What You Need To Know Regarding Air Duct Cleaning
Knowledge about air duct cleaning is in its early stages, so a blanket recommendation cannot be offered as to whether you should have your air ducts in your home cleaned. This information provides important information on the subject.
Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. It is important to keep in mind that dirty air ducts are only one of many possible sources of particles that are present in homes. Pollutants that enter the home both from outdoors and indoor activities like cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving around can cause more significant exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. Moreover, there is no evidence that a light amount of household dust or other particulate matter in air ducts poses any risk to your health.
You should consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned up if:
1.) There is tangible visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system. There are a number of important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling units:
Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be convenient for a visible inspection, so ask the service provider to show you any mold they say exists.
You should be aware that although a substance may appear to be mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology research laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or just a substance that looks like it.
If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets moldy or wet it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced.
Mold growth will recur if the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected.
2.) Ducts are plagued with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects).
3.) Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are actually released into the home from your supply.
It usually suggests some underlying causes if any of the conditions identified above exists. Prior to any cleaning, retrofitting, or replacing of your ducts, the cause or causes must be addressed or else the problem will likely recur.
Some research suggests that cleaning heating and cooling system components (e.g., cooling coils, fans, and heat exchangers) may improve the efficiency of your system, resulting in a longer operating life, as well as some energy and maintenance cost savings. However, little evidence exists that cleaning only the ducts will improve the efficiency of the system.
You may consider having your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should be occasionally cleaned. EPA does not recommend that the air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only as needed.
Take the same consumer precautions you generally would in assessing the service provider's experience and credibility if you do decide to have your air ducts cleaned.
Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts as a means to kill bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth. They may also propose the application of a "sealant" to prevent dust and dirt particles from being released into the air or to seal air leaks. You should fully appreciate the pros and cons of permitting application of chemical biocides or sealants. While the targeted use of chemical biocides and sealants may be appropriate under specific circumstances, research has not demonstrated their effectiveness in duct cleaning or their potential adverse health effects. No chemical biocides are currently registered by EPA for use in internally-insulated air duct systems.
Whether or not you choose to have the air ducts on your property cleaned, preventing water and dirt from getting into the system is the most effective way to prevent contamination.
People who live with pets or indoor air quality concerns should consider air duct cleaning every two years. Loose pet hair can build up in your system over time, as well as dust and dirt. Dust enters your home in a variety of ways including through open windows or doors, carpeted floors, paper towel use.
Central heating can be a great addition to your home, especially to warm up your entire house during the cool Melbourne winters. However, if you haven’t had your heating system cleaned, you may notice some excess dust every time you turn your heater on. T&N Maintenance specializes in duct cleaning throughout the Melbourne area.
T&N Maintenance Service Coverage:
- Duct Cleaning Melbourne Northern Suburbs
- Duct Cleaning Melbourne Western Suburbs
- Duct Cleaning Melbourne South Eastern Suburbs
- Duct Cleaning Melbourne Eastern Suburbs
See WebsiteNI for more home improvement tips.
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