Why should I have my air ducts cleaned?
Indoor air pollution has been an increasingly important concern for many families and businesses. The EPA has stated that over the last few years, studies have shown that in many instances, indoor air quality is actually worse than the air outside the home or business. In fact, the average home accumulates as much as 4-7 pounds of dirt, dust, debris, pollen, spores, mold, bacteria, dust mites etc – PER YEAR! Your home’s air duct system is also a home and breeding ground for these unwanted contaminants.
A clean air duct/ventilation system can:
- Improve the air quality in your home or business;
- Reduce your energy costs to operate your ventilation system;
- Extend the life of your HVAC components.
How?
Air Quality: Your HVAC air duct system is home to all the dust, dirt, odors, pet hair and dander, dust mites, pollen, spores, fungi, bacteria, and allergens that build up. Your home’s HVAC system pulls all of these undesirable elements into the ductwork through the HVAC system’s air return. Removing all of these elements from the system that provides your interior air will result in a healthier environment for everyone within the home.
Reduced Energy Costs: A clogged ventilation system not only makes it harder for you to breathe, but it also has the same effect on your HVAC equipment. If your AC compressor or furnace has to work that much harder to pull air in, it’s going to burn more energy – and cost you more money – doing so.
HVAC System Wear & Tear: As your HVAC system must work harder to bring in the amount of air required to operate properly, components such as motors, bearings, pumps, thermostats are also working harder and none of these components are designed to last forever. However, their useable life
span can be increased by reducing their workload, allowing them to operate more efficiently.
How often should I have my air ducts cleaned?
For homes, we recommend that you have your HVAC system’s air ducts cleaned every two years. For offices and commercial workspaces we recommend every three-to-five years depending upon the work
environment. However, more frequent system cleanings should strongly be considered if:
- You have family members, friends, or other residents who suffer from allergies and/or asthma;
- You or members of your household are smokers;
- You live in an area where there are high pollen counts;
- You have pets and subsequently, pet hair and dander in the house;
- Water, smoke, or mold contamination (even if it’s been recently repaired);
- Your home or office has been recently remodeled or renovated and there’s
- residual sawdust, drywall dust, concrete dust, etc;
- The home was recently built and the HVAC system is still removing
- construction dust and debris;
- You’ve just purchased an existing home and want to remove residuals from
- the previous occupants.
How long does it take to clean my air ducts?
This depends on several factors, such as the size of the home, the layout of the ductwork, how dirty the system is, etc. Average-sized homes can take between 3-5 hours to clean; we will give you a more accurate estimate once we’ve seen firsthand what needs to be done.
Will my home get dirty during this process? Where does all the dust and debris go?
No, your home will not get dirty. We use a high-powered, portable, self-contained negative pressure air duct cleaning system from Nikro. This system features a 5,000 cubic-feet-per minute vacuum that runs the air through a unique 3-stage filtration system, including a final stage 99.97% HEPA filter, ensuring that only absolutely, totally clean air is returned into your home’s interior environment.
How can I tell if my dryer vent needs cleaning?
- If you’ve noticed that it seems to take longer and longer for your clothes to get dry – especially with heavier items like towels, jeans, etc;
- Your dryer itself feels hotter to the touch than it used to;
- Clothes still feel hot and damp after a normal dry cycle has finished;
- There’s no lint on the removable lint screen – indicating a clogged exhaust vent.
How often should I clean my dryer exhaust vent?
At least once a year, and more frequently if you wash a lot of laundry, if you have pets that shed hair or fur, or you have a long exhaust vent. There are many factors. Once we’ve inspected your dryer vent, we will give you a proper timeline.