts could help if the smoke smell is clinging to the ducts. Rodents in ducts can also leave a bad smell that blows out with the chilled or heated air. Cleaning the ducts gets rid of odors as well as dust.
The Steps Involved With Duct Cleaning
The cleaning service will probably open a hole in one of the ducts that allows easy visualization of the ducts and provides a way to set up a negative pressure system. With a negative pressure system in place, dust is drawn out of your house when cleaning begins so you don't have to worry about dust and debris coming out of the registers and making your indoor pollution worse. A variety of methods can be used to clean air ducts with commercial equipment. The service may use a brush and scrub the sides of the ducts or use compressed air or a vacuum system. If there is mold or signs of rodent activity in the ducts, cleaning solutions may also be used to sanitize the ducts and remove odors.
When the work is done, you might be able to check the work by looking in the access hole that was cut in the duct. If so, you should see clean and clear ducts instead of ducts coated with dust, hair, and debris. When the work is finished, the service seals the hole made for access so it won't leak air. Then, your ducts may be good for several years, depending on the activities that go on inside your home.
If you're sensitive to mold and odors, you may notice an improvement in air quality after the ducts are cleaned. This can help you determine when it's time to have the ducts cleaned again if your symptoms get worse as dust builds in the ducts. If you don't have allergies, smoke, or have animals in the house, then you may go for several years without the need for duct cleaning again. There's no set schedule like there is with an air conditioner or furnace, so you can call a duct cleaning service when you feel it's needed.
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