General Advice about Air Duct
Cleaning
Since
conditions vary from house to house, it is impossible to generalize about
whether or not air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you have air ducts
cleaned only on an as-needed basis. Research by the U.S. EPA has demonstrated
that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system cleaning may
allow systems to run more efficiently by removing debris from sensitive
mechanical components. Clean, efficient systems are less likely to break down,
have a longer life span, and generally operate more effectively than dirty
systems. Keeping your HVAC system clean may contribute to lower home energy
bills.
On the other
hand, if family members are experiencing unusual or unexplained symptoms or
illnesses you think may relate to your home environment, discuss the situation
with your doctor. If a visual inspection of the inside of your duct system
reveals no indication that they are contaminated with large deposits of dust or
mold, having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary.
Consider
having ducts cleaned if:
Substantial
visible mold growth appears inside hard surface ducts or on other components of
your heating and cooling system. Vermin such as insects or rodents infect the
duct system. Excessive amounts of dust or debris and/or particles are actually
released into the home from your supply registers.
The amount of
time it takes to clean a residential HVAC system depends on many variables such
as the size of the home, the number of systems, the extent of the contamination
and the number of HVAC cleaners performing the job. Ask at least two
contractors to inspect your system and give you a time estimate for your
particular system. This will give you a general idea of how long the job should
take as well as an idea of how thoroughly the contractor plans to do the job.
Tips To
Consider When Choosing An Air Duct Cleaner:
Watch out for
"blow-and-go" air duct cleaning companies. These companies often
charge a nominal fee and do a poor job of cleaning the heating and cooling
system. These companies may also perform unneeded services without consumers'
permission. Get written estimates from at least three different service
providers before deciding whether to have your ducts cleaned. If the service
provider charges by the hour, request an estimate of the number of hours or
days the job will take, and find out whether there will be interruptions in the
work. Interview potential service providers to ensure that they are experienced
and will use procedures to protect you, your pets, and your home from
contamination. Be wary of duct cleaners who make sweeping claims about the
health benefits of duct cleaning-such claims are largely unsubstantiated. Ask
the service provider whether they hold any relevant state licenses, and what type
of training or certification they have. Find out how many service technicians
will be on the job site. Ask if the company is fully insured, including
worker's compensation, if required. Check references to be sure other customers
were satisfied and did not experience any problems with their heating and
cooling system after the cleaning. Contact the Better Business Bureau for
reliability reports on the companies you are considering. Determining if the
HVAC System Cleaning Was Effective: The best way to determine if the cleaning
was effective is to perform a visual inspection of the system before and after
cleaning. If any dust or debris is visible during the visual inspection, the
system should not be considered cleaned. While you can perform your own visual
inspection using a flashlight and mirror, a professional contractor should be
able to allow you better access to system components and perhaps the use of
specialized inspection tools. You may want to ask the contractor if they will
do a visual inspection with you after the job is completed. For more
information, contact:
Better
Business Bureau
www.bbb.org
(800) 771-7755
www.oag.state.ny.us
New York State Consumer Protection Board
(800) 697-1220
www.consumer.state.ny.us
NADCA-National
Air Duct Cleaners Association
(202) 737-2926
www.nadca.com
Environmental Protection Agency
(212) 637-3000
www.epa.gov/region02/
This report is general in nature and is not intended as a reliability report on
any company, service or product.